JERSEYVILLE – Jerseyville Fire Chief Keith Norman recently gave an update on a devastating house fire that broke out on the morning of Monday, Dec. 22, 2025 in the 500 block of Pine Street in Jerseyville. Chief Norman confirmed that two occupants who were still trapped inside the home during the fire had been rescued. “Everyone did get out,” Norman said. “The Fire Department and Police Department worked together to get two people out of a second-story window.”
ALTON - A union carpenter is asking the City of Alton to allow him to rehab a few homes instead of demolishing them. Detraze McElroy owns 3 MC Construction. He shared that he wants the City of Alton to implement a “rehab-first policy” wherein homes are restored instead of demolished. He is interested in taking the steps to rehab these houses, but he feels the city “stands in the way” of doing so. “What is my mission? What can I do with my company to help my
EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville High School Marching Tigers will take the international stage on Jan. 1, 2026, as they perform in the 40th Anniversary London New Year’s Day Parade, one of the world’s largest and most celebrated New Year’s events. Viewers throughout the region can watch the Edwardsville students perform on Nine PBS (Channel 9) at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 1. In honor of the parade’s 40th anniversary, Nine PBS will also air “London Parade: A Tribute to 4
ALTON - A healthy lifestyle translates directly to a longer life. One local doctor breaks down how to take care of ourselves to maintain health and independence as we age. Dr. Christopher Green with Associated Physicians Group explained that longevity is a major concern for all of his patients. But while people want to live longer, they also want to stay independent and active. Taking care of yourself now will translate to a better life in the years to come. “I think longevity
ST. LOUIS — Homicide detectives are investigating a shooting and house fire in north St. Louis that resulted in the deaths of a mother and her daughter. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police and St. Louis Fire Departments responded to a house fire at about 12:10 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in the 5700 block of Floy Avenue in the Walnut Park West neighborhood. Upon arrival, officers found 45-year-old LaTasha Brown and her 9-year-old daughter, Paige, inside the home with gunshot wounds. Both
What if the way you celebrate Christmas Eve could tell a story thousands of years old, woven from ancient customs, religious symbolism, and cultural exchanges? The traditions observed on this night are far more than festive rituals—they are living links to human history and identity across continents. Understanding their origins offers a fascinating glimpse into how people have expressed hope, community, and reverence through time. The Religious Roots: From Vigil to Celebration Christmas
December 23rd has witnessed a series of remarkable events throughout history that have shaped the world in profound ways. Going back to the 19th century, December 23rd, 1783, saw the first manned hot air balloon flight. French engineer Jean-Pierre Blanchard and American physician John Jeffries successfully crossed the English Channel in a hydrogen balloon, pioneering early aeronautical exploration that would inspire generations of inventors and aviators. In 1913, a different kind of innovation
This morning starts clear with a cool 44 degrees. The sun will make appearances through intermittent clouds as the day warms up to a high of 61 in the afternoon. Winds will come from the west-northwest at 7 to 15 mph gusts, adding a bit of briskness. Evening brings mostly cloudy skies with temperatures dropping toward the low 40s. Overnight, expect the clouds to stick around with lows near 40, and light winds from the east-northeast at around 7 to 10 mph. Tomorrow will see temperatures holding
ALTON — Officers Hayley Porter and Janelle Rose graduated Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, from the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center, the Alton Police Department announced Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. The two officers completed the Police Academy program and will now begin their Field Training Program, according to Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford. “It’s no secret that we are proud of their hard work and dedication, and we wish them continued success as they begin their
ALTON – An Alton man accused of battering two police officers and taking one’s taser as they attempted to arrest him remains in custody pending felony charges. Taron A. Steward, 25, of Alton, was charged on Dec. 19, 2025, with one count of disarming a peace officer (a Class 1 felony) and two counts of aggravated battery (both Class 2 felonies). The day prior on Dec. 18, 2025, Steward allegedly took a taser from a police officer without the officer’s consent and struck the
GRAFTON — The Grafton City Council honored the Grafton Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, for its ongoing efforts to promote local businesses and position the river town as a unique visitor destination. At the council meeting, Mayor Mike Morrow presented a Certificate of Appreciation to the Chamber, whose theme encourages visitors to “Come visit, enjoy Grafton and plan a return adventure.” Dan Ebbing, president of the Chamber, accepted the certificate and
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today joined a coalition of attorneys general in suing the Trump administration to stop the complete defunding of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which has returned more than $21 billion to defrauded consumers, slashed junk fees, and stopped predatory auto and mortgage lenders throughout its 14-year existence. The CFPB’s current acting director, Russel Vought, is attempting to completely defund the agency by refusing to request
ST. LOUIS – On Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, Mayor Cara Spencer announced two key appointments to her cabinet and staff, naming Brian Light as director of personnel and Holly Roberts as director of communications. Brian Light returns home to St. Louis after more than 24 years of public service in the Pacific Northwest, with a career rooted in leadership, organizational development and human resources. He began his career with the State of Oregon as a training and development specialist, where
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced a $149.67 million multistate settlement with Mercedes-Benz USA (Mercedes) and Daimler AG (Daimler) for violating state laws by marketing, selling and leasing vehicles equipped with illegal and undisclosed emissions defeat devices designed to evade emissions standards. The settlement also includes more than $200 million in potential consumer relief. “Mercedes’ deceptive use of software defeat devices misled consumers into
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced a federal judge has ordered the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to preliminarily halt changes to its Continuum of Care grant program after Raoul and a coalition of states argued in court that the changes were illegal and would leave tens of thousands of people around the country without a place to live. The Continuum of Care grant program is the largest resource for federal homelessness assistance funding. “Th
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today led a bipartisan coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold a federal law prohibiting firearms possession by habitual drug users. The Supreme Court’s review follows the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit’s decision in United States v. Hemani, which held that the law could prohibit firearms possession by a habitual drug user only when that user is intoxicated at the
WATERLOO – Monroe County Chairman, George Green, took action to prevent a levee failure. Emergency repairs are underway on a critical agricultural levee system impacting two counties, following growing concern over a dangerous scour hole that threatened catastrophic failure. The issue centered on a legacy levee, originally constructed in the 1800s, which allowed water to continue flowing toward the modern levee. Over time, this created turbulence and high velocity which resulted in the formatio
SPRINGFIELD — Governor JB Pritzker today announced the 2026 recipients of the Order of Lincoln, the state’s highest honor for professional achievement and public service. Established in 1964, the Order of Lincoln recognizes individuals who have made remarkable contributions to the betterment of humanity in or on behalf of the State of Illinois. “Having dedicated themselves to uplifting their fellow Illinoisans and Americans, the 2026 Lincoln Laureates set an example of leading
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) member Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with SVAC Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), today demanded an independent investigation into the Trump Administration’s decision to divert personnel, equipment and financial resources away from serving our nation’s Veterans and toward developing a database to track non-U.S. citizen employees as part of Donald Trump’s inhumane mass deportation
EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) now has its first Endowed Professorship, due to a major contribution from Professor Emerita Therese Poirier, PharmD, MPH, FASHP, FCCP, BCPS. The Therese Poirier Endowed Professorship in Pharmacy is the largest single gift in the School of Pharmacy’s history. “I look at some of the bigger schools and their affiliations where they have lots of money,” said Poirier. “And I was looking
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