EAST ST. LOUIS — A Georgia man was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for leading a bank fraud and identity theft scheme that targeted financial institutions across central and southern Illinois, federal officials announced Wednesday. Traveon H. Reese, 31, of Atlanta, pleaded guilty in August 2025 to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. He admitted to orchestrating a check-cashing conspiracy that involved stealing business checks and identities
GODFREY - The Harman family will once again come together for the 48th Annual Harman Family Bluegrass Show. Hosted by the Harman Family Bluegrass Band, the show is a beloved January tradition for many people in the Riverbend region. This year’s performance is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, at Hatheway Cultural Center at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey. “You can expect nearly a couple of hours of good bluegrass, gospel and country music, as we hav
GODFREY — A two-vehicle crash occurred Wednesday morning, Jan. 7, 2026, in front of Alton High School in Godfrey and caused significant damage to the vehicles involved, the Madison County Sheriff's Office said. The collision happened Jan. 7, 2026, when one vehicle was traveling south on Humbert Road, and the other was attempting to turn into the high school parking lot, according to Madison County Chief Deputy Sheriff Marcos Pulido. "Unit 2 was traveling South on Humbert Road, as Unit
EDWARDSVILLE —The Madison County Mental Health Board named a new Executive Director — selecting a seasoned leader with more than 30 years of experience in child and family welfare, trauma-informed care, and systems reform. Amber Donnelly, Ed.S., will serve as the new executive director. She brings a specialized background in educational leadership, policy analysis and strategic planning to the organization. Throughout her distinguished career, Donnelly championed trauma-informed
O’FALLON, Ill. — HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital proudly welcomed Rosalinda Elizabeth Taylor as the first baby born at the hospital in 2026 to Cecilia Hammond and Levi Taylor of Belleville. She was delivered at 2:02 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2025, at St. Elizabeth’s Women and Infants Center, weighing 6 pounds, 5 ounces, and was 20 inches long. In celebration of being the first baby born in 2026 at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Rosalinda and her family
WOOD RIVER - Canaan Cook, a senior at East Alton-Wood River High School, is being recognized for his participation in wrestling. Under the guidance of coach Tim Donohoo, Cook has been involved in the sport for four years. He describes wrestling as a unique experience that fosters a strong sense of brotherhood, especially within a small team that travels frequently together. Cook is a Midwest Members Credit Union Male Athlete of the Month for the Oilers. In addition to wrestling, Cook is active
ST. LOUIS – In an important step toward rebuilding after the May 16 tornado and bringing new investment to North St. Louis, the City of St. Louis Planning Commission has formally adopted “A Stronger Northside,” a new neighborhood plan created with significant community involvement to guide the future development, investment and community priorities for The Ville, Greater Ville and Kingsway East neighborhoods, all of which were significantly impacted by the tornado. This is
ALTON - Middletown neighbors once again came together to celebrate Twelfth Night with carols, cookies and a bonfire. On Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, residents from the Middletown neighborhood in Alton gathered at Haskell Park. The Alton Fire Department burned donated live Christmas trees, and community members snacked on cookies and wassail. Organizers also announced the Three Kings of Middletown, honoring community members who have gone above and beyond in the neighborhood this past year. “It’s
Pictured above: New Edwardsville Firefighters Quinn Phillips, Alex Thompson, and Oren Baran stand with Fire Chief Brendan McKee (left) and Mayor Art Risavy (right). EDWARDSVILLE – The Edwardsville Fire Department is welcoming three new firefighters who were sworn in at this week’s City Council meeting. Quinn Phillips, Alex Thompson, and Oren Baran, the city’s three newest probationary firefighters, took their Oaths of Office on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026 in view of their families,
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate was 4.4 percent in November, unchanged from September, and down -0.5 percentage point from the same month, one year ago, based on data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The revised September unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.4 percent. There are no October unemployment rates for Illinois or the nation as labor force data for the month of October could
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement marking the fifth anniversary of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021: “Five years ago on this day, armed insurrectionists overran the Capitol in a violent attempt to overturn a free and fair election. They did so at the direction of a bitter and defeated President intent on clinging to power by any means possible.
