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EDWARDSVILLE, IL / CHICAGO, IL — May 2026 — Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumnus Bryon Pierson Jr. recently won 1st Place in the Alumni Track at DePaul University’s 2026 Purpose Pitch Competition for EDUrain, a student housing infrastructure startup focused on improving college student retention through better housing access and support. The annual competition, hosted by DePaul University’s Coleman Entrepreneurship Center at TechNexus Venture Collaborative

VENICE - Jason McCallum was charged Monday in Madison County with two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Travion Sherrodd, who was found May 26 in a vehicle with a gunshot wound to the head at the intersection of Market Street and Selb Street in Venice. Venice police responded to a reported shooting at the intersection on May 26, 2026. According to the charging document, officers found Sherrodd unresponsive in a vehicle with an apparent gunshot wound to the head. Sherrodd

EDWARDSVILLE - Colton Cissell, a 22-year-old from Troy, was ordered held in the Madison County Jail pending trial after a detention hearing before Judge Hackett in Edwardsville on Tuesday in connection with an April house fire and explosions in Troy that left three people dead. Cissell is charged with one count of unlawful possession, storage or transfer of explosives material with intent to commit another offense, a Class 1 felony; two counts of involuntary manslaughter of a family member,

ALTON - Riverbend residents can help restore gravestones at Alton Cemetery. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, June 19, 2026, Atlas Preservation 48 State Tour will offer a workshop teaching people how to clean and restore graves. Sponsored by the Episcopal Parish of Alton and the Alton Cemetery, this workshop will teach basic skills that people can use to restore cemeteries across the region, with the goal of eventually creating a volunteer corps to maintain Alton Cemetery. “If people

GLEN CARBON – Last Tuesday, May 26, 2026, was an eventful evening for the Glen Carbon Police Department. At the May 26, 2026, Village Board meeting, Sgt. Greg Boyer was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, and Detective Leon Robinson was sworn in as the department’s newest patrol sergeant. At the same meeting, Lieutenant Ned Miller was recognized by State Senator Erica Harriss for his 27 years of service with the GCPD. Trina Vetter with Harriss’s office was in attendance on

WOOD RIVER - Blake Sorgea, a junior at East Alton-Wood River High, is being recognized for track and field, an honor that highlights both his athletic involvement and his growth as a student-athlete. He is a Midwest Members Credit Union Male Athlete of the Month for the Oilers. Sorgea said one of the things he enjoys most about track and field is the opportunity to meet new people and make friends. “I have been on the boys' track and field team for two years,” he said. "I have met

WOOD RIVER - Kaylee Halleman of East Alton-Wood River High is being recognized for her girls' soccer achievements, capping a high school career marked by versatility on the field, leadership as a team captain, and academic honors. Halleman is a Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for the Oilers. Halleman, a senior, said she has played every position on the field, including her primary position this season, goalkeeper. She said she was granted the captain’s role during

SAINT LOUIS - The entire region is invited to the 26th annual Pond-O-Rama water garden tour sponsored by the St. Louis Water Garden Society. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 27 and 28, 2026, community members can tour 23 gardens at homes across the Greater St. Louis region. The goal is to raise money for the St. Louis Water Garden Society’s work at the Jewel Box’s lily ponds in Forest Park, while also fostering a love for nature and water gardens. “It’s just a wonderfu

Follow enough dermatologists on social media, and you’re bound to come across a viral video of a person with a ton of dead skin on their foot. The provider usually narrates while they chip away – literally – at the problem. Thankfully, that’s not the norm, says Marc Leonard , DPM, an OSF HealthCare podiatrist. But you should still know the right way and the wrong way to remove foot calluses. Calluses can occur when you wear shoes that don’t fit well, when you don’t

PIASA - Southwestern's Thor Springman concluded his season at the IHSA 1A Boys State Track and Field finals in the 3,200-meter run. Springman was the sectional 3,200-meter champion before state with a remarkable time of 10:05.30, then he recorded a 10:22.84 at state for 27th place. He also broke the Southwestern 3,200-meter record set by Jed Brown in 1991 on April 11, 2026, with a time of 9:58.04. Brown's previous record was 10:14.3. Springman is an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union

