ALTON — Mustache March 4PD recently presented donations to local police chiefs and officers during its annual check presentation, distributing funds to support 15 local police departments with equipment, resources, and other needs. The organization said the money will be used for items including safety equipment, K-9 resources, red-dot firearms, drones, fitness equipment, and other departmental needs. MM4PD said the funds will also help send local officers to National Police Week in Washington,
EDWARDSVILLE/COLLINSVILLE - Two Metro East police officers reached career milestones this week, with Cole Wesley Meyer taking the oath of office as Edwardsville’s newest police officer at Tuesday’s City Council meeting and Collinsville Officer Brayden Dreyer graduating from Session 159 of the Southwestern Illinois College Police Academy before entering field training. Meyer’s oath ceremony was witnessed by family, friends and fellow Edwardsville Police Department officers,
This Day in Music History: September 17 On Sept. 17, 1931, RCA Victor demonstrated its 33 1/3-rpm long-playing record system in New York, offering a striking early vision of the album era. The company called the discs Program Transcriptions, and the format promised substantially more music per side than the familiar 78-rpm record. RCA’s experiment did not become the mass-market standard; the Depression-era cost of new equipment and technical limitations kept it from catching on. Still,
GODFREY – State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) announced she has secured $40,000 in state funding for the Village of Godfrey to support the construction of a pedestrian bridge at Glazebrook Park. “One of my priorities is making sure the communities I represent see state dollars come back home for projects that matter locally,” said Senator Harriss. “I’m glad to help secure this funding for Godfrey and support the continued work happening at Glazebrook
SPRINGFIELD – Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski released the following statement after receiving endorsements from the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Associated Firefighters of Illinois: “My goal has always been to lift up working people and make sure they have a voice in Congress. That means standing with the teachers who educate our kids, the firefighters who are on the frontlines responding to emergencies and the countless working people who show up every day to serve
On September 17, 1787, delegates at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia signed the Constitution of the United States. This was one of the most influential political events ever tied to this date because it created a new framework for national government at a moment when the young country was struggling to hold itself together. At the time, the earlier system under the Articles of Confederation had proved too weak to manage debts, trade, and national decision-making. The Constitution
ALTON - Tourism continues to strengthen the southwest Illinois economy in 2025, generating nearly $1.48 billion in total economic impact – a $79 million year over year increase – in the six county Great Rivers & Routes region, according to newly released tourism economic impact data. The tourism economy in Madison, Macoupin, Greene, Jersey, Calhoun and Montgomery counties grew from approximately $1.4 billion in 2024 to $1.479 billion in 2025, while supporting 9,823 jobs, generating
CHICAGO — One year ago, Donald Trump released violence throughout Illinois as a part of Operation Midway Blitz. Governor JB Pritzker has fought every day since to ensure that the federal agents who subjected Illinoisans to violent, unlawful treatment face accountability. In October 2025, Gov. Pritzker established the Illinois Accountability Commission to collect evidence from ICE and CBP’s attacks during Operation Midway Blitz and form a record of their abuses. Following
SPRINGFIELD – Secretary of State and State Librarian Alexi Giannoulias today announced 20 young readers from across Illinois as the inaugural winners of Illinois Reads Together, a statewide summer reading challenge launched by the Illinois Literacy Foundation and the Chicago Cubs. Among the winners, Bailey Quincer, 17, of Malta, was selected to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before today’s Chicago Cubs game against the Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field. The remaining 19 winners
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) passed bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) that would improve emergency communication technology that could help save lives. The bipartisan ITS Codification Act would codify the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS), which currently serves as the research and engineering laboratory at the National Telecommunications and Information
