GODFREY - A skilled nursing facility in Godfrey is under a new name with reenergized staff members and a renewed dedication to the community. Nexus Health at Godfrey hosted a health fair on July 22, 2026, where community members could tour the facility and undergo basic health screenings. As residents and guests enjoyed the “Hotdogs, Hamburgers & Hometown Care” theme, administrators and aides reflected on the recent acquisition of Bria by Nexus Health and the new atmosphere that
JERSEYVILLE – Charges were filed last week in Jersey County against a local man accused of fleeing police at over 100 mph in a 45 mph zone. 23-year-old Konner L. Jones of Carrollton was charged on July 14, 2026 with one count of aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer (a Class 4 felony) and one count each of speeding 35+ mph over the speed limit, leaving the scene, and reckless driving (each Class A misdemeanors). After being signaled by a police officer to stop his
GRAFTON - Families can stop by Raging Rivers for Christmas in July and the Santa Claus family reunion. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 25, 2026, Raging Rivers will host a Christmas in July event complete with a foam party, photo ops and a special Santa-themed dessert. Nearly 200 of Santa’s family members have been invited. Santa’s cousin, Steve Pegram, who operates Got Faith? in Jerseyville, helped organize the event and looks forward to engaging with the kids and
EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville High School senior Lily Stone signed in mid-April, 2026, to play softball at Wabash Valley College, marking the next step for a versatile player who has been a key contributor for the Tigers on the field. Lily is a Spencer Homes Female Athlete of the Month for the Tigers. Stone, an infielder and outfielder, hit .383 with 41 hits during the 2026 season and has provided steady offense over her sophomore and junior seasons, totaling four doubles, one triple, three hom
ALTON – The Fifth Annual OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center Back-to-School Celebration will be held on Saturday, July 25, from 10 a.m. to noon at Alton Square Mall (200 Alton Square, Alton, IL 62002. This year’s Back-to-School Celebration is free, and the event is open to the public. The first 500 children aged 4-12 will receive a free backpack filled with school supplies, including notebooks, paper, pens, pencils, and crayons. “The need for this event is greater
GLEN CARBON — State Senator Erica Harriss is announcing the launch of her campaign internship program, providing students and young professionals with an opportunity to gain firsthand experience in public service, grassroots organizing, communications, and community engagement while helping build a stronger future for the Metro East. "Every successful campaign begins with grassroots efforts - neighbors talking to neighbors, volunteers giving their time, and citizens stepping up to make
BETHALTO – The Bethalto Community Unit School District No. 8 is aware that a former student was recently arrested and charged for making threats against, among others, the school district. The individual has been apprehended and is in law enforcement custody. There is no immediate threat. Since being notified of the threat by the Bethalto Police Department, we have taken appropriate actions to ensure the school remains safe, and we will continue to be diligent. As this is an ongoing law
Jetting off to college brings excitement. New friendships and professional opportunities await. But it also brings the obligation of taking care of your health without a parent’s watchful eye. Dorm buffets, sugary drinks and sleeping in all the time can lead to your clothes feeling tighter and your self-esteem feeling lower. So what’s the scoop on the so-called freshman 15? How big of a problem is weight gain in college? How can you prevent it? First things first: Rachel Bult, a
BRIGHTON - Rail enthusiasts gathered at Bachman Road in Brighton, Illinois, as Union Pacific’s Big Boy No. 4014 passed through during a coast-to-coast tour tied to the America 250 celebration. Among those watching was Anthony Ventimiglia, who said he and his father have been following trains for years and that this was their third time seeing No. 4014. “My name is Anthony Ventimiglia. I started getting into trains at age five and have been into it ever since,” Ventimiglia
CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced today that Zero Point Cryogenics ( ZPC ), a leading North American manufacturer of ultra-low-temperature cryogenic systems to support quantum technologies, will establish its first U.S. location at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park ( IQMP ) on Chicago’s South Side. “Illinois is building the world’s leading quantum ecosystem by bringing
WOOD RIVER - Ellie Beachum emerged as one of the top girls softball pitchers in the St. Louis region this past season, recording 225 strikeouts while also batting .390, according to East Alton-Wood River Athletic Director Mark Beatty. Beachum, who plays at EAWR, is on track to become one of Illinois’ top girls softball pitchers in spring 2027, Beatty said. He said she stood out this past season for her focus on the field and her production in key outings, including multiple games with 10
GLEN CARBON - Oberweis has opened a new scoop and dairy shop in Glen Carbon. Located in the Orchard Town Center, the new Oberweis Scoop Shop offers their signature super premium ice cream, “exceptional” chocolate milk and milk products, and “amazing” milkshakes, said CEO Renato DePaolis. The store celebrated its grand opening on July 21, 2026, and leaders look forward to investing in the community and sharing their products. “It’s about family, really,
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) has recovered more than $67,000 in unpaid wages for eight employees after an investigation found prevailing wage violations by Absolute Home Improvements & Cleaning Service on a public works project in Lake County. The investigation found the employer failed to pay required fringe benefit rates to employees and did not comply with certified payroll reporting requirements under the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act . As a result of th
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today recognized Disability Pride Month and the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) by highlighting his office’s continued work to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities against unlawful attacks by the federal government. “People with disabilities deserve to be active participants in their communities. As the Trump administration attempts to roll back the rights of people with disabilities, my office
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today participated in an Appropriations Committee hearing to review President Trump’s June 24, 2026, Supplemental funding request of $87.6 billion—including $67 billion for Department of Defense (DoD) funding. In addition to an unprecedented defense spending request while cutting non-defense spending, DoD has $75 billion in unobligated funding from Republicans’
PIASA - Josie Hagen closed her senior softball season at Southwestern High School with a .467 batting average, 31 RBIs and a college commitment to Southwestern Illinois College, helping lead the Piasa Birds to 18 wins and a deep regional run in late May 2026. Hagen, a multi-sport athlete and infielder for Southwestern, was a key contributor in the cleanup spot during her final high school season. She also hit one home run. Josie is an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Female Athlete Of
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today, as part of a coalition of 19 attorneys general, filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), challenging its rule that would weaken regulations designed to phase out the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in commercial equipment. HFCs are chemicals used for refrigeration and cooling that are potent drivers of climate change, trapping up to 10,000 times more heat in the atmosphere than the equivalent amount of
CAHOKIA HEIGHTS - Approximately 30 high school students spent the morning of July 11, 2026, at St. Louis Downtown Airport in Cahokia Heights exploring aircraft, meeting aviation professionals and taking discovery flights as part of the final day of the Southwestern Illinois College Aviation Summer Sampler Camp, a three-day program aimed at introducing students to careers across the aerospace and aviation industry. The airport visit concluded the camp, which was coordinated by ROE40, Southwestern
ALTON - During their regular meeting on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, the Alton Community Unit School District #11 Board of Education approved the graduation date for 2027. This year’s senior class will graduate at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 15, 2027, at Alton High School. Community members are invited to celebrate these students as they complete their senior year. The Board also approved the purchase of real property for vocational training. They agreed to spend $55,000 on two lots in Woodlands
EDWARDSVILLE - The Madison County Sheriff’s Office said members of the agency, both active and retired, joined other police agencies from Madison County in the 2026 Cycle Across Illinois ride, a July 9-12, 2026, event held from Edwardsville to Chicago to honor fallen law enforcement officers and support their families. The sheriff’s office said the annual ride “once again took to the road for our fallen HEROES” this year. The office said the event has been held
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