ALTON - The Alton Police Department said it received a donation for its K-9 program from the Alton River Dragons, continuing a tradition tied to the team’s First Responders Night jersey raffle. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford thanked Steve Marso and the Alton River Dragons for what he described as their continued support. Chief Ford said Marso recently stopped by to present a donation from this year’s First Responders Night jersey raffle. The department said the raffle donation is
ALTON - Abe Lee Barham has restarted the Alton Inner City Community Garden in Alton’s 2nd Ward area on Dooley Drive, behind the senior citizen complex, with support from the Alton Housing Authority and local aldermen, as he begins the program’s fifth year of teaching inner-city youth how to garden. “This garden started to give inner-city youth experience on what it takes to have a garden,” Barham said. Barham said children taking part are coming from the Oakwood area
GODFREY - The community can once again help families in need through the Christmas in July lunch and raffle. From 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, July 24, 2026, at Freer Auto Body in Godfrey, Christmas in July invites community members to enjoy a sloppy joe lunch for a donation and buy $10 raffle tickets for the chance to win major prizes. All proceeds go back to Community Christmas, a local campaign that delivers toys, clothing and more to families in need during the holiday season. “
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias today announced that Illinois will launch a statewide Blue Envelope Program, following the recent signing of legislation into law. The new voluntary program is designed to improve communication and reduce stress during traffic stops for drivers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) while providing law enforcement with a simple tool to enhance safety and understanding. The Blue Envelope Program will be administered by the Secretary
GODFREY – A Godfrey man faces felony and misdemeanor charges after allegedly driving under the influence in Godfrey on a motorcycle now seized by Madison County prosecutors. Miguel C. Luna Jr., 37, of Godfrey, was charged on July 9, 2026 with one count each of aggravated driving while under the influence (a Class 4 felony) and driving while license is revoked (a Class A misdemeanor). Luna allegedly drove a Harley-Davidson motorcycle on West Delmar Avenue in Godfrey while under the influence
JERSEYVILLE - The Jerseyville Post 492 Junior Legion team is state-bound after a big 2-1 victory over Galesburg . Jerseyville won the Department of Illinois American Legion 3rd Division Junior Legion Tournament in Galesburg, defeating Galesburg 2-1 in the division title game and advancing to this weekend’s state title tournament in Carol Stream, Illinois. The Jerseyville Post 492 boys are the Sparklight Male Athletes of the Month for Jersey. The team is a Junior Legion squad for
NORMAL - It’s already Back to School time, as youngsters prepare to head back to the classrooms. When they get there, it’s a good chance that they may have a teacher from Illinois State. Overall, one of six teachers in the state of Illinois hold a degree from ISU. At least one ISU graduate is employed in 87 percent of the public school districts in Illinois. Founded as the state’s first public institution of higher learning in 1857, ISU was a “normal school,”
ST. CLAIR COUNTY - St. Clair County State’s Attorney James Gomric said this week he will not file criminal charges against an Illinois state trooper in the Jan. 4, 2026, fatal shooting of Rachel E. Tarrence in East St. Louis, after reviews by his office and the Illinois State Police Division of Internal Investigation. In a letter released after Gomric said he met with Tarrence’s family and their attorney, the state’s attorney said the decision followed a review of video, audio,
MITCHELL - The Madison County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in locating Beatrice Robertson, a 45-year-old white woman who was last seen around 5 p.m. Monday, July 20, in the Mitchell area. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office said Robertson has brown hair and is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 170 pounds. Authorities said she was believed to be wearing a purple short-sleeved shirt and jean shorts, along with a small purple souvenir-style backpack. She
ST. LOUIS - A 44-year-old woman was critically injured early Tuesday, July 21, 2026, after gunfire from outside her Greater Ville residence struck the home, prompting a St. Louis Metropolitan Police District 5 investigation, authorities said. Officers were called just before 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 21, 2026, to a local hospital after the woman was dropped off with a gunshot wound to her back, according to the information released. She was listed in critical but stable condition. A preliminary
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) continues to target vehicle theft, hijacking, and related violent crimes using grant funding from the Illinois Secretary of State Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Council. ISP was awarded a $10 million grant for the first fiscal year, another $677,000 in June 2024, and $637,500 in July 2025. From April through June 2026, ISP missions resulted in the following: Vehicles recovered –
ST. LOUIS - A 36-year-old St. Louis man, Gregory Seddens, died after a shooting on Thursday, July 16, 2026, on the 4100 block of North Grand, St. Louis Metropolitan Police said. St. Louis District 4 officers responded to the shooting at about 1:45 p.m. on July 16 and found Seddens suffering from a gunshot wound. Police said he was barely conscious and barely breathing when officers arrived. EMS took him to an area hospital, where he later died from his injuries. Police identified
WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, denounced the recent surge in the Trump Administration’s cruel campaign against immigrants following the fatal shootings of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston, Texas, and Joan Sebastian Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine, by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. Durbin also called out the Trump Administration’s false
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs returned a record $307.8 million in missing money to more than 567,000 residents, businesses and organizations through the I-CASH program during Fiscal Year 2026. “Our changes to I-CASH allowed us to return more money to more people,” Frerichs said. “We are proud to set records, but we’re even more proud of helping folks. Reuniting people with money that rightfully belongs to them is even more important as
ALTON — For two hours this Friday afternoon, the heart of Alton will beat a little louder. On July 24, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., Soulcial Kitchen will host its Block Party for Good at Soulcial Square (Market and E 5 th street) — an open-air celebration where every plate, every bag of groceries, and every service offered comes with the same price tag: free. The event pairs the festive energy of a summer block party with something rarer — practical help delivered without paperwork,
WASHINGTON – Following President Trump’s speech on Thursday where he peddled lies about the 2020 election and attempted to sow doubt in the 2026 and 2028 elections, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor to debunk the President’s lies about election security. Durbin also called out Republicans’ SAVE America Act , legislation which would make it more difficult for millions of Americans
MADISON, Wis. - More than 9,100 students earned degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in May 2026. The university held its Spring 2026 Commencement ceremony for doctoral, MFA, and medical professional candidates at the Kohl Center on Friday, May 8 and its ceremony for undergraduate, law, and other Master's degree candidates at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, May 9. Local degree recipients include: HOMETOWN, STATE; NAME, COLLEGE, DEGREE, MAJOR(S), DISTINCTION (if listed) Granite
CHICAGO – Today, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that Illinois has secured approximately $30 million in federal funding for The Bloch Quantum Tech Hub. The Bloch will advance quantum technologies by growing the domestic base of quantum components manufacturers and strengthening domestic supply chains. This funding from EDA marks a significant milestone in advancing Illinois’ technological innovation, creating equitable employment opportunities and establishing
MADISON, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-Madison has recognized students named to the Dean's List for the spring semester of the 2025-2026 academic year. Here are the students from the Riverbend area who have received this honor: Edwardsville, IL Sydney Chong, College of Agricultural & Life Sciences, Dean's List Students who achieve at a high level academically are recognized by the dean of their school or college at the close of each semester. To be eligible for the Dean's List, student
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced investigators, analysts and prosecutors in his office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) were recognized on Friday by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for their work during Operation Fentanyl Free America. As part of the operation, the Attorney General’s office charged a Cook County physician and his pharmacist who received over $1 million in fraudulent Medicaid and Medicare payments for care and prescriptions they
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