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RIVERBEND - Former Edwardsville Township Supervisor Kevin Hall hopes to represent the 56th District in the Illinois State Senate. Hall (D) is gearing up for the primary on March 17, 2026. He recently stopped by “Our Daily Show!” with CJ Nasello to talk through his goals for the district if he is elected, with a focus on affordability. “I know people across our district and across our state are struggling and could use a little bit of help,” Hall said. “That’s

GRANITE CITY —Today, Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), and the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) joined the Illinois Route 66 Centennial Commission and tourism partners from across the state to celebrate the official kickoff of the Route 66 Centennial, marking 100 years since the creation of the highway. Also known as the “Mother Road,” Route 66 begins in Chicago and runs through the heart of Illinois —

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois State Fair is proud to announce that multi-platinum country superstar Zimmerman will play the Illinois Lottery Grandstand stage on Ag Day, Friday, August 14, 2026, delivering a high-energy performance from one of country music’s most powerful and authentic new voices. Hailing from Louisville, Illinois, Bailey Zimmerman’s performance at the Illinois State Fair will mark a home-state celebration for an artist whose meteoric rise has captured nationa

EDWARDSVILLE — The Edwardsville High School Color Guard brought home the school’s first Winter Guard International regional championship Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, winning at the WGI Kansas City Regional after advancing from prelims to finals in a field of more than 20 teams from eight states. Edwardsville competed with both A and AA teams at the WGI Regional+ event. In the preliminary round, the EHS A group earned first place in its division and advanced to finals, where it won its

Love poems didn’t start as private confessions. For much of their history, they were closer to public performances—tools for politics, status, worship, and even survival. The “I can’t stop thinking about you” style we expect now is a relatively new idea. Once you see that, old love poems stop feeling like museum pieces and start looking like early versions of the messages people still send every day. Why love poems keep changing Love is a constant, but the way

The story of February 10 begins in the early Middle Ages. In 1258, the Mongols captured Baghdad, bringing the Abbasid Caliphate’s political center to an end. Baghdad had been a major hub of learning, commerce, and administration for centuries. Its fall marked a turning point in the region’s political landscape, and it shifted the flow of power and scholarship across the Islamic world. The event also showed how quickly military innovations and mobility—central strengths of the

EDWARDSVILLE – The next stretch of a shared use path running through downtown Edwardsville is one step closer to construction. At their Feb. 3, 2026 meeting, Edwardsville City Council members unanimously approved a $150,237 engineering services agreement with Oates Associates, Inc. for the latest phase of the Route 66 Shared Use Path. Under the agreement, Oates Associates, Inc. are set to perform construction engineering services for the latest section of the Route 66 Trail shared us

O’FALLON – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced lane closures on West Highway 50 at Interstate 64 beginning at 7 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 9, weather permitting. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction to allow for bridge construction. The lane closures are expected to remain in place through early summer 2026. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this closure. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert

COLLINSVILLE – A Collinsville man accused of sharing a victim’s private photo without their consent faces a felony charge in Madison County. David B. Wheeler, 45, of the 2000 block of Raintree Trail in Collinsville, was charged on Feb. 6, 2026 with one count of non-consensual dissemination of private sexual images, a Class 4 felony. Wheeler is accused of intentionally disseminating a sexually explicit image of another person who is reportedly identifiable from the image without

This morning starts clear and chilly with temperatures near 28 degrees. The sun shines brightly through the day with a high reaching 59 degrees. Winds pick up in the afternoon from the west-northwest at about 9 mph, gusting up to 26 mph. Evening brings partly cloudy skies and temperatures dipping to the low 40s with a light northwest breeze slowing to around 8 mph. Overnight will be partly cloudy and cooler, with lows around 38 degrees. Tomorrow will be mostly sunny and cooler, with a high near

