SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is sharing the following upcoming events and noteworthy items for August 2026. State parks, historic sites, and museums have events throughout the month. Cap off August with a visit to Conservation World at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield Aug. 13-23 or a visit to Conservation Village at the Du Quoin State Fair in southern Illinois Aug. 28-Sept. 7. Aug. 8 Intro to Bouldering Pere Marquette State Park Grafton
EDWARDSVILLE — The Edwardsville Police Department issued 65 speeding citations, five citations for other infractions and made one felony traffic arrest during a speed enforcement campaign conducted throughout July 2026 in Edwardsville, authorities said. The campaign was part of a broader effort by the Edwardsville Police Department and other state and local law enforcement agencies across Illinois to reduce highway fatalities by reminding motorists to slow down to save lives. In addition
SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) issued the following statement following the release of the Legislative Inspector General's report regarding former State Representative Harry Benton: "The release of this report is an important step toward ensuring Illinoisans have the transparency they deserve from their state government. When allegations of misconduct involve elected officials, the public has every right to expect those matters will be investigated thoroughly
NAPERVILLE – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released devastating insights into conditions at the South Texas Family Residential Center (Dilley) U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility. The visits to Dilley provided new, incriminating insights into the cruelty of the illegal Trump mass deportation agenda, including inhumane conditions, deficient medical care, taunting children, inadequate education
ST. LOUIS — The following students have been named to the dean’s list for the spring 2026 semester at Washington University in St. Louis: HOMETOWN, STATE; (ZIP CODE) - NAME, SCHOOL Alton, Illinois (62002) - Quentin Roose, who is enrolled in the university's College of Arts & Sciences. East Alton, Illinois (62024) - Clara Nipper, who is enrolled in the university's College of Arts & Sciences. Edwardsville, Illinois (62025) - Jackson Weaver, who is enrolled in the university's
JERSEY - Jersey Community Unit School District No. 100 announced that new student registration will be held Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, from noon to 7 p.m. at each child’s school, while returning students are asked to complete online registration through Skyward Family Access. The district shared the registration information in a notice to Panther families and directed families to its school registration page for details on school supply lists, required documents, important dates and
CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed the Children’s Social Media Safety Act (HB5511), a sweeping set of protections designed to keep Illinois kids safe online. The bill establishes comprehensive safeguards for children against the most addictive social media platform features and strengthens protections for minors. The bill was passed with unanimous support in both chambers, reflecting the broad, bipartisan concern about tech companies profiting off the attention and mental
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS - Fairview Heights Police are investigating the disappearance of Clark Jefferson, who was last seen leaving his residence in the 800 block of Foxgrove Drive in Fairview Heights during the first week of June 2026, authorities said. The Fairview Heights Police Department said detectives have been searching for Jefferson since a missing person report was filed July 24, 2026. Fairview Heights Police said Jefferson left the residence with a man identified as “Marcus”
ALTON - The City of Alton is improving transparency by making public records easily accessible to the public. Requestors of public information will now have the option of submitting Open Records Requests through an online form. While other methods for submitting requests are still available, the City of Alton is excited to be able to offer a more convenient option. "The City of Alton chose Just FOIA to help streamline their citizens' open records request process and improve efficiencies within,”
ALTON — The Alton Amphitheater will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Alton native Miles Davis with an expanded Alton Jazz & Wine Festival on Saturday, Aug. 29, from 6–10 p.m. Experience nationally acclaimed jazz in an intimate riverfront venue, with tickets starting at just $10. The evening will feature outstanding jazz music, wine, food vendors and premium VIP experiences—all celebrating the living legacy of one of music's greatest innovators. As the world marks the
A harvest festival is never just about food. It is about fear, relief, hard work, luck, and the simple fact that for most of human history, one good harvest could mean survival. That is what gives harvest traditions their staying power. Even in places where few people farm, people still decorate tables with grain, gather for shared meals, thank the land, and mark the end of a growing cycle. These customs feel festive on the surface, but their roots run deep. They began as practical responses
On August 3, 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail from Palos de la Frontera in Spain on the voyage that would link Europe and the Americas in a lasting and transformative way. Backed by the Spanish crown, Columbus was searching for a westward sea route to Asia. He did not reach Asia, but his journey opened sustained contact between two parts of the world that had long developed separately. At the time, the voyage mattered because it promised trade, wealth, and strategic advantage. It still matters
WOOD RIVER — Riverbend Family Ministries (RFM) is excited to welcome Christy Schult as its new Executive Director. Schult brings a strong background in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, community partnerships, and organizational growth. Most recently, she served as Development Director at Community Hope Center, where she worked closely with businesses, civic organizations, churches, and local leaders throughout the Riverbend region to expand resources for families in need. Through tha
CAHOKIA HEIGHTS - A 20-year-old Cahokia Heights man has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old boy last weekend in Cahokia Heights, after investigators with the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis pursued about 60 leads in the case. Cleveland J. Ware, 20, was booked into the St. Clair County Jail at about 3:45 p.m. Friday, July 31, 2026, and was being held without bond. The arrest follows the July 25, 2026, shooting death of Lamerion L. Davis, 16, of Washington
On August 2, one of the most far-reaching events in modern history is the end of the Potsdam Conference in 1945, when leaders of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union met near Berlin to decide how Europe would be governed after the defeat of Nazi Germany. The war in Europe had ended only weeks earlier, but many of the hardest questions were still unresolved: how to rebuild destroyed countries, how to punish war crimes, how to redraw borders, and how to prevent another major
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) is proud to announce that Deputy General Counsel Brian Fliflet has received the 2026 Multistate Tax Commission's (MTC) prestigious Paull Mines Award . Fliflet accepted the award during MTC’s Annual Meeting in Detroit, MI on July 29. The award recognizes an attorney who has made significant contributions to state tax jurisprudence, and who exemplifies qualities of leadership, legal excellence, and professional integrity in th
CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker today called on the Trump Administration to immediately reverse its work stoppage on the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, the latest federal action delaying one of the nation's most important infrastructure and environmental protection projects. The Trump Administration is halting years of bipartisan progress to protect the Great Lakes from invasive carp and follows months of federal actions that have slowed the project's advancement. Together, these delays
BETHALTO - The Riverbend community is invited to celebrate recovery and memorialize those who have been lost to overdose at an upcoming vigil. From 4–8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, Foster’s Light in the Dark will host their third annual Drug Overdose Awareness Candlelight Vigil at Bethalto Park. Complete with speakers, music, resources and a dove release, the vigil promises to honor those who have been lost while also celebrating those who are living in recovery. “Last
EAST ST. LOUIS - Residents of East St. Louis are invited to a free National Night Out event from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, at 8206 State St., where the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois, law enforcement agencies and community partners plan activities aimed at strengthening relationships between residents and police. Organizers said the event will include school supply giveaways for students, food for families and activities for all ages, including games
GODFREY – To educate seniors in southern Illinois on the latest scams targeting them online and over the phone, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will present a fraud prevention seminar. The presentation highlights information on online scams, fraud schemes targeting seniors and details on federal cases prosecuted in the Southern District of Illinois. The event will start at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at Godfrey Baptist Church, located at 1601 W. Delmar Ave, Godfrey, Illinois.
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