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ST. LOUIS - Mayor Cara Spencer on Thursday, June 18, 2026, ordered an overnight youth curfew in St. Louis’ Forest Park Southeast neighborhood for the weekend of Pride celebrations, saying the city is taking the step to help residents and visitors celebrate safely and to limit the risk of violence and unruliness seen in previous years. Spencer signed Executive Order 97, according to the mayor’s office, imposing a curfew for juveniles from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. beginning the evening of Saturday,

MADISON – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced weekend lane closures on westbound Interstate 55/70 in St. Clair County to allow for bridge maintenance. Beginning at 5 a.m. Saturday, June 20, weather permitting, westbound I-55/70 will be reduced to one lane between Illinois 203 and Exchange Avenue. All lanes are expected to reopen by 6 p.m. Sunday, June 21. Motorists should expect long delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this closure. Drivers

WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a bill by voice vote to require open proceedings of the Supreme Court to be televised. The bipartisan Cameras in the Courtroom Act , introduced by U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, would require the Supreme Court to permit television coverage of all open sessions of the Court, unless

EDWARDSVILLE – The Gori Law Firm announces the start of Louisiana-based associate attorney Dalton Hirshorn. With a background in criminal defense and as a plaintiffs' side litigator, Hirshorn now joins the firm’s asbestos litigation team and helps clients affected by asbestos exposure. “We’re excited to welcome Dalton to our firm and grow our litigation practice in New Orleans,” said Sara Salger, managing partner of The Gori Law Firm. “His passion for

EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Municipal Band continues its summer concert season this Thursday, June 18, at 7:30 p.m. with an evening of music celebrating the history of dance. The performance will take place at the Cleaon Etzkorn Bandstand in Edwardsville’s City Park. Under the theme "Dance the Night Away," the concert will take the audience on a musical journey spanning five centuries of movement. The diverse program highlights how music has kept people moving through the ages, featuring

GRANITE CITY - Revity Credit Union employees in Granite City raised $1,450 for the City Temple Food Pantry through the credit union’s Jeans for Generations program, with May’s donations directed to the pantry at a time when its air conditioning unit recently stopped working. The fundraiser was part of Revity Credit Union’s ongoing Jeans for Generations program, which the credit union said reflects its philosophy of “people helping people” by allowing employees to

COLLINSVILLE - Collinsville High School’s production of “Between the Lines” won four awards after receiving seven nominations at the 2026 Ken Page Awards, an annual celebration of high school musical theatre in the St. Louis region, during a recent ceremony at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis. The awards recognized Collinsville High School students and their musical among nominees from across the region. Earlier this year, “Between the Lines” was nominated in seven

WOOD RIVER - The Wood River Police Department said it recently concluded an undercover narcotics investigation at a residence in the 500 block of North 1st Street in Wood River, Illinois, culminating in the execution of a search warrant at about 6:15 a.m. June 12, 2026, with the detention of people inside the home. According to the Wood River Police Department, the investigation began after suspected drug activity, ordinance violations, and occupancy-related concerns at the residence.

ST. LOUIS — The Saint Louis Zoo will transport guests millions of years back in time starting Friday, June 19, at Dinoroarus (DIE-noh- ROAR-us), a returning, temporary attraction for all-ages. The walk-through experience will feature 20 animatronic dinosaurs and sculptures that will move, roar, spit and chomp their way through the Zoo's Historic Hill, in the valley below the Charles H. Hoessle Herpetarium. The collection spans the Late Triassic through the Late Cretaceous periods, representing

BELLEVILLE - Three suspects were taken into custody after a report of a possible attempted home invasion and subsequent gunfire in St. Clair County. The St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department said that through the 911 communications center, it received a call on Wednesday, June 10th, 2026, with the report and St. Clair County sheriff’s deputies responded, and officers with the Dupo Police Department had already arrived and separated the subjects involved. After interviews