ALTON – The Godfrey Timberwolves are one step closer to having a new place to play and practice. At Monday’s meeting, Alton Committee of the Whole members unanimously approved a five-year agreement between Parks and Recreation Director Lyndsey Younger and the Godfrey Timberwolves Baseball Organization for the use of Diamond #8 at Gordon Moore Park. Nick Pichee with the Godfrey Timberwolves shared more about the organization and their intentions to revitalize Gordon Moore with

MADISON COUNTY - Illinois State Police said a truck-tractor semi-trailer overturned Monday afternoon, Feb. 9, 2026, on Interstate 255 near the Seminary Road exit in Alton, blocking all northbound lanes and forcing traffic to divert. The crash was reported about 1:35 p.m. Feb. 9, near milepost 16 in Madison County, according to Trooper Ryan Wagand of Illinois State Police Troop 8. Wagand said there were no reports of injuries in the accident. Wagand also explained after the accident that “all

ALTON - Marquan Knight of Alton, 22, faces multiple charges after authorities alleged he shot a man during an incident Feb. 7, 2026, at a residence in Alton in the 1300 block of Lawn Street in the Alton Acres Housing Project. Knight is charged with aggravated battery with a firearm (a Class X felony), home invasion (Class X felony), aggravated discharge of a firearm (Class 1 felony), and felon in possession of a weapon (a Class 3 felony) charges, according to charging documents signed by Madiso

RIVERBEND - Super Bowl LX is in the books, and the Seattle Seahawks emerged victorious over the New England Patriots. But what does this mean for local fans of the sport and watchers of the game? Locally, people rooted for both teams. The Riverbend celebrated and mourned in equal measure when the Seahawks won. Who were you rooting for? The food is part of the game’s fun. Chicken wings, nachos, dips and more dominated the table. What are your go-to Super Bowl snacks? Bad Bunn

ST. CLAIR COUNTY - Illinois State Police investigators have arrested a Kansas man accused of firing at multiple vehicles during a pursuit in St. Clair County, authorities said. Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 6 special agents arrested 33-year-old Drew D. Smading of Wichita, Kansas, after Marissa Police pursued a Volkswagen SUV on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, following a 9-1-1 call reporting that a suspect had fired at another vehicle on Illinois 13 near Lenzburg, police

EDWARDSVILLE - Local LEGO amateurs and enthusiasts can come together for a day of brick-building fun that supports access to clean drinking water. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, at the Edwardsville American Legion, Danielle and Brandon Adair will host Bricks for Water. This annual event encourages people to play and create with LEGOs, view LEGO displays, and chat with finalists from “LEGO Masters.” Tickets to the event cost $10 and all proceeds go to World Visio

For many adults, measles was once considered a normal part of childhood. Before vaccines, nearly every child in the United States caught the virus. Today, however, public health experts emphasize that while natural immunity does occur after infection, the risks of measles are far too high when compared to the protection offered by the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Early 2025 data show rising cases in the U.S., a reminder that measles still spreads quickly wherever vaccination

Losing weight is hard. It can be a long process. But when you meet your weight loss goals, the feeling is euphoric. That is until you gain some or all of it back. That’s where a concept called reverse dieting – a way to teach your metabolism by gradually adding calories back after a weight-loss journey – can help. “Reverse dieting is used when you've been on an actual calorie-deficit diet for a while, and you're trying to get to middle ground, where you're no longer

You’re cleaning your house, and you spot it: black spots that could be mold. Uh oh. Do you need to make an appointment with your primary care provider? Do you need to call a professional to remove the substance? They’re questions worth asking to make sure you, your loved ones and your home stay in top shape. What is mold, anyway? Andrew Zasada, MD, an emergency medicine physician at OSF HealthCare, says mold is a fungal growth. Fungi are everywhere, he says, and most don’t

– U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today hosted local, state and regional leaders to discuss ongoing water infrastructure challenges throughout Madison County. As PFAS contamination in drinking water supply has become more prevalent throughout the county, compounded with aging water infrastructure, Duckworth and leaders discussed the need for more funding for the region, an issue Duckworth has been a leader on. Photos from today’s meeting are available on the Senator’s