GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College will celebrate its 55th annual Commencement, May 20, 2026, featuring alumna and former Illinois Senator Rachelle Aud Crowe as the event’s keynote speaker. The ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. at the Hatheway Cultural Center’s Ann Whitney Olin Theatre. “It is a tremendous honor to welcome former Sen. Crowe to Lewis and Clark,” said LC President Ken Trzaska. “She is a longtime friend and passionate advocate
ALTON - Intermittent daytime lane closures are set to begin Thursday, May 7, at the intersection of Illinois 100 and U.S. 67 in Alton as the Illinois Department of Transportation evaluates pavement conditions. The Illinois Department of Transportation announced the closures today for the intersection in Madison County, weather permitting. The agency said the lane closures are necessary for the evaluation of pavement conditions. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate
EDWARDSVILLE – Madison County authorities filed several charges against a Missouri man accused of attempting to burn down an Edwardsville business, burglarizing and damaging cars and buildings in the process. Mark R. Ross, 38, of Springfield, Mo., was charged on April 28, 2026 with four counts of burglary (each Class 2 felonies), two counts of criminal damage to property (both Class 4 felonies), and one count each of aggravated intimidation (a Class 2 felony) and attempted arson (a Class
RIVERBEND - As spring storms pick up, Ryan Darr encourages community members to speak to local, licensed contractors about hail damage. Darr, with Michael Ryan Exteriors , noted that the past few weeks have been riddled with hail and heavy storms. A lot of people aren’t sure what to do after a storm causes hail damage — or how to even know if there is damage in the first place. That’s where a roofing contractor like Michael Ryan Exteriors can help. “Before you cal
ST. LOUIS - Three women, including a Ritenour High School senior - Jordyn Williams - who had recently been crowned prom queen, were killed Friday night, May 1, 2026, in a three-vehicle crash on Lewis and Clark Boulevard in St. Louis County. The crash was reported at 8:32 p.m. May 1, 2026, on southbound Lewis and Clark Boulevard north of Haviland Drive, Missouri State Highway Patrol investigators said. A 2013 Cadillac SRX traveling southbound sideswiped a 2020 Lexus RX350, causing the Lexus to
ST. LOUIS – A man on supervised release from a prior carjacking case on Monday admitted being caught with a fully automatic handgun after fleeing from police in a stolen car. Davell A. Horton, 29, of St. Louis County, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that on July 15, 2024, St. Louis County Police Department officers spotted an Infiniti G37 with no license plates that matched the description of a stole
ST. LOUIS – Two men have been sentenced to prison for two carjackings in St. Louis in 2024. U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Monday sentenced Davion Pruitt, 19, of St. Louis, to nine years in prison. Tywone Calvin, 20, of Pine Lawn, was sentenced on April 27 to nine and one-half years in prison. The pair stole a 2011 Cadillac Escalade at gunpoint on Dec. 23, 2024. Three days later, they carjacked a 2017 Chevrolet Trax. The Escalade’s driver had met a woman, Mya Reagan,
CHICAGO – Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced the opening of the office’s first-ever Business Services Center in downtown Chicago, bringing together key business-related services in a centralized, customer-focused location while reducing operational costs. Located on the first floor at 160 N. LaSalle St., the new Business Services Center reflects the office’s continued efforts to modernize operations, improve accessibility and better serve Illinois entrepreneurs,
SPRINGFIELD – This is National Small Business Week and Comptroller Susana Mendoza is highlighting programs that are available through the Illinois Office of Comptroller (IOC). According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are 1.4 million small businesses in Illinois , employing 2.4 million people. “Small businesses are what keep our economy and our communities strong,” Comptroller Mendoza said. “I want all of our local entrepreneurs to succeed, and my
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois’s newly-updated School Vaccination Coverage Dashboard shows that coverage rates for all school-required childhood immunizations are holding steady compared to last year, and all but one of those immunizations is above the state’s 95% coverage goal to optimize prevention of infectious disease spread. The dashboard is put together each year by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), using data provided to the Illinois State Board of Education
