CHICAGO – The Task Force on Black Immigrants, housed within the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) and was convened in response to a Joint Resolution of the Illinois House of Representatives, has formally filed the Report of the Task Force on Black Immigrants with the General Assembly. At a time when the federal landscape around immigration remains uncertain and often divisive, Illinois leaders show this work is not rhetorical but about responsibility. The Task Force was convened
SPRINGFIELD – Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization released the following statement after the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) rescinded a recently published Interim Final Rule (IFR) , which changed how veteran disability ratings would be evaluated. The IFR, which VA published on February 17th, 2026, would allow the department to reduce ratings based on the effects
ALTON/GODFREY - Local men can come together for a workout group that aims to promote fitness, fellowship and faith. F3 Nation is a nationwide workout program, but a local chapter has created a tight-knit community here in the Riverbend. The men will work out together, give each other nicknames, and enjoy the camaraderie, often meeting for coffee or spending time together outside of the morning program. Each workout ends with a Circle of Trust, where the leader shares an inspiring message fo
BLOOMINGTON — Roxana’s Chloe Skiles emerged as the area’s lone state champion wrestler over the weekend, winning the 110-pound title at Grossinger Motors Arena as the Shells placed fourth as a team in the state tournament. Skiles went 4-0 in the 110-pound bracket. She won her semifinal match over Valeria Pesantes of Elk Grove by fall at 3 minutes, 23 seconds, then captured the championship by fall in 41 seconds over Zoey Dodgers of Franklin Park-North Lake Leyden. Roxana
GRANITE CITY – The Rotary Club of Granite City recognized juniors Lily Booker and Shelby Morgan as Students of the Month for March. 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 Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast on March 24, 2026. LILY
WOOD RIVER - Five Lewis & Clark Junior High School student athletes were recognized by the LCJH District 15 school board on Feb. 24, 2026, in Wood River, Illinois, for earning spots on the Boys Basketball All Academic Team, an honor created this year by Coach Overton and Kraig Daniels. The board recognized Malik Turner, an eighth-grader, and seventh-graders Lincoln Brame, Harrison Hawkins, Gabriel Daniels and Hudson Gonzales during the recent board meeting at Lewis & Clark Junior High School.
GLEN CARBON – A 1,500-acre piece of mostly vacant farmland in Glen Carbon is set to become the site of several future developments within the village. Trustees unanimously approved the establishment of a STAR Bond District in Glen Carbon at their Feb. 24, 2026, Village Board meeting. The district’s purpose is to finance the development of future entertainment, retail, and tourism projects through Sales Tax And Revenue (STAR) bonds, according to the village’s STAR Bond District
EDWARDSVILLE - Tucker Lindstedt is one of the five seniors on this year's Edwardsville High School boys basketball team, and has been very supportive of his teammates as well as being a talented forward in the 2025-2026 season. The Tigers move to the sectional semifinals for a contest against Alton at Mascoutah on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Lindstedt, as one of the club's seniors, is optimistic and confident that Edwardsville can continue on in postseason play with the Alton game ahead next.
