ALTON - Community members are invited to Alton Beloved Community People's Fair: A Survival Revival, an event that will provide resources, meals, a survival simulation, music, and more. From 12–8:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 7, 2026 , at Deliverance Temple (1125 E. Sixth Street in Alton), the community can join a movement that aims to combine mutual care with storytelling and connection. There will be a variety of resources for unhoused community members and those living in
ALTON - The holiday transformation of Rock Spring Park in Alton will begin in early September, and new Christmas Wonderland volunteers are needed to help put together displays to ensure the holidays sparkle in 2026. An informational meeting for volunteers is planned for 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 11 at Munstermann Building, at Gordon Moore Park in Alton. The Grandpa Gang, which coordinates the annual Christmas event, is looking for volunteers to help with tasks like setting up wooden displays
ALTON – Legal action filed by Alton Mayor David Goins to try stopping the City Council from ousting two of his appointees has prompted a special meeting on the topic. The special meeting is set for Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026 at 6 p.m. in the Alton City Council chambers at City Hall. The meeting was requested by Aldermen Michael Velloff, Patty Ford, and Martha Pfister. The agenda items include a closed session “to discuss pending litigation.” Items for discussion during open
A thick wall can feel like a machine with no moving parts. Step from a blazing street into an old stone house, and the air changes at once. That small shock of comfort explains a big idea: heat has shaped buildings as powerfully as style, religion, or wealth. Architecture is often discussed in terms of beauty, status, or engineering. But one of its oldest jobs is simple survival. Long before air conditioning, people had to figure out how to live, sleep, cook, and work in hot places without overheating
On August 4, 1914, Germany invaded Belgium, turning a fast-moving European crisis into a much wider war. The attack came just days after tensions following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand had pushed the major powers toward conflict. Belgium was a neutral country, and its invasion brought Britain into the war, helping transform a regional struggle into the First World War as it would be known around the world. The event mattered deeply at the time because it changed military plans,
WOOD RIVER – Two more Wood River buildings are going solar in the near future as the city aims to save on energy costs with grant funding assistance. Agreements for Phases 3 and 4 of the Solar Panel Project with GRP Wegman were unanimously approved at the Aug. 3, 2026 Wood River City Council meeting. These mark the next two phases of an ongoing initiative for solar panels to be installed at all city buildings . Wood River previously entered into a contract with GRP Wegman to install
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS/BELLEVILLE - Illinois State Police special agents arrested a 21-year-old Fairview Heights man on a first-degree murder charge after investigating the fatal shooting of a Belleville man found early Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in East St. Louis, authorities said. Evan M. Spencer was arrested in connection with the death of 28-year-old Demonta L. Hunter, according to Illinois State Police. The agency said East St. Louis police responded at about 5:21 a.m. Aug. 2, 2026, to the intersection
ALTON - A fully involved shed fire in the 1200 block of Rodemeyer Street in Alton caused serious damage to a shed structure around noon on Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, but firefighters prevented the flames from spreading to a nearby house with a quick attack, Alton Fire Department Capt. Tom Davison said. When crews arrived, the shed was fully involved, and flames were impinging on the house, Davison said. Firefighters placed a hose line between the shed and the home, which he said kept the house from
Key takeaways: Whether you feed your newborn at the breast or with formula, there may be challenges to get them the nourishment they need. Experts have solutions. Spoon feeding, cup feeding, dropper feeding and a supplemental nursing system are options. Talk to a lactation consultant if you have questions. Xandra Anderson likens infant nutrition to learning baseball. “You start as a kid. You throw a ball, and it hits the ground immediately. Or you swing the bat an
WOOD RIVER - Two local organizations recently partnered to help people, and their teams encourage the community to come together to do more. In July, King Air Conditioning & Heating installed a new Mitsubishi mini split system at the facility of Operation Blessing People That Care in Wood River. Kylie Wesley with King and Karen Wilson with Operation Blessing agreed that the collaboration will go a long way to keep Operation Blessing going so they can help more families in need. “The
