GRANITE CITY - State Representative Amy Elik’s office will be hosting mobile office hours in Nameoki Township on Monday, March 9 to meet with constituents who need help with issues concerning a State of Illinois agency. Rep. Elik’s staff will be available to meet with constituents from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM. at the Nameoki Township Building, located at 4250 Highway 162 in Granite City. Mobile office hours are open to the public. Appointments are encouraged but not required, however
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem during a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing. Durbin first pressed Secretary Noem about her labeling Renee Good, Alex Pretti, and Marimar Martinez as “domestic terrorists,” and refusing to apologize to their families. Both Ms. Good and Mr. Pretti were shot and killed by federal
On MS NOW’s The Rachel Maddow Show last night, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) slammed Donald Trump for having no clear justification or end-state for his unlawful war of choice against Iran that has already tragically taken the lives of six U.S. servicemembers. Video of the interview can be found on the Senator’s YouTube . Key Quotes: “What they’re telling me makes absolutely no sense. Rubio basically said, ‘Well, we knew that
MARYVILLE, IL. – HSHS Medical Group welcomes Courtney Garrison, APRN, to Family and Internal Medicine Maryville at 2401 S. Center St. in Maryville. Garrison is accepting new patients and provides family medicine care for individuals and families across the lifespan, with an emphasis on preventive care, routine screenings, women’s health exams and chronic disease management. She has a special interest in supporting patients managing common long-term health concerns, including
BELLEVILLE - Jarod Rhodes, a Center of Creative Arts (COCA) voice student and member of the Muny Kids in St. Louis, is remembered fondly on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, for being "a bright light" and his immense contributions in theater and music in his young life. Rhodes died after he was found with a gunshot wound in a garage in Belleville, Illinois, on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, authorities said. Belleville Police said preliminary findings indicate the incident “does not appear to be intentional,”
ALTON - Crisis Food Center will partner with Midwest Members Credit Union to distribute free hams and side items to families in need during a drive-through giveaway from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 28, 2026, at the Crisis Food Center, 21 East 6th St. in Alton. The event, billed as the Seventh Annual Easter Ham Giveaway, will provide one ham and one bag of side items per car on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. “Together, we can purchase a lot of hams for families i
EDWARDSVILLE - Ricky Lallish has been named director of the Environmental Resources Training Center (ERTC) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, assuming leadership of Illinois’ primary training facility for drinking water and wastewater treatment technology. He succeeds longtime director Matthew Maas. Located at the north end of the SIUE campus, the ERTC partners with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) to administer certification exams and offers
CHICAGO — March is recognized nationwide as Problem Gambling Awareness Month, an annual observance dedicated to increasing public understanding of problem gambling and promoting resources for those seeking support. This Problem Gambling Awareness Month, the Illinois Lottery is once again partnering with the Illinois Council on Problem Gambling (ICPG) to elevate awareness of prevention, treatment, and recovery services available statewide. “Together with ICPG and our nearly
SPRINGFIELD - Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act into law on Jan. 8, a measure described as Illinois’ initial response to rising energy costs and a dramatically increasing demand for electricity. Scott Allen of the Citizens Utility Board is scheduled to discuss the law’s key provisions and how they are expected to affect utility bills during a public event Tuesday, March 1, at 6:30 p.m. at Old Bakery Beer Co., 400 Landmarks Blvd. in Alton.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services (SASC) and Foreign Relations Committees (SFRC)—excoriated Donald Trump for launching an illegal attack against Iran without Constitutionally-required authorization from Congress, without any known imminent threat to our national security and without a plan to mitigate the instability that will come next. In her remarks on the Senate floor, Duckworth pleaded with
MARYVILLE - Maryville Mayor Wayne White served as a judge at a chili cook-off at Cambridge House of Maryville held in celebration of National Chili Day. The event featured nine entries, according to information provided about the cook-off. Employees described the day as “a lot of fun” with “lots of food,” and the event was described as a “big success.” Angie Hillis, a spokesperson for Cambridge House of Maryville, said the celebration was well-received and
WOOD RIVER – The Wood River Police Department is welcoming a new member to its ranks. Joel Woodruff was officially sworn in as a Probationary Police Officer at this week’s Wood River City Council meeting . City Clerk Danielle Sneed administered his Oath of Office. Mayor Tom Stalcup congratulated Woodruff and said he has full confidence Woodruff will “be a great police officer for us.” The Wood River Police Department also congratulated Woodruff in a social media
EDWARDSVILLE - Stridin’ and Survivin’ will host their annual dinner auction to raise money for gas cards for cancer patients. From 6–11 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, 2026, community members can join the organization at The Moose Lodge in Edwardsville for a night of silent auctions, oral auctions, raffles, live music and a meal. The event itself is a lot of fun, but Stridin’ and Survivin’ President Alice Bartels emphasized that the goal is to help people who
O'FALLON, IL. - Tracey Ritzel of O’Fallon Township High School District 203 has received the Illinois State Board of Education’s Award of Meritorious Service in the Student Support Personnel category and will be honored at the 52nd Annual Those Who Excel & Teacher of the Year Awards Banquet in April, the district said. “Big congratulations to Tracey Ritzel,” O’Fallon Township High School District 203 said in a statement announcing the recognition.
EAST ST. LOUIS - Students and staff at Dr. Katie Harper-Wright Elementary School in East St. Louis School District 189 marked Black History Month with a theme centered on a “time machine” journey through 100 years of Black excellence, highlighting influential African American individuals and movements from 1926 to 2026. The school’s Black History celebration invited each grade level to “travel through time” by preparing a performance honoring a notable
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor today following the U.S. strikes on Iran this weekend, which killed Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. During his speech, Durbin announced support for Senator Tim Kaine’s (D-VA) war powers resolution. Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution states that the power to declare war is an explicit power of Congress and Congress overwhelmingly reaffirmed this constitutional provision
The urge to clean can hit like a switch: one moment you’re stepping over shoes and ignoring dusty shelves, and the next you’re scrubbing baseboards and reorganizing a closet you haven’t opened in months. It can feel random, almost like a personality change. But “spring cleaning” isn’t just a cute phrase. It’s a predictable human response to a mix of biology, history, culture, and simple psychology. The brain likes a “fresh start” more than
On March 3, 1875, the first organized indoor ice hockey game was played in Montreal, Canada, at Victoria Skating Rink. It looked like a simple experiment—taking a fast outdoor winter game and moving it inside—but it helped turn a regional pastime into a modern sport with rules, venues, schedules, and eventually professional leagues. At the time, playing indoors made hockey more predictable and easier to watch, which mattered in a city where winter weather could be harsh and uneven.
WOOD RIVER – Vehicle owners in Wood River may face fines for parking on certain surfaces. At their March 2, 2026 meeting , City Council members unanimously approved an ordinance adding a new section to the City Code “Prohibiting the Parking of Motor Vehicles on Non-Improved Surfaces.” According to the ordinance, Police Chief Brad Wells reports the city has been “having problems” with people parking motor vehicles on unpaved surfaces within city limits, which
HAMEL/EDWARDSVILLE - Students at Edwardsville elementary schools had a special visit from a new children’s book author, but for Hamel Elementary School Principal Matt Sidarous, the experience was a reunion with an old friend. On Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, author Zach von Zonk read his book “E-I-UFO: Old MacDonald Had a Farm” to Hamel students, encouraging them to sing along to a familiar song with an extraterrestrial twist. But his bigger message urged students to follow thei
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