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, U.S. Representatives Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Paul Tonko (NY-21) introduced the Good Energy Jobs Act , legislation that ensures federal investments in America’s energy future create good-paying union jobs, strengthen domestic manufacturing, and deliver meaningful benefits to the communities where projects are built. The Good Energy Jobs Act would codify labor and community-benefit standards that the Department of Energy (DOE) has used as conditions for
TROY, Ill. — HSHS Medical Group welcomes Lexi Kremer-Callahan, MD, a family medicine physician, to HSHS Medical Family Medicine-Troy at 7342 State Rt. 162 in Troy, Illinois. Dr. Kremer-Callahan is a primary care physician specializing in family medicine, caring for patients of all ages. Her scope of practice includes well-child visits, preventive screenings, chronic disease management, women's health and pediatrics. She chose family medicine for the wide variety of care it offers and the
CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and the Save Abandoned Babies Foundation today announced the launch of a new campaign designed to immediately connect the public to lifesaving information about the Illinois Newborn Infant Protection Act , commonly referred to as the Baby Safe Haven Law. This critical law provides parents in crisis with a safe, anonymous and legal alternative to infant abandonment. Under the law, a parent may hand an unharmed newborn,
JERSEYVILLE - The Friends of the Jerseyville Public Library is holding two fall fundraisers in Jerseyville, including an afghan basket raffle ending Oct. 21, 2026, and a book sale Oct. 8-10, 2026, to raise money for library materials and programming. Raffle tickets are available at the Jerseyville Public Library or from Friends members. Tickets cost $1 each or six for $5, with sales continuing until the drawing at 5 p.m. Oct. 21. The basket features a hand-knit, chunky chenille afghan crafted
JERSEYVILLE – This year’s Harvest Fest in Jerseyville will feature the event’s first-ever variety show and much more for visitors to enjoy while supporting local students. St. Francis/Holy Ghost Catholic School is gearing up for its 28th annual Harvest Fest, set for Friday, Sept. 18 to Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026 on the church grounds at 506 S. State St. in Jerseyville. Harvest Fest not only marks a full weekend of family fun, but also the school’s largest annual fundraising
ROXANA - Roxana High School senior Noah Crump has opened the fall 2026 cross country season with two medal-winning performances for the Shells, helping the boys team to notable finishes at the Granie City Invite and the First to the Finish Invitational as he works toward a goal of qualifying for and excelling at state. At the Granie City Invite recently, the Roxana boys placed ninth, their highest finish ever at the meet. Crump medaled in 20th place, running 15:40.0 for three miles, which is
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Mary Miller (IL-15) introduced the Student Voter Data Protection Act to protect college students’ personal information from being shared without their consent for partisan voter registration efforts. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) is leading the legislation in the Senate. The bill amends the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) to explicitly prohibit private student data from being shared for voter registration efforts without the student’s
EDWARDSVILLE – The City of Edwardsville announced Wednesday, September 16, that Police Major Michael Lybarger has been named the City’s new director of police. Lybarger currently serves as the City’s deputy chief, and will assume the top spot in the Edwardsville Police Department upon Chief Michael Fillback’s retirement on October 2, 2026. “Major Lybarger has demonstrated his commitment to safeguarding this community for nearly three decades,” Mayor Art Risavy
GODFREY – Godfrey officials may consider a new tool to attract developers and see who is visiting and leaving the village’s parks, businesses and more. Economic Development Director Jim Mager presented information to trustees about the Placer program and its capabilities at the Sept. 15, 2026 Village Board meeting. Mager said members of the Parks and Recreation Board expressed interest in monitoring who is coming in and out of Godfrey parks. He said the technology could also help
JERSEYVILLE — Three educators at Jersey Community Alternative Program in Jerseyville have been named Voya Unsung Heroes and awarded a $2,000 grant to help fund “Mindful Strides,” a teaching project centered on installing a labyrinth, Voya Financial announced Sept. 14, 2026. The educators, Twila Prunty, Nick Crnokrak and Myra Woelfel, are among 50 winners nationwide in the 2026 Unsung Heroes awards competition and the only winners in Illinois. The grant is intended to help brin
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