ALTON/GRAFTON/HARDIN - A stretch of the Mississippi River in the St. Louis region is forecast to climb into minor flood levels in the coming days, with the National Weather Service in St. Louis issuing a minor flood warning for the Mississippi River at the Melvin Price Locks and Dam in Alton and the Mississippi River at St. Louis. The forecasts, based on observed precipitation and forecast precipitation, show the Mississippi River at the Melvin Price Locks and Dam in Alton is expected to rise abov
ALTON – State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) and State Senator Jil Tracy (50th-Quincy) have teamed up with the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office to host an ICASH event Monday at the Hayner Public Library at Alton Square Mall. Constituents are encouraged to stop by to check if they are owed unclaimed property and receive assistance filing a claim. ICASH Event Details Who: Senator Erica Harriss, Senator Jil Tracy, Illinois State Treasurer’s Office When: Monday,
ALTON – Centerstone is marking Mental Health Awareness Month with multiple upcoming events across the Southern Illinois region: Step Into the Conversation: You Are Not Alone Centerstone is honored to host an official Mental Health Awareness Month Proclamation Reading alongside the unveiling of “The Weight of the Shadow” a powerful sculpture by artist Ariana Berman and commissioned by Lucas McKenney that represents the unseen emotional burdens many carry. This piece is
CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker and IBM today announced the company’s new FutureNow Chicago delivery center at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP). As part of FutureNow Chicago, IBM will create 750 new full-time jobs in AI, cybersecurity, data science, quantum, and more. FutureNow Chicago will serve as an innovation and delivery hub, helping IBM clients and industry partners solve complex, real-world business and technology challenges while creating clear pathways
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $22,470,985 in federal funding for port infrastructure development projects for the Kaskaskia Regional Port District and Seneca Regional Port District. This funding is provided through the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), a Maritime Administration discretionary grant that supports projects improving the safety, efficiency and reliability
CHICAGO – The Illinois Accountability Commission, housed in the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR), today held its fifth public hearing to reveal further findings from the investigations on the misconduct of federal agents during Operation Midway Blitz, including the names of various rogue Border Patrol agents the administration protected by offering preemptive immunity. “In my 25 years as a federal judge, I have never seen the type of brutality shown by the agents involved
ST. LOUIS - Six Flags St. Louis will begin requiring chaperones for guests 16 and younger starting Saturday, May 2, 2026, after fights last weekend led to an early closure at the Eureka, Mo., amusement park, according to the park and local authorities. The park announced the policy on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, saying, “To help ensure our guests have a fun, safe experience at the park, a Chaperone Policy will be reactivated, effective daily, starting May 2, 2026.” The move follows
CHICAGO – This week, the Illinois Accountability Commission, established by Governor JB Pritzker, concluded its final two hearings, presenting evidence from its investigation into the conduct of federal agents during Operation Midway Blitz. Witnesses described military-style tactics from federal agents, including tear gas, pepper spray, and identity-concealing masks, that brought chaos to Illinois communities. The findings of the Commission make it clear: Operation Midway Blitz
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced the former owner of Clay Transportation pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $180,000 from the state by fraudulently submitting Medicaid claims for transportation services he did not provide. Raoul’s office is prosecuting Antonio Clay, 42, of Prospect Heights, Illinois, who pleaded guilty to a Class 1 charge of vendor fraud. He has already paid $40,000 in restitution to the state’s Medicaid program. His sentencing hearing
CHICAGO – Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias highlighted the success of the office’s first-ever Business Services Resource Fair, which drew more than 500 attendees from across Illinois to connect with the tools and resources needed to start and grow a business. Held on April 27 at Malcolm X College, the free event brought together state, county and city agencies alongside private-sector business development organizations to provide entrepreneurs with direct access
DeKALB – The Illinois State Police (ISP) is partnering with Northern Illinois University (NIU) to advance educational opportunities to build an even stronger law enforcement agency. Through a Credit for Prior Learning Agreement, ISP cadets who graduate from the ISP Academy will receive credit toward an advanced degree. “The Illinois State Police’s partnership with Northern Illinois University represents our ongoing commitment to professional development and lifelong learning
SPRINGFIELD —Governor JB Pritzker today joined local officials and business leaders to celebrate the opening of the new SCHEELS Sports Park complex. This facility is projected to attract 250,000 annual visitors, bring an estimated $25 million in annual economic activity, and boost Springfield’s tourism economy. The new complex will also provide opportunities for youth in Springfield and across the region to access new, state-of-the-art facilities that provide opportunities for the
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today joined a bipartisan coalition of 24 other attorneys general and the city of New York in urging major credit card companies and payment processors, including American Express, Capital One, Citi Group, Mastercard, Visa, PayPal, Stripe, Sezzle and Block (operator of Square, Cash App and Afterpay) to take stronger action to prevent their payment networks from being used to facilitate sales of illegal vaping products. In letters sent to corporate
ALTON - The Alton Police Department played an active part on Friday, April 24, 2026, at Alton High School, where a school resource officer represented the department at the school’s annual job fair and offered students a hands-on lesson about impairment. School Resource Officer Detective Ashley Clare attended the 3rd Annual AHS Job Fair on Friday, April 24, 2026, in the Auxiliary Gym at Alton High School. Students had the chance to explore “summer job opportunities,”
JERSEYVILLE – After heavy storms carrying hail recently swept across the Riverbend region, Jerseyville city crews are beginning cleanup efforts and offering debris disposal methods. Jerseyville Public Works crews have been cleaning trees, limbs, and other debris from city streets and rights-of-way following heavy storms the previous day, April 27. Street sweeping machines will also be running over the next few days to handle any smaller remaining debris. Public Works Director Bob Manns
ALTON - Vernon Curvey’s path to an administrative role at Alton High School wasn’t linear, but it worked out exactly like it was supposed to. Curvey is preparing to retire from his assistant principal position at AHS in Alton Community Unit School District #11. He shared more of his story and emphasized that he has always worked to help students succeed, which is his top priority as an educator. “I would like for people to know that I always tried to put kids first,”
EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7 proudly recognizes a dedicated group of educators who have successfully completed the comprehensive LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) professional learning program, made possible through support from the SLD Support Project. This achievement reflects the district’s ongoing commitment to strengthening literacy instruction and ensuring that every student develops the foundational skills necessary
SWANSEA - The Swansea Police Department announced that Chase Carlile graduated from Session 158 of the SWIC Police Academy this past Thursday, April 23, 2026, and will begin a 14-week field training program with the department. “Congratulations to our newest officer, Chase Carlile, on his graduation today from Session 158 of the SWIC Police Academy,” the Swansea Police Department said in a statement. “Officer Carlile will now start a 14-week field training program
BELLEVILLE - As the weather heats up, a doctor at Belleville Memorial Hospital is reminding her patients about the importance of sun protection. Dr. Angie Harris, a BJC Medical Group family medicine physician, encourages community members to prioritize sunscreen and protective clothing to avoid skin damage. She suggests starting with shorter stints in the sun instead of spending hours outside immediately following the dark winter months. “We have long winters here. So when it starts
A “fresh start” can make people feel more hopeful even when nothing has changed yet—not their job, not their relationships, not their habits. The calendar flips, a new notebook opens, a new haircut happens, and suddenly the future feels lighter. That emotional lift is real. It’s also a clue: new beginnings are as much about the mind as they are about the moment. New beginnings matter because they shape what we believe is possible. They can push us to act, help us recover
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