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ALTON – Get your kicks on Route 66 in southwest Illinois this summer. Communities and residents all along the Last 100 Miles of Route 66 in Illinois will celebrate with a variety of festivals, events and even newly created Mother Road themed products. The official kick off to the centennial is Thursday, April 30, 2026 and there are plans for a wide range of community events, activities and even newly created Route 66 craft beer and craft beverages. Locals makers in southwest Illinois

ALTON/GODFREY - Alton High School seniors spent their last day of school together at the park. On Friday, May 1, 2026, the Class of 2026 held a field day at Glazebrook Park, where they enjoyed soccer and basketball games, bounce houses, music, a cookout and more. They also did a “walkout” where they visited their old elementary schools. AHS Principal Stacie Franke noted that the day was a fun way to celebrate their hard work before graduation. “It’s just really a

GODFREY - Resurrection Lutheran Church will host their annual spring flea market this weekend. From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, 2026, community members can stop by Resurrection Lutheran Church at 1211 W. Homer Adams Parkway in Godfrey for the market. You can expect tools, antiques, clothing, toys and plenty more items. Dan Garner, one of the organizers, is looking forward to sharing the church’s work with those who stop by. “We try to have something at least quarterly

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee, U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) led a group of 24 Senate Democrats in pushing back on President Trump’s executive order attacking vote-by-mail. The March 31 Executive

A new study is challenging long-held assumptions about coffee’s effects on digestive health, suggesting the popular beverage could offer benefits for both the gut and the brain. The research, published in Nature Communications , examined 62 participants, half of whom were regular coffee drinkers, to explore how coffee consumption influences the gut microbiome and mental well-being. Using psychological assessments alongside dietary tracking and biological samples, researchers foun

BELLEVILLE - As the weather shifts once again, a lot of people are experiencing allergies. One local physician has advice on how to handle these symptoms — and when to seek treatment. Dr. Angie Harris, a BJC Medical Group family medicine physician at Belleville Memorial Hospital, explained that seasonal allergies can be treated proactively. She encourages patients who know they have spring allergies to stock up on over-the-counter allergy medication and begin taking these meds before

CASEYVILLE - Multiple cameras captured an incident of illegal dumping on April 29, 2026, on Forest Boulevard in Caseyville, and the Caseyville Police Department said the footage led officers to identify a vehicle and issue a criminal citation. Caseyville Police said officers used the video to obtain the vehicle’s registration information. The vehicle was later located and impounded at a residence in Fairview Heights, Caseyville Police said. The person was issued a citation for

ALTON - The Three Rivers Project of Sierra Club Illinois is calling for volunteers to support the two Workdays at the Wadlow Creek Restoration Area, formerly the Robert P. Wadlow Municipal Golf Course in front of the Alton Regional Multimodal Transportation Center that houses Amtrak. Volunteers of all ages are welcome, but parental supervision is needed for youth 16 year olds and younger. The activity will be the same each day: the Wadlow Workdays will give local community members the opportunity

EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville High School (EHS) has been recognized with multiple nominations for the prestigious Ken Page Awards, celebrating excellence in high school musical theatre across the region. EHS received nominations for its production of 9 to 5: The Musical , directed by Ashley Melton. The nominations highlight both individual and group achievements across several categories: Outstanding Leading Actress — Gracie Cook Outstanding Leading Actress — Ella Carter Outstanding

BELLEVILLE - Dr. Amanda “Mandy” Bagley, the principal of Belle Valley School in Belleville, Illinois, died after a two-vehicle crash on April 21, 2026, in Madison County, according to an Illinois State Police preliminary report. Bagley, described as a beloved educator and principal, was involved in a collision at about 6:14 p.m. April 21, 2026, at Horseshoe Lake Road and the Interstate 255 southbound on-ramp in Collinsville. The community is mourning her sudden loss. This information

