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EDWARDSVILLE - The Madison County Sheriff’s Office said members of the agency, both active and retired, joined other police agencies from Madison County in the 2026 Cycle Across Illinois ride, a July 9-12, 2026, event held from Edwardsville to Chicago to honor fallen law enforcement officers and support their families. The sheriff’s office said the annual ride “once again took to the road for our fallen HEROES” this year. The office said the event has been held

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, sentenced a woman who defrauded Missouri Medicaid with false home health care claims to 15 months in prison. Camille S. Childress, 41, was also ordered to repay $174,496 to Missouri Medicaid. Childress submitted fraudulent documents to enroll her home health care company, Inspiring Angels LLC, with Missouri Medicaid. The paperwork falsely claimed that someone else owned the company. Childress was trying to conceal

BETHALTO – A local man accused of threatening to “shoot up” Bethalto schools and the Bethalto Police Department faces major felony charges in Madison County. Mark J. Schrader, 35, of East Alton, was charged on July 21, 2026 with three Class X felony counts of making a terrorist threat and two Class 3 felony counts of threatening a public official. On July 10, 2026, Schrader allegedly told employees of St. Anthony’s Hospital in Alton that he “intended to shoot up

ST. LOUIS - A man was seriously injured Monday night, July 20, 2026, in a crash in the Penrose neighborhood, where investigators said a Dodge Charger lost control during a turn, struck a curb, and overturned. The crash happened around 8:15 p.m. July 20, 2026, according to a preliminary investigation. Authorities said the Dodge was traveling southbound on North Bircher Boulevard when it lost control while making a left turn onto Penrose. The vehicle then struck a curb and overturned, coming to

ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Division is asking the public for help in a 1980 homicide in south St. Louis, saying investigators hope someone who remembers the case will come forward with information that could help bring justice and closure to the victim’s family. Police said 21-year-old Jerome Williams suffered blunt force trauma during an assault around 2 a.m. on Aug. 30, 1980, outside his residence in the 2700 block of Rutger. He died from

EAST ST. LOUIS – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that northbound Interstate 55 between the I-55/I-64 split and Exchange Avenue will be reduced to one lane on weekdays beginning Monday, July 27, to perform road maintenance, weather permitting. The lane closures will be in place from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday for approximately five weeks. Motorists should expect long delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this closure. Drivers are

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS - A 3-year-old boy from Fairview Heights, Ill., is drawing attention in a Toddler of the Year competition benefiting Marine Toys for Tots, where he is currently in first place in his group, as his fascination with tractors, lawn equipment and skilled trades resonates with supporters online. Grant, featured in a three-minute documentary shared on YouTube , has been captivated since before he could walk by tractors, lawn mowers, construction equipment and the people who operate

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Director James Jennings is announcing the next EV Rebate Program application cycle will open Saturday, August 1, 2026, and run through Thursday, December 31, 2026. Forms and instructions on submitting a rebate application are available on the Illinois EPA’s EV Rebate Program webpage beginning today. Applications postmarked or received prior to August 1, 2026 will not be accepted. “Illinois continues to see an increase

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 17 attorneys general, today filed comments opposing the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rollback on drinking water regulations for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of widely used toxic chemicals that do not naturally break down in the environment, more commonly known as PFAS or “forever chemicals.” The rollback means public drinking water systems will not be required by

CARLINVILLE – Blackburn College has announced its Dean’s List for the Spring 2026 semester. Students named to the Dean’s List must earn a grade point average of 3.6 or higher for the semester. Area students include: Alton, IL Alexis Weber Taylor Weber Brighton, IL Gavin Custer Cassidy Gaither Carrollton, IL Jamie Varble Godfrey, IL Christian Windham Granite City, IL Breann Bailey Jerseyville, IL Molli Bohannon Ashley DeSherlia Abigail Droege Ayden

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