ALTON - The Summer Reading Program at Hayner Public Library District has officially started. This year’s theme, “Unearth a Story,” is focused on dinosaurs and archeology. Now through the first week of July, each day features an event for kids and teens to enjoy. Executive Director Mary Cordes expressed her excitement to engage with the library’s youngest patrons through storytimes, crafts, science projects and special performances. “There’s something

PIASA - Madelyn Gordon has signed a letter of intent to play soccer for Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, continuing her athletic and academic career after competing at Southwestern. For her efforts in multiple sports - girls soccer, cross country and volleyball - she is an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Female Athlete Of The Month. A midfielder for the Piasa Birds' girls soccer team, she was also a member of the Fighting Irish Soccer Club, where she developed the skills that helped

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today encouraged Illinoisans to understand their rights and how to identify scams when planning vacations throughout the summer. “With the unofficial start of the summer travel season upon us, it is important for consumers planning summer getaways to be aware of scams targeting travelers,” Raoul said. “I encourage all Illinoisans to consider recommendations offered by my office to avoid letting scammers and dishonest companies

ALTON – A new sidewalk café is set to open in downtown Alton. City Council members approved a lease agreement between the city and Mac’s Downtown on May 27, 2026. The agreement’s approval is subject to Mac’s complying with certain requirements to open a sidewalk café just outside their 114 W. 3rd Street location. At the preceding Committee of the Whole meeting on May 26, City Council Coordinator Beth Bear said city regulations on sidewalk cafés

ALTON - Community members can learn more about tax strategies for retirees and aspiring retirees at an upcoming free lunch-and-learn. At 12 p.m. on Friday, June 5, 2026, at The Wedge Innovation Center in Alton, Curtis Stephens with Stephens Planning and Daniel Smith with Tomerlin Bookkeeping will answer questions about taxes and retirement planning. Both men expressed their excitement to help people get the answers they need. “This is for you if you’re tired of leaving money

GRANITE CITY — The Granite City Police Department has welcomed Aaron Matyas to its ranks, the department announced. Matyas joins the department with four years of police experience and will enter the field training officer, or FTO, program immediately, according to the police department. “Please welcome Aaron Matyas to the Granite City Police Department family,” the department said. The announcement did not provide additional details about Matyas’ previous

EDWARDSVILLE – Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 is pleased to announce that Rachel Harris, an eighth-grade social studies teacher at Liberty Middle School has been selected as a delegate to the We the Teachers: Preparing the Next Generation Through History and Civics national fellowship program at William & Mary. Led by W&M’s Strategic Cultural Partnerships division and undertaken in partnership with the National Council for History Education (NCHE), the program

ALTON — A person of interest is in custody following a fatal shooting investigation in the 3400 block of Milton Drive, where Alton police said an adult woman was killed and an adult man was critically injured early Monday morning, June 1, 2026. The Alton Police Department said on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, that the case is expected to be presented to the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office for formal charges on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. “Regarding the shooting incident

SPRINGFIELD, IL. - Illinois lawmakers have sent two measures to Gov. JB Pritzker that would create a voluntary “Blue Envelope Program” for drivers with autism and update emergency medical services licensing and disciplinary standards, with one bill already awaiting action from the governor and a 60-day constitutional window for a decision. The Blue Envelope measure, House Bill 4472, would establish the program statewide in Illinois. Under the proposal, individuals with autism

GLEN CARBON – Plans are officially finalized for a milestone celebration as the Village of Glen Carbon prepares to host its 100th Homecoming celebration on Main Street. This year’s “Glentennial” theme promises two days of carnival rides, live entertainment, great food and family-friendly fun during Father’s Day Weekend on Friday, June 19 and Saturday, June 20, 2026. Celebrating a century of tradition, the event is expected to draw residents and visitors from across