Heat does more than make people uncomfortable. It quietly shapes what they eat, wear, build, celebrate, and even the words they use. That idea sounds simple at first, but it explains a surprising amount of human behavior. In places where heat is intense or long-lasting, traditions often develop as practical answers to daily life. Over time, those answers become habits, then customs, and finally part of cultural identity. A meal that cools the body, a midday pause, a style of clothing, or a nighttim
On July 22, 1942, the mass deportation of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto to the Treblinka extermination camp began, marking one of the most devastating phases of the Holocaust. German authorities presented the action as “resettlement,” but it was in fact part of a systematic plan to murder the Jewish population of occupied Poland. At the time, the deportations shattered one of the largest remaining Jewish communities in Europe. Their importance has only grown with time, because they
JERSEYVILLE – The Jerseyville Police Department gained a new member on Tuesday night, while the Jerseyville Fire Department commended one of its own for his lifesaving use of CPR. The Jerseyville City Council’s July 21, 2026 meeting saw the swearing in of newly hired Patrolman Austin Laing. City Clerk Denise Hayes administered the Oath of Office for Laing, who Police Chief Danny Green said is already proving to be impressive. “We just did our testing and he was number one on
WEST ALTON, MO. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Rivers Project Office is announcing a managed Deer Hunt for Active-Duty Military Members and Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces at the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, West Alton MO on November 17,18, and 19. A total of five applicants will be randomly selected to harvest one deer of either sex per hunter, with a maximum of five total deer harvested over the entire hunt. “This hunt at Riverlands is part of the Riverlands
ALTON - A local woman has created a nursing scholarship in honor of her niece, and now, she’s asking the community to help her support single mothers in the nursing field. Jacquesa Taylor was a single mom and nursing student. After Taylor’s passing at age 34, her aunt, Lynn Lumpkins Fulton, decided to create a scholarship in her name. Fulton has awarded three scholarships out of her own pocket with the help of her family's fundraising efforts, and she has gone on to mentor these
EDWARDSVILLE - Sammy Huber was one of Metro East Lutheran’s key performers during the Knights’ 2026 baseball season, batting over .500 with 38 hits and 26 RBIs while finishing his career with a batting average over .400. Game after game, Huber produced at the plate for Metro East Lutheran, prompting head coach Reed Harmon to describe his performance in simple terms during the season. Huber is a BJ's Printables Male Athlete Of The Month for the Knights. “He has been hitting
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Tuesday sentenced a man who embezzled just over $1 million from a St. Louis County restaurant to 21 months in prison. Judge Sippel also ordered Matthew Braasch, 48, to repay the money. Braasch pleaded guilty in April to one count of wire fraud. He admitted that while a manager of a restaurant in Grantwood Village, in St. Louis County, Missouri, he misused the company credit card to make personal purchases. Braasch was supposed to
WOOD RIVER – Wood River officials hope to lower the cost to build a new downtown park by extending the bidding timeline for contractors. Wood River City Council members voted unanimously on Monday, July 20, 2026 to reject all bids submitted for the City Center Park project. They then approved a request to seek new bids for the park’s construction. City Manager Steve Palen said communication issues, high cost estimates, and a “tight turnaround” timeline for contractors
CAHOKIA HEIGHTS - Plans for a new 108-bed Touchette Regional Hospital in Cahokia Heights received state approval Tuesday, July 21, 2026, clearing the way for a $231 million healthcare investment designed to expand behavioral health services, attract medical specialists and help more Southern Illinois and Metro East patients receive care close to home. The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board approved the new hospital, which will be built at 1928 Sandy Ridge Road, approximately
ROXANA - Roxana incoming junior Josie Brannon emerged as one of the Roxana Shells’ top softball hitters in 2026 while also settling into the shortstop position, according to Roxana Girls Head Softball Coach Pat Brannon. Brannon, a multi-sport athlete who also has played volleyball and girls basketball for Roxana, hit .489 as a sophomore and finished with 44 hits, 33 RBIs, nine doubles and eight triples. Josie is a Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athlete Of The Month. Coach Pat Brannon
