SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, IL. – The US Air Force Band of Mid-America's Shades of Blue Jazz Ensemble will present a series of concerts around Scott Air Force Base: Wednesday, February 25, 1:00 p.m.: Farrington Grade School, 20941 E. Divide Rd., Bluford, IL 628141 Thursday, February 26, 7:00 p.m. – Kirkwood Performing Arts Center (KPAC), 210 E Monroe Ave, Kirkwood, MO 63122 Friday, February 27, 7:00 p.m. – Panther Dome Gym, O'Fallon Township High School, 600 S Smiley St, O'Fallon,
– Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC)—and U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) today led 29 other Senate Democrats in calling on U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to immediately rescind the VA’s extreme, cruel new policy that bans the VA from providing abortion counseling and care to Veterans , even in cases
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez, the Illinois AFL-CIO and Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias issued statements from Illinois reacting to the passing of the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., remembering the civil rights leader’s decades of work on social justice, politics and labor issues. Durbin, the Senate Democratic whip and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Jackson “committed his life to
BETHALTO - Civic Memorial High School senior Jude Breyer is closing out his high school career with a series of academic, leadership, and athletic accomplishments, highlighted by earning the Jesse W. Fell Scholarship at Illinois State University. Breyer, a Civic Memorial student, received the scholarship from Illinois State University, where he has also been admitted into the university’s Honors Program. At Illinois State, he plans to major in English, continuing a passion he developed
EDWARDSVILLE - After 27 years working in nearly every division of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Capt. William “Bill” Marconi is retiring. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement posted on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, that Marconi, who began his career in 1999 as a jail deputy, is retiring after “27 years of dedicated service to the citizens of Madison County.” The office said Marconi earned promotions “through the ranks”
ALTON – Two Alton residents face felony charges in their latest Madison County cases of domestic battery. Antonio L. Carter, 37, of Alton, was charged on Feb. 13, 2026 with a Class 2 felony count of aggravated domestic battery and a Class 4 felony count of his second or subsequent offense of domestic battery. Carter allegedly knowingly caused great bodily harm to a household or family member without legal justification on Jan. 24, 2026, resulting in significant injury to the victim. Chargin
EDWARDSVILLE - Woodland Elementary School students commemorated Black History Month by creating a wall of important words. Every morning, the school comes together to recite their “Bobcats on the Prowl” motto and start the day on a positive note. Last week, Principal Andy Williams and Assistant Principal Alicia Hiller read “Martin’s Big Words” to the students to teach about Martin Luther King Jr.’s work and speeches. The students put together a display
EDWARDSVILLE - Woodland Elementary School fourth graders celebrated Lunar New Year with giant dragon puppets. On Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, the entire Woodland student body gathered in the gym for a special presentation by Page Lee’s fourth grade class. Lee explained that her class has been learning about winter traditions and holidays around the world, and they wanted to do something special for Lunar New Year. Students created two dragon puppets and walked across the stage to demonstrate
ALTON - Barbara Erwin has gone above and beyond for local kids. Erwin, 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. She shared that she spent 15 years teaching in the Alton Community Unit School District #11, where she initiated a program to provide extra food to students during long weekends and breaks. “I knew that there was a need,” Erwin remembered. “I had students who were
Silence can feel louder when there’s less to distract you. That’s one reason winter often pulls people inward. The same life that feels busy and outward-facing for much of the year can suddenly feel quieter. Social plans thin out. Days can feel shorter. Even your body seems to ask for a slower pace. In that space, thoughts you’ve been skipping past have more room to show up. Reflection isn’t forced, exactly—but it becomes harder to avoid. Reflection needs space,
February 17, 1801, brought a leadership change that helped shape modern political systems. Thomas Jefferson was elected President of the United States after a deeply contested process that ended in the House of Representatives. The election exposed weaknesses in the young country’s voting rules and led to reforms, including the Twelfth Amendment, which changed how presidents and vice presidents are elected. The broader significance reaches beyond one nation: it showed how constitutional system
This morning starts off cloudy with temperatures around 55°F. Expect mostly cloudy skies through the early hours with a low breeze coming from the south-southeast at about 12 mph, gusting up to 30 mph. As we move into the afternoon, the breeze picks up, making it feel cooler than the high of 59°F. Clouds will cling to the sky, limiting the sunshine to a brief appearance. By evening, it remains mostly cloudy and windier, with wind speeds increasing toward 17 mph and gusts reaching 32 mph
BETHALTO - Precision Point Armory owner Ben Julian wants to work with people who care about firearm safety. Located in Bethalto, Precision Point Armory offers concealed carry classes, renewal classes, fundamental classes, and more. No matter which class you take, Julian aims to create safe firearm owners who are comfortable handling their guns. He also has a range where you can shoot live ammo, and he likes to help people improve their shooting and build up their fundamentals as much a
EAST ST. LOUIS - The Illinois State Police are investigating a police pursuit in East St. Louis that ended early Feb. 14, 2026, with a driver found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, after the East St. Louis Police Department requested the state agency’s Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 6 to handle the case. East St. Louis police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop at about 2:28 a.m. near the intersection of 47th Street and State Street, according t
PAWTUCKET, R.I. — Police responded Monday afternoon, Feb. 16, 2026, to a shooting at Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, where two people were confirmed dead, and three others were injured in what police described as a targeted attack that may have been related to a family dispute. Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves said Monday afternoon that the gunman died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after firing shots. Goncalves said one of those killed was a young girl. The thre
CHICAGO - Rayna Raglin of Alton has picked up right where she left off at the end of the 2025 outdoor track and field season, with a tremendous performance this weekend in Chicago at the Fifth Annual Dr. Conrad Worrill Invitational. Raglin was named the Most Outstanding Athlete of the meet after she recorded first-place finishes in the 60 (7.52) and 200 (24.27). She beat the previous second-place 3A finisher in the 100 meters, Mariyah Robinson of Flossmoor, who recorded a time of 7.62 in the 60
GLEN CARBON – A major road remediation project is moving forward in Glen Carbon after unanimous approval of a $158,900 agreement for the village’s 2026 Street Program. Village Board members approved a professional services agreement last week for the 2026 Street Program after hearing a presentation from Jeff Reis with Thouvenot, Wade & Moerchen (TWM), Inc. Reis gave trustees a report on the current condition of road surfaces around Glen Carbon as of Jan. 1, 2026. The vast majority
WOOD RIVER - Community members and business owners have the opportunity to learn more about security systems at a hands-on security roadshow sponsored by American Digital Security. From 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 26, 2026, Rustic Roots in Wood River will host the roadshow. Attendees are encouraged to talk to companies and manufacturers about their security systems, including video surveillance, access control, intrusion detection, AI-powered analytics, and threat detection technologies.
EAST ST. LOUIS - The Illinois State Board of Education has named Lashaunda Ross, a counselor at Annette Officer Elementary School in East St. Louis School District 189, as a recipient of the Award of Excellence in the Those Who Excel 2026 program, the district announced. The Award of Excellence honors educators who demonstrate “an unwavering commitment to equity and the success of all students,” according to the district’s statement. The recognition is given to recipients
ALTON – Since the heart is one of the most important muscles in the human body, OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center continues to be “heart healthy” after bulking up even more by flexing its cardiology services specialty program “muscle” in 2025. Just as a physician recommends patients to develop a plan to maintain a strong and vibrant heart (proper nutrition, exercise, plenty of sleep, reduce stress, etc.), OSF Saint Anthony’s, for the second
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