EDWARDSVILLE - James Williams and fellow Boy Scouts recently built a mud kitchen for the playground at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Early Childhood Center after two teachers asked whether he could build something for the outdoor space. Williams, who attended the center from ages 2 to 4, said he wanted to give back to the program. “I went to the ECC when I was younger, and I wanted to give back,” he said. The mud kitchen gives children an outdoor play
ALTON - Alton Main Street , the Sierra Club Illinois ’ Three Rivers Project, and Jacoby Arts Center are announcing the return of the Mississippi Earthtones Festival to the Alton Amphitheater on Saturday, September 19th from noon until 10:00 p.m. The 20th annual festival in Downtown Alton is a vibrant celebration dedicated to our river and environment. Featuring over 30 environmental education exhibits, more than 70 eco-conscious artists and makers, and 12 culinary vendors, the event
SPRINGFIELD – Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB), and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced $50 million in grant funding has been awarded to 21 grantees through the Community Health Center Construction Grant Program. This funding was made possible by the Rebuild Illinois capital program which aims to support the construction, expansion, and improvement of community healthcare facilities across Illinois. “Community health centers
CHICAGO – The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) is holding an additional in-person forum for Illinois American Water customers wishing to comment on their utility’s proposed general rate increase. Impacted customers are not required to attend the in-person forum to submit a comment. Those unable to attend may submit comments via the ICC website or by calling our Consumer Services Division at 1-800-524-0795 during regular business hours. DATE: Wednesday, September 16, 2026
EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will honor Ruth Slenczynska Kerr, a world-renowned concert pianist and former SIUE artist-in-residence and music professor emerita, with a public memorial service at 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in the university’s Katherine Dunham Hall Theater, following her death in April 2026. The Ruth Slenczynska Kerr Memorial Service is being presented by SIUE, the Ruth Slenczynska Scholarship and the College of Arts and Sciences. The service
CHICAGO – Governor Pritzker today issued a state disaster proclamation following weeks of severe and record-breaking weather across Illinois resulting in widespread damage from torrential downpours, flash flooding, straight-line winds and several tornadoes – leading the nation with approximately 204 tornadoes verified by the National Weather Service (NWS) already this year. The Governor’s state proclamation will make additional state resources and personnel available to support
OGLESBY, IL – Today, at the Illinois Corn August Board Meeting, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with leaders to discuss the impact that rising costs have had on Illinois farmers and the agriculture industry. Among their shared priorities, Duckworth and the members underscored the importance of supporting family farmers by expanding the biofuels market, increasing agricultural exports and improving farm safety net programs as Donald Trump’s policies drive up the costs of supplies
ST. LOUIS - An unidentified woman was killed around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Kingsway East after she was struck by a vehicle while crossing at Natural Bridge and Euclid against the light, according to a preliminary investigation and review of video footage by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police said a woman was walking from south to north in the crosswalk when a white or silver vehicle of unknown make and model, traveling westbound on
BELLEVILLE — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Congressman Mike Levin (CA-49) convened a roundtable to hear from local stakeholders about their ideas and vision to make gasoline and utilities more affordable, with a specific eye toward economic development, job growth, and solutions that can provide immediate relief to working families. After the event, the group – which included representatives from labor unions, county governments, electric utilities, environmental
SPRINGFIELD – Governor Pritzker today sent a letter to Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expressing his deep concern about the 5,000 brave men and women currently aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln as well asthe lack of transparency and accountability from the President and Department of Defense (DoD) about the status of this deployment. The USS Lincoln has been deployed at seamore than 250 days with the Trump Administration refusing to provide an end date. The Trump Administration
CHICAGO – Attorney General Raoul today issued the following statement as a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general begins to present their case against Meta, alleging the social media giant knowingly designed and deployed harmful features on Facebook and Instagram that drive compulsive use by children and teens, while falsely assuring parents and the public that its platforms were safe for young users. “It has been a long road, but today we are one step closer to holding Meta
CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed into law three bills implementing more comprehensive orders of protection for survivors of domestic violence, identification and intervention protocols for cases of high-risk intimate partner violence, and expanded access to sexual assault nurse examiners across the state. “This legislation is designed to create safeguards against domestic and sexual violence, making us more prepared to stop it before it happens and step in upon
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is partnering with the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) at its Springfield Flagship Center to make it easier for Illinoisans to pay required taxes after purchasing a vehicle. IDOR will now have a permanent office located inside the Springfield Flagship Center, 2701 S. Dirksen Parkway, to process vehicle tax payments tied to a range of title and registration services. This marks Giannoulias’ latest effort to modernize
SPRINGFIELD — A convenience store in Springfield has sold a $550,000 winning Lucky Day Lotto® ticket after a lucky player matched all five numbers in the Monday, August 17 midday drawing. The winning ticket was purchased at Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh, located at 1025 Outer Park Dr. in Springfield. The winning numbers were 2-7-10-33-41. The big win marks the second major lottery prize sold by the retail chain in just one week, following the $1.04 billion Powerball® jackpot-winning ticket
Food Trucks, Music and Community Gatherings Fill Aug. 21-23 Calendar From food trucks and farmers market finds to live music, family activities, opera and community fundraisers, the upcoming calendar offers plenty of ways to get out across the area. Find even more listings anytime at RiverBender.com Events . Calvary Men's Retreat invites participants to Calvary Baptist Church Gym in Alton beginning Friday, Aug. 21, with a 6:30 p.m. meal and fellowship, followed by a message from Evangelist
On August 19, 14 CE, Augustus, the first Roman emperor, died and brought an end to one of the most important political lives in ancient history. His death mattered because he had transformed Rome from a republic shaken by civil war into an empire with a more stable central government. That change affected law, military organization, taxation, public building, and the way power was passed on. It still matters today because the Roman Empire shaped later ideas about citizenship, state authority, infrastructure
The shift back into routine often feels personal, but it is also deeply social. A single week can bring fuller calendars, earlier alarms, packed lunchboxes, crowded roads, and inboxes that suddenly demand answers. Even people without children or school ties often feel it. Somehow, life seems to tighten its schedule all at once. That return to routine in late summer is not just a habit. It grows out of school systems, work culture, family patterns, and the way people use free time. For many, it
GILLESPIE — A Gillespie man pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Macoupin County Circuit Court to possessing and disseminating child sexual abuse material, Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced. The case is part of Raoul’s ongoing work with federal and local law enforcement agencies in Illinois to apprehend offenders who download and trade child sexual abuse material online. Robert L. Jones, 48, of Gillespie, pleaded guilty to one count of dissemination of child sexual abus
ALTON — Firefighters battled a serious house fire Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 18, 2026, in the 1000 block of Ninth Street in Alton after a blaze appeared to start inside the home and spread to the attic, Alton Fire Department Battalion Chief Bill Simon said. The call to the Alton Fire Department came in at 1:04 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. Simon said no one was inside the house when the fire broke out. Firefighters remained at the scene for about four hours, battling the fire and extinguishing
WOOD RIVER — Downtown Wood River welcomed another local business to the neighborhood last Friday, Aug. 14, 2026, as The Cannaisseur celebrated its grand opening at 40 E. Ferguson Avenue. Thanks to the enthusiastic support of the Wood River community, The Cannaisseur opened its doors to a celebration that felt more like a miniature downtown festival than a traditional store opening. Residents, neighboring businesses and visitors gathered to meet the team, explore the new dispensary and
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