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EAST ST. LOUIS — Eleven Southern Illinois residents have been charged by a grand jury with various federal crimes for their alleged roles in a criminal enterprise accused of stealing vehicles and motorcycles from a downtown St. Louis warehouse, transporting them across state lines and selling them in southern Illinois from December 2025 through April 2026. Residents of Alton, Godfrey, Brighton, Bunker Hill, and Wood River have been charged in the case. According to the indictment, conspirators

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Ryan Woods, 40, of the 200 block of Tapestry Drive in St. Louis, has been identified as the person who died after being struck by officer gunfire during a Sept. 15 welfare check at his residence, St. Louis County police said in a Sept. 17, 2026, update. Detectives with the St. Louis County Police Department Bureau of Crimes Against Persons are investigating the officer-involved shooting, which occurred in the 200 block of Tapestry Drive in St. Louis, 63129. Officers

ALTON - Vintage Voices will mark its 25th anniversary this year with memorable performances at the Alton Cemetery. On Oct. 3, 4, 10 and 11, 2026, community members can enjoy a walking tour where actors will portray influential Altonians who are buried in the cemetery. At 5 p.m. on Oct. 4, St. Mary’s Parish Hall will host a non-walking staged performance and reception. Jody Basola, chair of the Vintage Voices committee, explained that this year is extra special as the tradition marks

GRAFTON - Community members can enjoy a free concert featuring the local New Horizons Band of Godfrey, a musical group made up of 40 older adults. From 2–4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, Grafton Winery the Vineyards will host the New Horizons Band. This concert is free to attend, and drinks and food will be available for purchase. Band Director Stanley Chytil promises a setlist that includes movie themes, big band music and more favorites. He explained that the band means a lot to

EDWARDSVILLE – A recently awarded turf repair contract is set to bring new life to the youth baseball fields at Plummer Family Park in Edwardsville. Aldermen approved a sole source resolution awarding a $69,000 contract for the installation of infill and turf repairs at the Plummer Family Park 12-and-under (12U) baseball diamonds to Superior Turf Installation, Inc. at the Sept. 15, 2026 Edwardsville City Council meeting. Alderwoman Elizabeth Grant said the move aims to add five to 10 years

GODFREY - From the webpage: Atop the Bluffs of Godfrey, IL, Delmar Public House exudes warmth and welcomes guests with open arms. With its cozy atmosphere and friendly staff, it's the perfect place to unwind and savor a delightful meal, a local craft beer, a bottle of wine, or a creative cocktail. The diverse menu caters to every palate, whether you're looking for a leisurely dinner with loved ones, a weekend lunch to catch-up with friends, or a solo meal at the bar. Delmar Public House offers

ALTON – OSF HealthCare is pleased to welcome Pakriti Singh Shrestha, MD, to its primary care team, expanding access to family medicine services for patients in Alton and the surrounding communities. Beginning Monday, September 13, 2026, Dr. Shrestha will provide a wide range of family medicine services, including preventive care, chronic disease management, wellness exams and treatment for acute illnesses. Family medicine physicians serve as a trusted partner in patients' health care journeys

EDWARDSVILLE - Stridin’ and Survivin’ will host their annual Shop the Town Pink Sip & Shop vendor fair to raise money for cancer research and patient support. From 1–4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, at The Hall in Edwardsville, community members can shop a variety of vendors and enjoy hourly prizes and special drawings. The Knights of Columbus will serve barbecue, and guests 21 and older can check out a special pink lemonade cocktail. Alice Bartels with Stridin’

ALTON – Scam emails targeting Alton residents are requesting immediate payment of fake invoices related to permits, the city recently warned. The City of Alton posted a scam notice on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026 warning residents of a recent email scam. In their messages, the scammers request immediate payment of fraudulent invoices for City of Alton permits. The city said all official notifications related to permits will come from the specific email address of permits@cityofaltonil.gov

ALTON - Marquette Catholic High School has announced its 2026 Homecoming Court as the school prepares for homecoming events Sept. 25-26 at the school, including a football game, dance, coronation, and block party, Principal Tim Harmon said. The 2026 Marquette Catholic Homecoming Court members are, above from left, Alex Danielle Stephan, Jacob Allen Campbell, Sarah Elizabeth Moehn, August Michael Koeller, Madison McRae Morrissey Bassett, Sean Michael Phillips, Emma Jean Hough, Simon Henry