ALTON - The Alton VFW Post 1308 invites the community to join them for a special cleanup effort. On Saturday, May 9, 2026, VFW members and the public will come together to pick up litter along Highway 255. Called the Russell E. Dunham Memorial Highway, this portion of 255 is named after a Medal of Honor recipient. Post 1308, also known as the Russell E. Dunham Memorial Post 1308, is eager to give back. “In the VFW, you serve no matter what,” said Post Commander Chris Miller. “th

ALTON – Two men from Alton were charged on the same day in separate domestic battery cases, marking their latest felony charges in Madison County Court. James F. Carleton, 42, of Alton, was charged on April 24, 2026, with his second or subsequent offense of domestic battery, a Class 4 felony. The day before April 23, 2026, Carleton allegedly knowingly caused bodily harm to a household or family member. Charging documents state he had previously been convicted of unlawfully violating a

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced a federal court has stated it will approve a $700 million settlement in a multistate antitrust lawsuit against Google following allegations the tech giant dominated Android app distribution and in-app payments related to the Google Play Store. Raoul joined a bipartisan group of 53 attorneys general in 2021 who sued Google for illegally dominating Android app distribution and for charging consumers up to 30% per transaction. The

CHICAGO — Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a bipartisan coalition of 41 attorneys general, urged federal regulators to reaffirm that jurisdiction over sports-related “event contracts” belongs to states. The attorneys general filed a comment letter with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), arguing that prediction markets, platforms where users trade contracts on the outcome of future events, effectively allow unregulated sports betting. “On so-called

CASEYVILLE – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that eastbound Interstate 64 will be reduced to one lane between Illinois 157 and Illinois 159 in St. Clair County for pavement work. The lane closures will occur on the following weekends, weather permitting: May 1-4 Beginning at 9 p.m. Friday, May 1, eastbound traffic will be reduced to one lane. All lanes are expected to reopen by 7 a.m. Monday, May 4. May 8-11 Beginning at 9 p.m. Friday, May 8, eastbound

EDWARDSVILLE – The Edwardsville Police Department announced it issued 63 citations for hands-free law violations and issued 13 citations for other violations during April’s Distracted Driving Awareness Month enforcement campaign. “We prioritize traffic safety because every member of our community deserves to get home safely," said Lt. Matt Senci. "This extra enforcement serves as a reminder to drivers to stay off our devices, stay engaged with our surroundings, and keep our

CHICAGO – Yesterday, Governor JB Pritzker published a Substack article condemning the Supreme Court’s ruling decimating the Voting Rights Act. Gov. Pritzker detailed how Donald Trump is suppressing voters of color because he can’t run on his record: “Donald Trump and the Republican Party are staggeringly unpopular. They know they cannot win majorities at the ballot box this November if they run on their record. So, they are resorting to a playbook that is as old as

ALTON - The Alton Police Department has named Officer Austin Cross its Officer of the Month after he investigated a residential burglary that led to the recovery of stolen property and the detention of a suspect wanted in other cases. The Alton Police Department said Cross responded on Jan. 7, 2026, to a burglary on Alby Street in Alton. What began as a single call “quickly turned into an outstanding investigation,” the department said. Using GPS tracking from stolen

HARDIN - The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office said a 45-year-old Pleasant Hill resident was arrested late April 4, 2026, after authorities were notified of a “rolling domestic disturbance in progress” on Pump Station Road in northwest Calhoun County. The sheriff’s office said it was notified at 11:13 p.m. on that evening by West-Central 911 Dispatch, which coordinated efforts with the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, the Pike County Sheriff’s Department, an

HARDIN - Calhoun County sheriff’s deputies arrested a 68-year-old Hardin man recently after a reported domestic disturbance involving a firearm in Hardin. The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office said West-Central 911 Dispatch notified the agency at about 2:15 p.m. on April 2, 2026, of a “Domestic Disturbance in Progress, involving a firearm” in Hardin in Calhoun County. Deputies responded immediately and arrived at 2:20 p.m., the Calhoun Sheriff’s Office said. Calhoun