ALTON - Organizers of the Mississippi Earthtones Festival are seeking an artist to design entryway banners for the festival’s 20th annual event on Sept. 19, 2026, at the Alton Riverfront, offering a paid opportunity for original artwork that will greet attendees as they enter. The call for artists comes from Sierra Club Illinois’ Three Rivers Project, Alton Main Street and the Jacoby Arts Center, which said the banners will be the first thing thousands of festival-goers

CHARLESTON, IL. - Charleston officials began a storm relief food distribution at noon Thursday, June 18, 2026, at Eastern Illinois University’s Doudna Fine Arts Center, offering free food, bottled water, and refreshments to residents affected by severe storms that hit the area on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. The distribution is taking place at the Doudna Fine Arts Center, 1860 South Ninth St., on the university campus near the intersection of Ninth Street and Garfield Avenue in Charleston.

GLEN CARBON - Peyton Ellis was the goalkeeper for the Father McGivney Catholic girls soccer team that won the IHSA Class 1A state championship with a solid, dominating win over previously undefeated Pleasant Plains 3-0 in the final on June 6, 2026, at North Central College in Naperville. She is a Byron, Carlson, Petri & Kalb Female Athlete of the Month for the Griffins. It was a standout season for Ellis herself, as she was the team's number one goalkeeper, making 109 saves and conceding only

EDWARDSVILLE – State Senators Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) and State Senator Erica Harriss (R-Glen Carbon) welcomed a standing-room-only crowd to their End of Session Town Hall on June 16 at the Edwardsville Gun Club, where residents gathered to hear an update on the recently concluded spring legislative session. "People are frustrated, and they have every right to be," said Senator Jason Plummer. "Families are paying more for electricity, more at the gas pump, and more in property

EDWARDSVILLE/WOOD RIVER — The Madison County Board approved the purchase of five downtown Wood River properties to house county departments currently operating at the former Wood River Township Hospital campus. Board members took the action on Wednesday during their monthly meeting. Madison County Board Chairman Chris Slusser said the acquisition marks an important milestone in the county’s long-term facilities plan. “These acquisitions provide a path forward for county

BETHALTO - Villa Rose Senior Living Community is a completely unique independent living experience. Executive Director Cindy Cannon explained that the community, located in Bethalto, combines independent living with supportive services. She believes the “family” feel, shared by both residents and staff members, sets them apart as a home for older adults to feel comfortable, cared for, and supported as they age. “Statistics tell us that older adults are lonely,” Canno

Medical experts are warning about a dangerous trend known as “dusting” or “huffing,” saying the practice can cause sudden death after a single use. That was the case in 2025, when a 19-year-old woman from Arizona died after suffering sudden cardiac arrest from inhaling aerosol from a can of keyboard cleaner. Though less prevalent than other substances, huffing is considered one of the most dangerous forms of drug abuse. Because inhalants are readily available household

GODFREY – A Godfrey resident seeking to launch fireworks on July 3, 2026 will have to raise their liability insurance coverage to $1 million before securing a permit. The consideration and approval of a fireworks permit for Bob Mueller was on the Village Board agenda for June 16, 2026. When the item came up for a vote, Trustee Gerard Fischer said he was “uncomfortable” with Mueller’s certificate of property insurance showing $300,000 in liability coverage. “Is

Just like technology has evolved, so have things in the vaping space. The risk for cancer, stunted brain development and other serious ailments remains the same. But the look of the vapes, the sensation you get when using them and the age at which kids start vaping all are changing. That’s according to Karen Boyd, Heather Thompson and Jessica Williams, Mission Partners (employees) at OSF HealthCare Moeller Cancer Center in Alton, Illinois, who have been talking to parents and kids in

Summer means outdoor activities and a reminder to watch for suspicious moles, a possible sign of skin cancer. But doctors say skin lesions come in many forms, and you should know when to get an expert opinion. What is and isn’t a skin lesion? Raman Kumar, MD , a colorectal and general surgeon at OSF HealthCare, has your checklist: YES: moles, blisters, bumps, acne, boils, peeling skin from a sunburn, rashes, poison ivy or similar skin reactions, warts, skin tags and bug bites YE