ALTON - The Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club is expected to welcome hundreds of people to their 40th annual Chili Chowdown event. On Monday, March 2, 2026, community members could stop by Main Street United Methodist Church in Alton from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 4:30–7 p.m. for a chili meal. A $10 ticket gets you all-you-can-eat chili, a beverage and a dessert. Brad King, this year’s event chair, noted that the “legacy” of the Chili Chowdown and the Rotary Club is all about supportin
EDWARDSVILLE - Gabby Cook is a senior forward for the girls basketball team at Edwardsville High, and provided senior, veteran leadership for the Tigers during the 2025-2026 campaign. In a game against O'Fallon Feb. 6, 2026, at Lucco-Jackson Gym, Cook was one of three players who scored 11 points in Edwardsville's 53-42 loss to the Panthers. Cook averaged over 8 points and 7 rebounds a game for the Tigers and was consistently one of the team's leading scorers game in and game out. Cook is
O'FALLON, IL. - Cambree York, a 14-year-old cheerleader from O'Fallon, IL., has battled “a serious illness and infection,” and time in the ICU recently. Karrie Schulte has organized a fundraiser for York to help her family cover expenses tied to her medical care. The fundraiser is intended to support York’s family as they face “an incredibly challenging time, filled with uncertainty and worry,” the page says. It describes Cambree York’s “energy and
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today highlighted a decision from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California that once again recognized that the federal government cannot demand states turn over personal and sensitive information on millions of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applicants and recipients without protections for the data. SNAP is a state-administered, federally funded program that provides billions of dollars in food assistance
BELLEVILLE - Caritas Family Solutions is expanding its mission to help children and families across the region thrive with the launch of its new Office of Community Connection (OCC) program. This initiative focuses on prevention and connects families with critical resources and support services before challenges become emergencies. The OCC program offers short-term, voluntary assistance to families experiencing hardship who do not require formal child welfare intervention. Through this
SHILOH – HSHS Medical Group is pleased to announce Kate Renner, MD, FACOG, MSCP, is now welcoming new patients at HSHS Medical Group Family Medicine - Shiloh, 1116 Hartman Lane, in Shiloh. She is a board-certified gynecologist with extensive experience in obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Renner has been recognized for her patient-centered approach and ranking in the top 5% for patient satisfaction, as well as her leadership experience in prior roles. She has additional certification as
WOOD RIVER - A call to the Wood River Fire Department that initially appeared to be a potentially serious incident at a Wood River nursing home ended without a fire after a dry chemical fire extinguisher was accidentally discharged, prompting an evacuation and medical evaluations, according to the Wood River Fire Department. Wood River Fire Chief Wade Stahlhut said the call came in from BRIA of Wood River, 393 Edwardsville Road, on Monday morning, March 2, 2026. He said fire crews arrived to fin
TROY - Community members and business owners have the chance to support an organization that supports them at the upcoming Glo Bingo for the Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce. On Friday, March 13, 2026, the chamber will host their annual Glo Bingo fundraiser at the Tri-Township Activity Center in Troy. Proceeds go back to the chamber to help them coordinate events and networking activities for members and the community. Mark VanZeyl, chamber ambassador, explained that the
BETHALTO - A local teacher has been named Illinois’s Southern Regional Teacher of the Year and a finalist for the Illinois State Board of Education’s 2026 Teacher of the Year award. Angie Neilson, an educator at Civic Memorial High School in the Bethalto Community Unit School District #8, says it’s “humbling and shocking” to be recognized. As she waits to learn if she has received the Teacher of the Year honor, she is focused on continuing her work and helping
O'FALLON, IL. - Members of the O’Fallon Police Department and community participants took part Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in a long-running fundraising plunge for Special Olympics Illinois athletes, raising more than $33,000 in the process. The O'Fallon Police said the team’s total made it the top police fundraiser “in the region and the state.” The event continued “a long tradition of taking the plunge for Special Olympics Illinois athletes,”
BELLEVILLE – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that repairs on northbound and southbound Illinois 159 between Washington Street and the junction of Illinois 13/Illinois158 in St. Clair County will require intermittent lane closures beginning Monday, March 9, weather permitting. All lanes will remain open in both directions on weekdays from 6 to 9 a.m. and from 3 to 6 p.m. The project is expected to be completed this summer. Motorists should expect
ST. LOUIS, MO. — The American Red Cross urges donors to help the national blood supply recover from a severe blood shortage and empower their health by making an appointment to give blood or platelets in March. As a thank-you for helping save lives, successful donations will receive free A1C testing , commonly used to screen for prediabetes and diabetes, in March (one result per calendar year). New Red Cross data reveals 1 in 5 blood donors have elevated A1C levels — a sign that
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