The most significant global event linked to April 20 is the 1999 Columbine High School shooting in Colorado, United States. Two students carried out a planned attack at their school, killing 13 people and then themselves, and injuring many others. At the time, it shocked communities far beyond the U.S. because it showed how quickly violence could spread in a familiar, everyday place. It still matters today because it changed how schools think about safety, how many countries talk about youth
ROXANA/WOOD RIVER - About 440 customers in Wood River and Roxana lost power Friday evening, April 17, 2026, after a vehicle struck a power pole near Illinois Routes 111 and 143, prompting crews to de-energize the lines to make the area safe before repairs began. The outage occurred around 5:05 p.m. Friday, according to Brian Bretsch, a public relations manager. “To make the area safe to begin restoring power, crews had to de-energize the power lines,” Bretsch said in an email. H
JERSEYVILLE – Chris Cagle will headline a concert at the Jersey County Fair this year with tourism funding secured for other county-wide events in 2026. On April 16, 2026, Jersey County Board members approved requests for tourism grant funds from multiple organizations for various events coming up this year, including: A $5,000 grant application from Pere Marquette State Park for the 37th annual Two Rivers Fishing Fair A $5,000 grant application from the Jersey County Fair Board
ALTON - Golden Corral in Alton, Illinois, will close permanently on April 30, 2026, according to a notice posted on the restaurant’s door, ending what some customers described as a long-standing routine. In the sign addressed to customers, the restaurant said it is giving a two-week notice and encouraged guests to visit before the closing date. “It is with heavy hearts that we share the difficult news that the restaurant will be closing permanently on Thursday, April 30, 2026,”
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Senators today approved a sweeping statewide safety initiative spearheaded by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias to address the growing dangers posed by unregulated high-speed e-bikes, e-motos and other powerful electric transportation devices operating on streets, bike lanes and sidewalks across the state. “As these devices become faster, heavier and more powerful, our laws must keep pace to protect riders and the public,” Giannoulias said. “This
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) held its first annual Telecommunicators Graduation and Promotion Ceremony today, administering the ISP Telecommunicators (TC) Oath to 30 graduates and recognizing the recent promotions of an additional nine TCs. “Telecommunicators are the calming voice on the line when people need emergency help the most,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “ISP provides extensive training, from Trooper to telecommunicator, to ensure we provid
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), both Co-Chairs of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with a bipartisan group of Senators, today hosted Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko. Her visit comes as Russia’s war on Ukraine enters its fifth year with little sign of resolution. During the meeting, the group discussed the importance
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 16 attorneys general, today opposed the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) unlawful and baseless attempt to strip Somalia’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation. Raoul and the coalition filed an amicus brief inAfrican Communities Together v. Noem in support of a challenge to the Trump administration’s termination of the TPS designation. The brief highlights the humanitarian and economic har
GRANITE CITY – A sex offender from Granite City faces multiple felonies after allegedly failing to register and being in possession of methamphetamine on the same day. Stephen M. Jackson, 33, of the 1700 block of Bremen Avenue in Granite City, was charged on April 16, 2026 with unlawful possession of methamphetamine (a Class 2 felony) and unlawful failure to register as a sex offender (a Class 3 felony). On Feb. 13, 2026, Jackson allegedly failed to register annually with the law enforcement
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate was 5.0 percent in February, up +0.1 percentage point from January, and up +0.3 percentage point from the same month, one year ago, based on data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The revised January unemployment rate was 4.9 percent. Total nonfarm payrolls decreased over-the-month in February, down -17,800 (-0.3%) to 6,137,200. The January monthly change
Mrs. Irene Elder Meyer, Wood River resident and a star of the Camerata Chorus in Alton, sang on St. Louis radio station KMOX as part of a special program on April 14, 1926. KMOX broadcast from the Mayfair Hotel (now known as the Magnolia Hotel St. Louis), located at North Eighth and St. Charles Streets. “The seventh program of the Song Cycle, to be broadcast from Station KMOX, the Voice of St. Louis, will take listeners to the Vermont Mountains, a section brought into close association
On April 19, 1775, fighting broke out at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts, marking the start of the American Revolutionary War. What began as a tense attempt by British troops to seize colonial weapons quickly turned into open conflict between local militia and one of the world’s most powerful empires. It mattered at the time because it ended any realistic hope that the dispute could be solved without violence. It still matters today because the war that followed helped shape ideas
SPRINGFIELD - State Representative Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt)'s legislation to honor Illinois veterans and service members passed the House unanimously. House Bill 4385 now advances to the Senate for further consideration. Schmidt filed HB4385 to expand access to military license plates as a small but meaningful way to recognize those who have served our country. "This bill allows veterans and service members who already have military plates to obtain an identical set for a second vehicle
CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined leaders from IBM and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to announce the renewal and the expansion of the IBM–Illinois Discovery Accelerator Institute, a forward step for Illinois’ fast-growing quantum and AI ecosystem which highlights the state’s continued commitment to strengthening our workforce to develop the next-generation of computing. “I’m pleased to see the IBM-Illinois Discovery Accelerator
ALTON – Residents of East Alton and Wood River face felonies in two connected cases for their alleged involvement in shots fired towards an occupied vehicle. Peyton A. Maddox, 18, of Wood River, and Jeremiah E. Thornton, 18, of East Alton, were both charged on April 16, 2026 with one count each of aggravated discharge of a firearm (both Class 1 felonies) and aggravated unlawful possession of weapons (both Class 4 felonies). Maddox also faces a Class 4 felony count of obstructing justice.
EDWARDSVILLE — From new playgrounds to trail expansions and major park upgrades, communities across Madison County are set to see visible improvements following the approval of $3.3 million in Parks Enhancement Program (PEP) grants on April 16. The County Board approved funding for the program during its meeting Wednesday night. The grants will support projects in municipalities, townships and park districts, with awards ranging from $49,700 to $310,000. The program allows local governments
SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt advanced a measure that would ban the use of AI tools in teacher evaluations. “This measure protects teachers by ensuring their evaluations are written by people, not AI,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “This will keep the process fair, transparent and more focused on real classroom performance.” Senate Bill 2909 would prevent school administrators from using AI to write teacher evaluations. A teacher evaluation is a formal
SPRINGFIELD/HIGHLAND – On Saturday, April 11, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) honored a group of creative fifth and sixth-grade students selected for their artistic and writing skills used to express environmental awareness, as part of our Annual Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest. The students selected from throughout Illinois were recognized at a ceremony at the Illinois State Library. Each year, fifth and sixth-grade students in Illinois take part in the Poster,
ALTON - Alton High School and local businesses have partnered to offer internships to local students. The Alton Educational Foundation worked with local businesses and the high school to start an internship program for students last fall. Kristie Baumgartner, executive director of the Alton Educational Foundation, noted that the program has been positive for all involved. Students receive valuable job experience while local employers find hard-working interns. “As much as teachers
SPRINGFIELD, IL. – Legislation sponsored by State Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Murrayville) to help rural ambulance services meet staffing requirements has been passed by the Illinois House. House Bill 5446 extends eligibility for an alternative staffing model to vehicle service providers that serve rural or semi-rural communities and are made up of volunteers, paid-on-call, or part-time employees. Currently, the use of part-time employees is not an option. Representative
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