Key Takeaways: Cyclospora is a foodborne parasite that can cause severe gastrointestinal illness. Nine states have seen cases of the diarrheal illness caused by contaminated iceberg lettuce. Michigan has had more than 8,000 cases reported. A typical year is about 50 cases. Symptoms include diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping, bloating and increased gas. Issues can start anywhere from two days to two weeks. For more than a decade working in infection prevention,
GRANITE CITY – A Granite City man with “a lengthy history” of domestic violence has been charged and detained in his sixth domestic battery case since 1995. Michael E. Bridges, 62, of Granite City, faces one count each of aggravated domestic battery, domestic battery (both Class 2 felonies), and a Class 3 felony count of aggravated battery. The charges against Bridges were filed in Madison County court on July 27, 2026 and stem from an alleged incident two days prior on July
ALTON - The Hayner Public Library District has several events coming up in August, and you can enjoy them all for free. Executive Director Mary Cordes expressed her excitement for the upcoming programs. From a Beatles tribute to a bagpipes performance to a silent disco, Hayner has a variety of activities available. Cordes hopes to welcome many community members to come out and enjoy. “It should be a lot of fun,” she said of the upcoming programs. Throughout the month of August,
GODFREY — Madison County Sheriff’s deputies responded at 3:34 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, to a reported fight on the property of Sonny’s Wedge Bar in the 900 block of West Delmar, where authorities said one person appeared injured, several vehicles sped away, and one driver was later detained in Alton. Madison County Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Marcos Pulido said deputies saw “a subject who appeared to have an injury that was sustained during the fight” when the
CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined community leaders and lawmakers to encourage Illinoisans to participate in the Back-to-School State Tax Holiday, which waives the state sales tax on back-to-school necessities fromAug. 7 through Aug. 16, 2026. This 10-day period is expected to provide an estimated $10 million in savings to online and in-store consumers on essential back-to-school items, including clothing, footwear, and school supplies. “In Illinois, parents are working
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today celebrated Governor JB Pritzker’s signing his legislation to support efforts to combat workplace rights violations. “The Workplace Rights Bureau in the Attorney General’s office has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of Illinois workers. This new law will enhance our ability to investigate and prosecute potential violations of the laws that protect working people around Illinois,” Raoul said. “I appreciate
ST. LOUIS COUNTY - A 31-year-old St. Louis man was seriously injured Sunday night, Aug. 2, 2026, in a two-vehicle crash on southbound Missouri 367 north of Chambers Road in St. Louis County after Moline Acres Police attempted a traffic stop, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report. The crash happened at 9:50 p.m. Aug. 2, 2026, and was investigated by Trooper D. Bittick. The report said Moline Acres police attempted to stop a 2013 Chevrolet Spark after observing it being driven
GODFREY – A Godfrey man accused of committing a hate crime and assault in a public place faces charges in Jersey County. Troy D. Hacker, 39, of Godfrey, was charged on July 29, 2026 with a Class 4 felony count of hate crime and a Class A misdemeanor count of aggravated assault on public property. On July 26, 2026, Hacker allegedly knowingly committed an act of aggravated assault against another individual by reason of the victim’s actual race and color, charging documents state. Hack
DOW - The community can help Treehouse Wildlife Center raise $15,000 in two months. Treehouse Wildlife Center rehabilitates injured, sick and orphaned wildlife throughout the region. An anonymous donor has pledged $10,000 if the center can crowdfund an additional $5,000 by Sept. 30, 2026. With the community’s help, the center hopes to receive $15,000 total, which will go toward the care of the animals. “We are completely a grassroots organization, so we are not funded any other
VIRDEN - First Christian Church in Virden will host a Community Blood Drive with ImpactLife, the provider of blood components for local hospitals. The blood drive will be from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026 at 101 N. Church St., inside Donor Bus. What: First Christian Church Virden Community Blood Drive When: Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026, 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. Where: ImpactLife Donor Bus, 101 N. Church St., Virden, Ill. Appointments: To donate, please contact Kelsie Bentley at (217)
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