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The nineteenth annual automobile show of the St. Louis Automobile Dealers’ Association took place February 22 to 27, 1926, in “the great building owned by the City of St. Louis known as the Union Market.” Union Market still stands, is still owned by the City of St. Louis, and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was constructed in 1924-1925, so the 1926 St. Louis Auto Show was the first at Union Market. (The 1925 St. Louis Auto Show was held at the

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the Illinois Municipal Electric/Utilities Association (IMEA/IMUA) to discuss Illinois’ electric systems as new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, place new strains on the sector. In today’s meeting, Durbin and IMEA/IMUA members talked about the need for data center operators to be transparent about the expected power and water usage associated with running these centers. Additionall

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On CNN’s The Lead with Jake Tapper this afternoon, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) excoriated Donald Trump for launching an illegal military campaign against Iran without Congressional approval and without a plan for what comes next, all while putting our servicemembers and national security at risk. Video of the interview can be found on the Senator’s YouTube . Key Quotes: “I’m glad that Khamenei is dead…but

GLEN CARBON – A Glen Carbon man accused of fleeing a traffic stop at high speeds faces a felony charge. Travin T. Harris, 44, of Glen Carbon, was charged on Feb. 26, 2026 with a Class 4 felony count of aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer. Harris allegedly knowingly failed to obey and attempted to flee from a Glen Carbon police officer who had signaled for Harris to stop the vehicle he was driving on Jan. 30, 2026. Charging documents state he exceeded the legal speed

BELLEVILLE - Belleville Police are investigating the death of a juvenile male who was shot Friday night in the garage of a home in Belleville, Illinois, authorities said. Officers with the Belleville Police Department responded at about 7:53 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, to the 2700 block of Brookmeadow Drive for a report of a subject shot, according to a department statement. The juvenile victim was found suffering from a gunshot wound, police said. “Officers and EMS immediately

COTTAGE HILLS – The East Alton Fire Department responded Saturday afternoon to a structure fire on the 100 block of South Oak Street in Cottage Hills. When firefighters arrived, a deck and fence next to the house were on fire, and flames had reached the side of the house. Mutual aid was requested from the Wood River, Roxana, Rosewood Heights, and Alton fire departments. “The house appears savable,” East Alton Fire Chief Jeremy Dively said. “A bedroom ceiling collapsed,

EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County officials recognized an Alton pastor Wednesday night as a “Living Legend” for her lifetime of ministry, mentorship and leadership in the community. County Board Member Michael “Doc” Holliday of Alton and Chairman Chris Slusser presented Pastor Joyce Elliott with the Madison County Living Legend Award during the County Board’s February meeting. Elliott made history as the first female licensed ordained minister at Union Baptist

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) today introduced two pieces of bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation—the Smarter Sentencing Act , to modernize federal drug sentencing policies, and the Smarter Pretrial Detention for Drug Charges Act , to provide judges additional flexibility when determining if pretrial detention is appropriate for those accused of nonviolent

GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College has established a new Student Advisory Council (SAC) to help give students a platform on campus, and to provide the college’s president and executive team with student input on various matters affecting them. Student Trustee Jim Eck said the idea was born out of several informal sessions with President Ken Tzraska last fall, during which several students shared their positive learning experiences. “We are building on that

BETHALTO - Civic Memorial High School students presented a check to the Bethalto Community Unit School District #8 Board of Education to increase literacy in the community. During the Board’s regular meeting on Feb. 26, 2026, four members of the Educators Rising program at Civic Memorial spoke about their fundraising efforts to assist with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Madison County. Through several initiatives, students have raised money to help continue this program in

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today unveiled nearly $200,000 in Charitable Trust grants to 10 small nonprofits that help people stay in their homes and get job training. “We are helping people who need a helping hand at a time when so many folks are struggling due to higher costs and as our federal government yanks away lifelines,” Treasurer Frerichs said at a news conference at Rockford. “I’m proud to partner with nonprofit organizations

WOOD RIVER – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced traffic impacts near the Phillips 66 refinery’s north entrance along IL 143. Beginning March 2, local law enforcement will change the traffic signal located at IL 143 and the Schnuck’s entrance to red flash between the hours of 4:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. as well as 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., daily through April 18. These adjustments are necessary to facilitate safe, efficient traffic flow during shift

GRANITE CITY – 1st MidAmerica Credit Union announced its three recipients of the Granite City Community Unit School District #9 Teacher Grants for the 2025 Fall Semester at the February 24, 2026 GCSD9 School Board Meeting. 1st MidAmerica Credit Union Business Development Representative Martha Morse presented each honoree with a $250 grant. Below is a list of the three honorees and how the $250 grant will be used: Jessica Farris - Prather Elementary School Novel for all class reading

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today unveiled nearly $200,000 in Charitable Trust grants to 10 small nonprofits that help people stay in their homes and get job training. In Wood River, Riverbend Family Ministries will receive $20,000 from the grants. “The Charitable Trust program has been a transformative support for our work with families facing housing instability in Madison County,” said Rachel Craddick, executive director of Riverbend Family Ministries

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt introduced a new measure to increase access to life-saving mental health resources and strengthen suicide prevention efforts across the state. “What we’re doing is expanding suicide prevention education across the entire state,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “These are meaningful steps to address mental health proactively and compassionately.” Belt’s measure would require numerous public buildings across

EAST ALTON - East Alton students learned about unity through several Black History Month activities. On Feb. 25, 2026, the Black History Month celebrations concluded with an assembly at East Alton Middle School, where choir members sang songs and students performed a step routine. Fifth grade students at Eastwood Elementary completed a live museum project, and students across the district were encouraged to enter a poster contest. Angela Gray, the school social worker, and Karinsa Moline,

EDWARDSVILLE - Junior reserve forward Sire Borden has been among the first players off the bench this season for Edwardsville's boys basketball team, and he's made some critical contributions to the Tigers in their 22-7 season. Borden hit for six crucial points in a 48-43 overtime win over Staunton at Lucco-Jackson Gym on Feb. 3, and made some key defensive plays during the final part of regulation and in overtime. During a postgame interview, Borden felt the game was a must-win for the Tigers

MONROE COUNTY - A two-vehicle head-on collision that drew in a third car left one woman dead and three others injured Wednesday evening in Monroe County, authorities said. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said it received a report of a traffic crash with injuries at about 6:16 p.m. Feb. 25, 2026, near S. Rockport Road at West Stansifer Court. Preliminary evidence indicates a northbound Subaru crossed left of center into the southbound lane and collided head-on with a Kia,

WOOD RIVER - Emma Glenn, a senior at East Alton-Wood River High School, is being recognized for soccer, citing academic achievement and leadership as key factors in the honor. Glenn said she believes earning a 4.0 GPA in her last semester of high school “has made a huge impact on this award,” adding that she also considers herself “a good team leader.” Her girls' soccer coach is Diane Cox. Glenn is a Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for th

PIASA - Carter Bacon’s steady rise through the season ended with a team-high scoring performance in Southwestern’s finale, offering a glimpse of what could be ahead for the Piasa Birds’ sophomore guard. Bacon scored 10 points on Feb. 25, 2026, in the Piasa Birds’ final game of the season against Staunton in the regional. The game was played as Bacon continued to show improvement throughout the season, according to coach Jason Darr. Bacon is also an Altonized Community