GRANITE CITY – Granite City High School Principal Tim McChristian announced that 611 students earned Honor Roll accolades for the first semester of the 2025-26 school year. Students who obtained a grade point average of 5.0 or higher during the first semester earned high honors, while students with a 4.2-4.999 GPA with no D earned was named to the honor roll. All GPAs are based on the current semester GPA (not cumulative). To view the complete list of honorees, click below: HIG
EDWARDSVILLE — Glen-Ed Pantry is proud to announce a $25,000 gift from Carrollton Bank in support of its ongoing capital campaign to construct a new, purpose-built facility that will better serve families facing food insecurity in the Edwardsville School District 7 area. The donation advances the pantry’s efforts to raise funds for a permanent home that will expand service capacity, accessibility, and community resources. Glen-Ed Pantry has been a cornerstone of community support
CHICAGO — An Illinois Lottery player is starting the new year on a high note after claiming a $350,000 Lucky Day Lotto ® jackpot won in the Christmas Day drawing. The winner, who chose to remain anonymous under the name ‘Work Mom,’ purchased her winning ticket online and personally selected each of the numbers. “Everyone at my job calls me ‘Work Mom’ since I’m the oldest,” the winner shared. Work Mom said she was relaxing and watching
ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County police are investigating a fatal pedestrian collision that occurred Sunday evening, Jan. 4, 2026, near the intersection of Vescovo Drive and Lemay Ferry Road. Officers from the South County Precinct responded at 6:33 p.m. Jan. 4, 2026, after receiving a report of a person struck by a vehicle. Upon arrival, they found Bryant Watkins, 48, of the 1200 block of Dammert in St. Louis, had been hit and died at the scene. St. Louis County Police said the driver
ALTON - Mac’s Downtown has officially introduced Olga’s products to their menu, and owner Rob Lenhardt can’t wait to share the food with the downtown community and beyond. Starting on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, Mac’s customers can enjoy four Olga’s sandwiches, snackers, and curly fries from the Olga’s menu. Lenhardt predicts a few additional Olga’s products — including soups and spinach pies — will be available within the next two weeks.
ALTON — SCI Engineering's work to drain the soccer field sinkhole at Gordon Moore Park in Alton is underway in early January 2026. These are photos and video from Doug Booten of the early work on the sinkhole this week. SCI has stated it plans to drill small testing points into the ground surrounding the sinkhole at Gordon Moore Park’s soccer field as part of an ongoing investigation into the collapse that began June 26, 2024. Some of the test points will be located inside
BUZZ MAGAZINE – Are we witnessing the end of agriculture policy as we know it? I promise you, this isn’t some headline meant to draw in readers with doomsday predictions that incite fear or anxiety. This is a very real concern of mine. Recent years have seen reactive policy overtake solid governance in regards to agriculture and I am unsure of what will change this trendline and allow us to return to proactive farming policy. Agriculture has always been tied to government because
January wasn’t always the first month of the year—and in some places, it still isn’t. That simple fact explains why calendars can feel both obvious and oddly arbitrary at the same time. We treat January 1 as a clean reset: new goals, new budgets, new planners. But the choice of January is not a law of nature. It’s the result of politics, religion, and practical needs colliding over thousands of years. Understanding how calendars evolved also explains why we still carry
BUZZ MAGAZINE – Not many things can bring back childhood memories as quickly as the taste of your favorite childhood candy. A bite of an old-fashioned caramel or a brightly wrapped taffy can bring back memories of lazy summers, visits to grandma’s house or trips to the local corner store with a pocketful of change. It’s a reminder of simpler moments when life felt slower, lighter, and full of wonder. What were your favorite candies as a child? Mine were Sugar Babies, Pixie
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