WOOD RIVER - A special Made By Moms Vendor Fair will provide a space for people to shop mom-owned businesses. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at Rustic Roots Event Space in Wood River, Samara Helton with Kory’s Konfections will host the Made By Moms Vendor Fair. This vendor fair features a space for kids to play while their parents browse businesses owned by local women. Helton hopes the event is a fun chance for mothers to connect. “I participate in a lot of
GIRARD – Illinois State Police special agents recently arrested a man from Girard, Ill. on felony charges of possessing and sharing child sexual abuse material. James M. Barnard, 48, of the 200 block of N. Harrison St. in Girard, Ill., was charged on April 2, 2026, with possession of child sexual abuse material depicting a child under the age of 13 and dissemination of child sexual abuse material, both Class X felonies. The investigation began after special agents with the Illinois State
Sunlight can lift your mood even when nothing else in your day has changed. The to-do list is the same. The inbox is still full. Yet a few minutes in bright sun can make your body feel more awake, your mind a little clearer, and your energy easier to access. That “charged up” feeling is not just imagination. It’s a mix of biology, brain chemistry, and learned associations that humans have built over a long time. The quick spark: light tells your brain to wake up Your body
April 8 is closely tied to one of the most consequential turning points of the 20th century: the start of the Battle of Königsberg in 1945, a major Soviet assault near the end of World War II. After months of grinding advances across Eastern Europe, Soviet forces moved to capture Königsberg, a heavily fortified German city on the Baltic Sea. At the time, the battle mattered because it helped break the last strong defensive lines in the region and accelerated the collapse of Nazi Germany.
St. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — St. Louis County Police have identified a 20-year-old man who died after a double shooting near the intersection of North Hanley Road and Chorman Avenue, as detectives continue to investigate with no suspects in custody. The deceased was identified as Cardiar Brown, 20, of the 2800 block of Old Hanley Road in St. Louis, police said Tuesday. The shooting happened about 2:30 p.m. Monday, April 6, 2026, in the 2800 block of North Hanley Road near Chorman Avenue. Officer
TUESDAY, APRIL 7 PLAY IT AGAIN SPORTS SCOREBOARD BASEBALL Belleville East 12, East St. Louis 0 Collinsville 7, Belleville West 2 Edwardsville 9, Alton 2 Freeburg 13, Columbia 8 Highland 7, Breese Mater Dei Catholic 6 Roxana 23, East Alton-Wood River 0 Marquette Catholic 8, Belleville Althoff Catholic 1 Southwestern 13, White Hall North Greene 2 Breese Central 15, Salem 1 Maryville Christian 13, Metro-East Lutheran 0 Valmeyer 15, Lebanon 0 Jersey 15, Hillsboro 0 BOYS VOLLEYBAL
EDWARDSVILLE – This week’s Edwardsville City Council meeting marked a ceremonious evening for Edwardsville first responders. Cole Schrage was officially sworn in as the city’s newest Fire Lieutenant on April 7, 2026. City Clerk Michelle Boyer administered his Oath of Office. At the same meeting, Edwardsville Police Officer Wesley Nolden and EMT/Paramedic Chris Hartsoe were presented with VFW Public Servant Awards. VFW Post 1299 Quartermaster Larry Miller highlighted the
ALTON - The Old Bakery Beer Company will host the 15th annual Riverbend Earth Day Festival complete with vendors, a plant sale, live music, drink specials and more. From 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, 2026, community members can stop by OBB for a day of Earth Day-themed fun. Lauren with OBB explained that the event is “a celebration” and a chance to engage with local organizations and vendors, with a focus on sustainability and environmentalism. “It’s
ALTON - The Running Redbirds program at North Elementary School encourages students to read 26 books, complete 26 good deeds, and run 26.2 miles over 26 weeks. On April 4, 2026, the students finished this year’s program with the 1.2-mile GO! St. Louis race in Forest Park. Jason Chapman, a fifth grade teacher who oversees the Running Redbirds, is proud of his students for their commitment and noted he has seen several former students go on to become runners because of the Running Redbirds
TROY, IL. - Madison County authorities said the Illinois Secretary of State Bomb Squad will conduct controlled detonations on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, as investigators continue looking into a fatal house fire and reported explosion on W. Kirsch Road in Troy, Illinois. The controlled detonations will involve “several devices” and will be carried out throughout the day at two separate locations southeast of Troy, according to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Th