ST. LOUIS — A 16-year-old boy was critically injured Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, in the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood after armed masked suspects reportedly fired shots in his direction, striking him in the arm and chest, authorities said. District 4 is investigating the shooting, which happened Sept. 15 in the 2800 block of Vandeventer. A preliminary investigation found the teen was in the area when he saw armed, masked suspects walking around, authorities said. The suspects reportedly

MADISON COUNTY — The Madison County Board approved all items on its agenda, except one, which was tabled. The agenda included several zoning requests, county contracts, spending measures, appointments, and transportation projects. Among the approved appointments were the reappointment of Dave Geiger to the Marine Fire Protection District for a three-year term expiring May 1, 2029, and Lisa Campfield to the Madison County Housing Authority for a five-year term expiring Sept. 7, 2031. Zonin

ALTON - Community members can give back to a local pet food pantry and enjoy animal-friendly fun at The Episcopal Parish of Alton’s Dawgs 4 Paws event. From 2–4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church will host Dawgs 4 Paws, featuring vendors, a silent auction, photo ops, live music, food, pet-themed activities and more. Attendees are encouraged to bring their animals and donations for the 4Paws Pet Food Pantry at St. Paul’s. “The church i

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) reminds teens and their families to enjoy homecoming celebrations responsibly this year because the choices made today can have lasting consequences. In July 2026, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published its Young Driver Traffic Safety Fact Sheet , which showed young people (15-20 years old) accounted for 9% of all drivers involved in a fatal traffic crash. The Fact Sheet also showed 53% of young drivers killed

O'FALLON, Ill. — HSHS Medical Group welcomes Ruth Turkson, MD, a board-certified family medicine physician, to HSHS Medical Group Family Medicine - O'Fallon at 1512 N. Green Mount Road, Suite 108. Dr. Turkson provides comprehensive family medical care from children to older adults. She helps patients stay healthy through preventive visits and wellness screenings, supports those managing chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, and provides care for weight management,

PIERRON – Class X felonies have been filed against two individuals reportedly caught bringing 468 pounds of meth from California into Illinois during a Madison County traffic stop. Yu Teng Yang, 51, of Daly City, Calif., was charged on Sept. 16, 2026 with one count each of methamphetamine trafficking, unlawful possession with the intent to deliver methamphetamine (both Class X felonies), aggravated battery (a Class 2 felony) and resisting a peace officer (a Class A misdemeanor). Yang allegedly

ALTON — Mustache March 4PD recently presented donations to local police chiefs and officers during its annual check presentation, distributing funds to support 15 local police departments with equipment, resources, and other needs. The organization said the money will be used for items including safety equipment, K-9 resources, red-dot firearms, drones, fitness equipment, and other departmental needs. MM4PD said the funds will also help send local officers to National Police Week in Washington,

EDWARDSVILLE/COLLINSVILLE - Two Metro East police officers reached career milestones this week, with Cole Wesley Meyer taking the oath of office as Edwardsville’s newest police officer at Tuesday’s City Council meeting and Collinsville Officer Brayden Dreyer graduating from Session 159 of the Southwestern Illinois College Police Academy before entering field training. Meyer’s oath ceremony was witnessed by family, friends and fellow Edwardsville Police Department officers,

This Day in Music History: September 17 On Sept. 17, 1931, RCA Victor demonstrated its 33 1/3-rpm long-playing record system in New York, offering a striking early vision of the album era. The company called the discs Program Transcriptions, and the format promised substantially more music per side than the familiar 78-rpm record. RCA’s experiment did not become the mass-market standard; the Depression-era cost of new equipment and technical limitations kept it from catching on. Still,

GODFREY – State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) announced she has secured $40,000 in state funding for the Village of Godfrey to support the construction of a pedestrian bridge at Glazebrook Park. “One of my priorities is making sure the communities I represent see state dollars come back home for projects that matter locally,” said Senator Harriss. “I’m glad to help secure this funding for Godfrey and support the continued work happening at Glazebrook