SHILOH – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that intermittent nighttime lane closures on Illinois 158 between Highway 50 and Illinois 161 in St. Clair County begin today, Feb. 23, for road repairs. The project is anticipated to be completed this summer. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this lane closure. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all construction signage, and
This morning begins mostly cloudy with a chilly 15 degrees. It feels even colder with a northwest wind gusting up to 13 mph. As the day moves into the afternoon, skies clear to mostly sunny, bringing a high of 33 degrees. The wind eases slightly but stays from the northwest, making it a bit brisk outside. Evening will bring partly cloudy skies and temperatures falling down toward the low 20s. Overnight, expect partly cloudy skies and a low near 20 degrees under lighter winds. Tomorrow will
ALTON - On February 17, 2026, the Alton Community Unit School District Board of Education unanimously approved the appointment of two outstanding educational leaders who will strengthen the support systems for students, staff and families across the district. These appointments come as the district honors the retirement of the current Alton Middle School Athletic Director Scott Harper and prepares for the transition as Special Education Supervisor Angela Kuchnicki moves into the role of Director
ROSEWOOD HEIGHTS – Area firefighters stayed busy over the past 24 hours following multiple structure fires, including a fully involved garage fire early Monday morning, Feb. 23, 2026. After assisting at a house fire in East Alton Sunday afternoon, the Rosewood Heights Fire Department was dispatched at 1:45 a.m. Monday to a reported fire in a detached garage in the 100 block of Bender Avenue. When firefighters arrived on scene, they reported the garage was fully involved, with flames
ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police have identified a 71-year-old Overland man as the person who died after an officer-involved shooting during a standoff that began with a reported assault early Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in the 9400 block of Cote Brilliante Avenue in Overland, Mo. The deceased was identified Monday as Robert Lewis, 71, of the 9400 block of Cote Brilliante Avenue in Overland, according to St. Louis County Police. Detectives with the St. Louis County Police Department Burea
EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Rotary Club has chosen to honor Edwardsville High School student Robert Edington with the Student of the Month Award for February. Edwardsville High School teacher Melissa Sanders nominated Robert. Robert is the nephew of Gretchen and Tieg Selberg and is seventeen years old. Robert is a member of the Edwardsville Wrestling Team. He has been honored as Wrestler of the Week several times. Outside of school, Robert enjoys going to the gym, rollerblading, and wrestling.
SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois State Fair is thrilled to announce that multi-platinum rock powerhouse Shinedown will take the Illinois Lottery Grandstand Stage on Sunday, August 23, 2026 , delivering an unforgettable night of chart-topping hits and electrifying live energy. With a career defined by record-breaking success and creative impact, Shinedown has firmly cemented its place in music history. The band boasts over 8.3 billion global streams, 24 No. 1 rock hits, 15 platinum an
COLLINSVILLE – Madison County authorities have agreed to postpone the prosecution of Collinsville Studio 420 Owner Zach Yinger and may heavily amend the charge against him if he complies with a series of demands. An “Agreement of Deferred Prosecution” was filed last Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in the felony case against Yinger, a 38-year-old Alton resident who was charged on Sept. 19, 2025 with a Class 3 felony count of unlawful possession of nitrous oxide with the intent to deliver
WOOD RIVER — Refuge is honored to announce that former NCAA and NFL athlete Gaelin Elmore will serve as the featured guest speaker at its annual Build a Refuge Fundraising Dinner on April 30, 2026, at Lewis and Clark. Elmore, who grew up in the foster care system, is known for his powerful story of how resilience, community, and belonging can change the story of a child’s life. His journey is marked not only by athletic achievement but also by his high school coach, who believed
BELLEVILLE — The St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department in Belleville has announced the promotion of Deputy Terry Hamon to sergeant in the Patrol Division and recognized two deputies who recently joined the department from neighboring agencies. The department said in a statement that Hamon, an eight-year member of the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, was promoted to Sergeant and assigned to the Patrol Division. The statement also offered congratulations
ST. LOUIS - Triad High School students using 3D printing to tackle real-world manufacturing challenges won the Project MFG St. Louis championship Friday, Feb. 20, at Saint Louis University, earning a spot in the national competition in Texas. Jack Burrelsman, Chase Gregory, Owen Litteken, and Caden Meier captured the title for the Triad Knights at an event that included students from multiple high schools and community colleges. Project MFG describes its mission as building “the future
TROY - A Silver Creek Elementary teacher in the Triad Community Unit School District No. 2, Lisa Patterson, has been selected to receive a 2026 Those Who Excel award from the Illinois State Board of Education. The school's principal, Michael Speer, said he and Patterson “were thrilled to receive word this week” of the selection. He described the Those Who Excel honor as an “award of special recognition” for educators who are “valued members of their school community”
On February 23, 1945, U.S. Marines raised an American flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima, creating one of the most widely recognized images of World War II. The moment mattered immediately because it signaled hard-won progress in a brutal fight for control of an island that both sides saw as strategically important. It still matters today because it captures, in a single scene, how modern wars can hinge on geography, logistics, and endurance—and how a photograph can
The calendar flips, your to-do list looks normal, and nothing “bad” has happened—yet your mood feels muted, your patience is thinner, and even small tasks take more effort. It can be confusing, because the heaviness doesn’t always come with a clear reason. And that’s part of why February can feel so emotionally loaded: it often brings pressure without an obvious trigger. This isn’t about being ungrateful or dramatic. It’s about how routines, expectations,
On February 21, 1848, a short political pamphlet published in London helped give a name and a framework to a rising wave of social and economic unrest across Europe. That day, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels released The Communist Manifesto , a call for workers to organize and a critique of how industrial-era wealth and power were distributed. It mattered immediately because it arrived as factories, urban poverty, and labor conflict were reshaping daily life, and because 1848 was already simmering
EDWARDSVILLE - The League Of Women Voters is hosting a Meet & Greet Candidate event for the March 17, 2026, primary at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. The meet and greet will allow candidates to present themselves to the voters. Candidates can share their views about key policy issues and questions are provided in advance to ensure a fair and informative event. Expected Candidates To Appear: For House of Representatives: District 15: Two Republican and four Democratic candidates
EAST ALTON — The East Alton Fire Department responded to a structure fire in the 100 block of Irwin Street Sunday afternoon. When firefighters arrived on scene, they found heavy smoke and flames showing throughout the home. A box alarm was initially requested and later upgraded to a first alarm as additional manpower was needed. Mutual aid departments from Wood River, Alton, Godfrey, Rosewood Heights, Roxana, and Bethalto responded to assist at the scene. Firefighters
George Washington didn’t have just one birthday—at least not on paper. He was born on February 11, 1731 by the calendar used in the British Empire at the time. Then the calendar changed, and his birthday “moved” to February 22, 1732. That odd switch helps explain why Americans have celebrated Washington in so many different ways, on so many different dates, for more than two centuries. Why Washington’s birthday mattered so much From the start, Washington’s
EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville continued its annual honors recruitment tradition this February, welcoming high-achieving students to campus for Honors Scholarship Day before traveling to high schools across the region to personally surprise select incoming students with the Meridian Scholarship , the University’s most prestigious award. Honors Scholarship Day took place Friday, Feb. 16, 2026, and invited local area honors students and their families to
EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville High School agriculture students will celebrate FFA Week, and they invite the community to join them. On Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, the Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization will host an ice-skating event from 4–5 p.m. at the R.P. Lumber Center. Students will cook a breakfast for EHS staff members on Tuesday, Feb. 24, and offer ag literacy activities in the morning on Wednesday, Feb. 25. On Thursday, Feb. 26, community members can support the FFA by dining
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