SPRINGFIELD, MO. - Edwardsville High School’s color guard won its second consecutive championship Saturday, April 4, 2026, at the Mid-Continent Color Guard Association Championships in Springfield, Mo., with its scholastic A team taking the title and the AA team posting its highest score to date. The competition this past weekend drew nearly 60 groups across two high schools, keeping Edwardsville’s teams moving from warm-ups to performances while supporting one another, according t
ALTON – An effort to subject the Alton mayor’s appointees to one-year term limits and yearly City Council approval has been delayed for three years. Committee of the Whole members voted 5-2 this week to postpone a resolution calling for an ordinance to limit the terms of appointed officials to no more than one year without City Council approval. Alton Mayor David Goins quickly voiced his disapproval of the measure when it came up for a vote. “I absolutely disagree with
ALTON - A powerful dove release ceremony is planned for grieving mothers. At 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at Killion Park, the group MOTHERS Unique will come together to read the names of their kids, pray, and release doves in honor of their loved ones. The community is invited to attend, and any mother who has lost a child can pay $50 to read their child’s name and release a dove. Proceeds from the fundraiser go to MOTHERS Unique and their work to support grieving mothers. “When
GODFREY - Residents at Beverly Farm in Godfrey were visited by the Easter Bunny as members of the Godfrey Women’s Club distributed 86 Easter baskets filled with treats, candy, and a Beanie Baby, in a community project now in its 13th or 14th year. The bunny was played by Godfrey Women’s Club member Susan Marshall, according to information provided by the club. Residents “were very happy to see the Easter Bunny,” and the visit “brought many smiles and laughter.”
CHICAGO — Open enrollment has ended, but uninsured Illinoisans can still enroll in a health insurance plan through the state’s new Tax Time Easy Enrollment program. The program provides a pathway to coverage for residents as part of the annual tax filing process. With the deadline to file taxes approaching on April 15, Get Covered Illinois is encouraging filers to take advantage of this new program. When completing their IL-1040, residents seeking coverage should check the Health
MADISON COUNTY – The Illinois Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting to discuss a study for the proposed improvements on Illinois 203 from Maverick Drive to Eagle Park Road in Madison County. The meeting will be held: Thursday, April 23, 2026 4-7 p.m. The Mill Events 1311 20th St., Granite City IDOT, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, has initiated the preliminary engineering and environmental study of Illinois 203. This section o
SPRINGFIELD — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Lincoln Land Community College, and the Illinois Trucking Association announced a $76,500 U.S. Department of Transportation grant to support Lincoln Land Community College’s commercial motor vehicle operator training program. The program specifically provides commercial driver’s license (CDL) training for veterans, and the USDOT funding secured by Budzinski will support education for at least 17 new students. “When
SPRINGFIELD — With the April 15 deadline quickly approaching, the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) is encouraging taxpayers to file their 2025 state individual income tax returns as soon as possible and avoid waiting until the last minute, especially if filing by mail. “Filing electronically is still the fastest and most reliable way to get your return processed,” explained IDOR Director David Harris. “If you are expecting a refund, choosing direct deposit will hel
SPRINGFIELD - The construction season is about to heat up, and Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza wants workers on publicly funded projects to know her office is available to help if they aren’t being paid a fair wage. The prevailing wage is set by county, designating the least amount of money and benefits a contractor is required to pay workers. Besides ensuring fair pay, these laws are also necessary to help create a level playing field and fair bidding process for all contractors on
SPRINGFIELD – Residents may not always know what chemicals are used in their community or how to interpret the safety codes posted on certain buildings. That’s why agencies including the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA OHS), Illinois Department of Labor, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the Illinois Fire Service Institute (ISFI), and local fire and emergency management partners monitor and manage this critical information. These
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