CHICAGO – The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) is asking local community members, residents, and leaders to participate in the development of the 2027 Illinois Housing Blueprint (Blueprint) through two opportunities: (1) take the resident survey and/or (2) attend a Community Listening Session. The Blueprint is a forward-thinking, grassroots planning initiative designed by IHDA to provide a deeper analysis of the trends and priorities around housing at a regional level
CHICAGO – With the spring moving season approaching, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) is reminding Illinoisans to look for red flags before handing over their belongings to a potential moving company. “Before packing up your household, check the ICC website for a company’s complaint history, and confirm the mover holds a valid state license. A quick check can help unsuspecting customers from dealing with unexpected fees or scams come moving day,” said ICC Chief
CHICAGO – This May Day, as people across Illinois and around the world honor the hard-fought gains of workers and unions, Governor JB Pritzker reaffirms his commitment to the union members and working families across the state. Illinois has been at the forefront of the fight for fair wages and safe working conditions for all people and will continue to be a leader in that fight. In response, JB for Governor campaign spokesperson Alex Gough released the following statement: “Governor
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is accepting applications for the State Furbearer Fund Special Funds Grant Program through May 15. The State Furbearer Fund provides grants to appropriate not-for-profit organizations, governmental entities, educational institutions, and corporations for projects that benefit furbearing mammals and improve harvesting opportunities for hunters and trappers of furbearers. Furbearing mammals are defined as badger, beaver,
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced that a $7.4 billion settlement reached with Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family, has become legally effective, capping nearly a decade of work by attorneys general from across the country who pursued investigations and litigation over Purdue’s and the Sackler family’s role in fueling the opioid crisis. Raoul and a bipartisan coalition of 55 attorneys general, representing all eligible states and U.S. territories,
GODFREY — Illinois Community College Board data shows that Illinois’ community colleges are a powerful driver of the state’s economy, generating $27.2 billion in total economic impact and supporting 324,273 jobs statewide , according to a newly released economic impact study. The report, The Economic Value of the Community Colleges of Illinois , reflects fiscal year 2023–24 data and underscores the critical role community colleges — including Lewis
ELSAH - On May 14, 2026, at 7 p.m., Historic Elsah Foundation presents Bill Egan, who will share his expertise on Cahokia Mounds. Egan is from Collinsville, Illinois. He served in the United States Air Force in Vietnam. After a career in industrial battery sales, Egan began volunteering at Cahokia Mounds Historic Site. He was recognized as Outstanding Volunteer of the Year in 2021. The presentation will be at Farley Music Hall, 37 Mill Street, in Elsah. Refreshments will be served. The program
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) kicks off the 19th season of the Illinois Product Farmers Market Thursday, May 15, 2026 from 3:30 to 7 p.m. at The Shed on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. “As we kick off another season, I’m proud to see the Illinois Product Farmers Market continue to bring people together while uplifting Illinois' hardworking growers and small businesses who make it possible,” said Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. "Ag connect
CHICAGO, May 1, 2026 — While two fortunate Powerball ® players in Indiana and Kansas matched all six numbers in Wednesday night’s drawing to split a whopping $143 million jackpot, several Illinois Lottery players are also celebrating major wins. In a rare outcome, four Illinois Lottery players each won prizes of $1 million or more in a single Powerball drawing — an unusually high number of big winners for the state in one night. The winning numbers for the Wednesday,
WOOD RIVER - The Riverbend East Rotary Club recently hosted a picnic at the Rotary Shelter in Belk Park in Wood River, bringing together local scholarship recipients, Rotary Youth Leadership Academy students, and school counselors. The picnic included invitees from East Alton-Wood River and Roxana high schools, including scholarship and RYLA students, as well as their school counselors. Also in attendance was Lilly, a Rotary Youth Exchange outbound student headed to Crema, Italy.
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