ALTON - The Alton Police Department said it received a donation for its K-9 program from the Alton River Dragons, continuing a tradition tied to the team’s First Responders Night jersey raffle. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford thanked Steve Marso and the Alton River Dragons for what he described as their continued support. Chief Ford said Marso recently stopped by to present a donation from this year’s First Responders Night jersey raffle. The department said the raffle donation is
ALTON - Abe Lee Barham has restarted the Alton Inner City Community Garden in Alton’s 2nd Ward area on Dooley Drive, behind the senior citizen complex, with support from the Alton Housing Authority and local aldermen, as he begins the program’s fifth year of teaching inner-city youth how to garden. “This garden started to give inner-city youth experience on what it takes to have a garden,” Barham said. Barham said children taking part are coming from the Oakwood area
GODFREY - The community can once again help families in need through the Christmas in July lunch and raffle. From 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, July 24, 2026, at Freer Auto Body in Godfrey, Christmas in July invites community members to enjoy a sloppy joe lunch for a donation and buy $10 raffle tickets for the chance to win major prizes. All proceeds go back to Community Christmas, a local campaign that delivers toys, clothing and more to families in need during the holiday season. “
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias today announced that Illinois will launch a statewide Blue Envelope Program, following the recent signing of legislation into law. The new voluntary program is designed to improve communication and reduce stress during traffic stops for drivers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) while providing law enforcement with a simple tool to enhance safety and understanding. The Blue Envelope Program will be administered by the Secretary
GODFREY – A Godfrey man faces felony and misdemeanor charges after allegedly driving under the influence in Godfrey on a motorcycle now seized by Madison County prosecutors. Miguel C. Luna Jr., 37, of Godfrey, was charged on July 9, 2026 with one count each of aggravated driving while under the influence (a Class 4 felony) and driving while license is revoked (a Class A misdemeanor). Luna allegedly drove a Harley-Davidson motorcycle on West Delmar Avenue in Godfrey while under the influence
JERSEYVILLE - The Jerseyville Post 492 Junior Legion team is state-bound after a big 2-1 victory over Galesburg . Jerseyville won the Department of Illinois American Legion 3rd Division Junior Legion Tournament in Galesburg, defeating Galesburg 2-1 in the division title game and advancing to this weekend’s state title tournament in Carol Stream, Illinois. The Jerseyville Post 492 boys are the Sparklight Male Athletes of the Month for Jersey. The team is a Junior Legion squad for
NORMAL - It’s already Back to School time, as youngsters prepare to head back to the classrooms. When they get there, it’s a good chance that they may have a teacher from Illinois State. Overall, one of six teachers in the state of Illinois hold a degree from ISU. At least one ISU graduate is employed in 87 percent of the public school districts in Illinois. Founded as the state’s first public institution of higher learning in 1857, ISU was a “normal school,”
ST. CLAIR COUNTY - St. Clair County State’s Attorney James Gomric said this week he will not file criminal charges against an Illinois state trooper in the Jan. 4, 2026, fatal shooting of Rachel E. Tarrence in East St. Louis, after reviews by his office and the Illinois State Police Division of Internal Investigation. In a letter released after Gomric said he met with Tarrence’s family and their attorney, the state’s attorney said the decision followed a review of video, audio,
MITCHELL - The Madison County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in locating Beatrice Robertson, a 45-year-old white woman who was last seen around 5 p.m. Monday, July 20, in the Mitchell area. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office said Robertson has brown hair and is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 170 pounds. Authorities said she was believed to be wearing a purple short-sleeved shirt and jean shorts, along with a small purple souvenir-style backpack. She
ST. LOUIS - A 44-year-old woman was critically injured early Tuesday, July 21, 2026, after gunfire from outside her Greater Ville residence struck the home, prompting a St. Louis Metropolitan Police District 5 investigation, authorities said. Officers were called just before 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 21, 2026, to a local hospital after the woman was dropped off with a gunshot wound to her back, according to the information released. She was listed in critical but stable condition. A preliminary
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