EDWARDSVILLE – A New Mexico resident accused of hiding the proceeds of illegal activity in a vehicle while driving through Madison County faces felony charges. Antonio Hernandez, 22, of Las Cruces, N.M., was charged on April 1, 2026 with two counts of money laundering, both Class 1 felonies, in Madison County. On March 30, 2026, Hernandez reportedly knowingly transported $285,000 in U.S. currency which was “wrapped in bundles and hidden within a concealed compartment of a motor
HARDIN - The Calhoun Sheriff's Office has announced charges for a Godfrey man after a complaint alleging child sexual assault in rural Calhoun County. A 38-year-old Godfrey man was arrested Dec. 30, 2025, after Calhoun County authorities investigated the complaint, according to the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office. On December 30, 2025, Sheriff Zach Hardin arrested Tommy R Thompson, age 38 of Godfrey, Illinois, for the following offense: Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault – Victim
TROY, IL. - The Madison County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday, April 9, 2026, released the names of three victims killed in a house fire that followed multiple explosions in rural Troy, Illinois, on April 5. The victims were identified as Madeleine I. Maxeiner, 18, of Troy; Ayden R. Hendrickson, 19, of Collinsville; and Paisley Nishwitz, 12, of Troy, the sheriff’s office said. Maxeiner was positively identified through dental examination. She was pronounced dead at the scene at
BETHALTO - Civic Memorial’s boys 4x200 relay team of Parker Walters, Ty Books, Reed Wallace and Grady Farrell set a new school record last week at the O'Fallon Relays, recording a time of 1:33.22 to break a mark that had stood since 1979. “The 4 x 200 relay record has been longstanding,” Civic Memorial head track and field coach Jacob Peal said. “It was awesome to see this group of guys break it last week, we think we can go faster and would love to be able to ru
ALTON - Students at Eunice Smith Elementary School in Alton learned what it means to be courageous this month. The students learn about a different character trait every month, but most recently, they were asked to write about “courage” and a time they were brave. Principal Christina Coy emphasized that activities like this aim to empower the students while building up their characters. “They’re still learning who they are, and they’re learning these skills
GODFREY - Vitality Women’s Clinic will host its annual fundraiser this weekend, but there are other ways to support the pregnancy center. Vitality will welcome nearly 400 community members to Lewis and Clark Community College on Friday, April 10, 2026, for their dinner fundraiser. While all the seats are full, Executive Director Jackie Duty outlined several additional opportunities for people to donate toward the clinic in the coming weeks. She believes this is a great way to support
EAST ST. LOUIS - The East St. Louis Police Department responded to an incident involving a suicidal individual on the Eads Bridge in East St. Louis on Thursday, April 9, 2026, where officers found a person who had climbed over the railing on the westbound side of the bridge and threatened to jump. As a safety precaution, westbound traffic was temporarily shut down, the East St. Louis Police Department said. The department requested assistance from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department t
GODFREY – Preparations for road improvements along a section of North Alby Street in Godfrey are moving forward with recent Village Board approval. Trustees unanimously approved a construction engineering services agreement with Gonzales Companies, LLC for the North Alby Overlay Project at their April 7, 2026 meeting. The full scope of the project includes “full-depth concrete patching in various locations to address areas of structurally deficient pavement, cold-milling the entir
CASEYVILLE - A semitruck strike that brought down a highway sign across Interstate 64 near the I-255 exit was snarling traffic in the Caseyville area as of late Thursday morning, April 9, 2026, as transportation crews worked to reopen the roadway. The crash happened on I-64 approaching the I-255 exit. Illinois State Police rerouted traffic to Illinois 157 at Caseyville, and congestion backed up for several miles from I-255 past Illinois 159 in Fairview Heights, the Illinois Department of Transportation
ALTON - Community members are invited to learn their neighbors’ stories at an upcoming “Heartbreak to Hope” showcase through 3 Purple Coats Productions, the YWCA, and Healing Illinois. From 1–3 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, 2026, the YWCA will host the “Heartbreak to Hope” show, featuring six community activists’ stories about resilience. Leah Becoat, founder of 3 Purple Coats Productions, has recorded and edited videos of each person’s story,
– Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement after Donald Trump announced a “ceasefire” with Iran: “Before Donald Trump launched his illegal, unjustified and costly war, the Strait of Hormuz was open and violence free, gas was $1 cheaper and thousands more people were alive—including 13 American servicemembers. Only someone as deeply incompetent, delusional and unfit as Trump would see this as ‘winning’ when
The American Heart Association and 10 other leading health organizations say it’s time to start checking cholesterol sooner and treating it more aggressively. New, lower low density lipoprotein LDL cholesterol targets are aimed at preventing heart attacks and strokes before symptoms ever appear. Jason Trager, DO, a cardiologist with OSF HealthCare, says people at risk of heart disease should start trying to lower their cholesterol as early as age 30 and continue into old age. They
ALTON – A felony charge has been filed in the latest reported case of theft from Alton Materials. Steven C. Parrish, 42, listed as homeless out of Alton, was charged on March 30, 2026 with a Class 4 felony count of theft. Parrish allegedly knowingly obtained unauthorized control over various pieces of scrap metal which were property of Alton Materials on Jan. 8, 2026. Charging documents note Parrish had previously been convicted of burglary in a prior Madison County case from 2023.
BELLEVILLE/EDWARDSVILLE - CASA of Southwestern Illinois needs volunteers who are willing to be “a voice” for children in the foster care system. On Saturday, April 25, 2026, CASA will host an annual dinner and fundraiser at The Leclaire Room in Edwardsville. Community members are invited to come out and support the work of CASA, or Court-Appointed Special Advocates. These volunteers advocate for kids in court and help judges make decisions in the best interest of the child.
ALTON – Alton officials voted 6-1 on Wednesday, April 9, 2026, to further delay proposed cuts to Alton’s share of Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau funding until 2027. On April 8, 2026, City Council members approved an amendment to a previously postponed resolution which would have slashed the amount Alton contributes to the Bureau’s funding by approximately 68% via ordinance. The approved amendment shifts the date of the vote from May 15, 2026 to April 12, 2027. Alderwoman
SWANSEA — Federal authorities alerted Swansea Police to a social media post containing terrorist threats targeting Swansea Police Department officers, prompting an investigation that led to the arrest of a 28-year-old man and a felony charge, police said. The FBI notified the Swansea Police Department about the threats, and the department’s Criminal Investigations Division began investigating and identified a suspect, according to information released by police. Detectives developed
ALTON/GODFREY - Oasis Women’s Center will host a trivia night fundraiser to build up essential services in the Riverbend community. On Saturday, April 25, 2026, community members can join Oasis at the Alton Wood River Sportsman’s Club in Godfrey for an evening of trivia, a 50/50 raffle, a silent auction and more. Oasis Executive Director Jenna Giess explained that proceeds go toward helping domestic violence survivors, and these services are as needed as ever. “The amount
Planting has never been just a farming task. In many ancient societies, it was treated like a high-stakes appointment with the universe—so important that people built holidays around it, timed it by the stars, and backed it with songs, feasts, and strict rules about what you could or couldn’t do. That can sound dramatic until you remember what was at stake. A missed window for sowing could mean hunger months later. Ancient holidays that “marked planting season” were no
On April 9, 1940, Nazi Germany launched a surprise invasion of Denmark and Norway, an operation known as Weserübung. In a matter of hours Denmark was occupied, while Norway began a longer, harder fight that drew in British and French forces. At the time, the attack mattered because it reshaped control of the North Sea and the route of vital resources—especially Swedish iron ore—while giving Germany better access to Atlantic shipping lanes. It still matters today because it shows
ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County police are investigating a late-night shooting in a business drive-thru that left an adult woman dead and an adult man injured, authorities said. The double shooting happened about 11:35 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in the 11300 block of Bellefontaine Road, according to the St. Louis County Police Department. Officers from the North County Precinct responded to a call for service for a shooting and found two victims inside a business with gunshot injuries,
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