CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker sent a letter to President Donald Trump demanding that his administration immediately restart construction on the Brandon Road Interbasin Project. The administration ordered work stopped at the end of July, and more than a month later the State of Illinois has received no explanation for the stoppage. Governor Pritzker also directed the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to restate its request for an emergency meeting of the project’s
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul co-led a coalition of 22 states in challenging the Trump administration’s attempt to prohibit states from using federal Medicaid funds for gender-affirming care for low-income minors and some young adults. “At a time when our country faces a true healthcare crisis due to spiraling costs of care, a shortage of providers, and rural hospital closures leaving communities with no providers for miles, the Trump administration is attempting t
EDWARDSVILLE — A driver will be cited for disobeying a traffic control device after a vehicle struck a pedestrian crossing Main and Vandalia streets in Edwardsville around 6:35 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026, city officials said. City of Edwardsville spokesperson Cathy A. Hensley said Edwardsville Police officers responded to the area but did not locate anything related to the incident. Officers did see a group of runners in the area, Hensley said. Around 7:50 p.m. on Wednesday, the pedestrian
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS – A popular recreation site serving families, seniors and athletes from across the Metro East will receive $40,000 in state funding secured by State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) for new signage and an outdoor shelter. “Our parks and recreational spaces are an important part of what makes our communities great places to live and raise a family,” said Senator Harriss. “Fairview Heights has continued to invest in this space and expand the opportunities
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is responding to an outbreak of measles in Douglas County, Illinois, involving at least four cases. An outbreak is defined as three or more cases that are connected by a common exposure source or epidemiological link. IDPH is working with local health departments to identify residents who were exposed to patients during their infectious period and offer vaccination to those who are high-risk, as well as others in the community.
This Day in Music History: A Festival That Put Music and Technology on the Same Stage On Sept. 3, 1982, the first U.S. Festival opened at Glen Helen Regional Park in Southern California, making an unusually ambitious case that popular music and emerging technology belonged in the same public gathering. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak financed the Labor Day weekend event, while veteran promoter Bill Graham helped produce it. The festival combined major rock, new wave, country and pop performances
People often complain about hard work, yet they admire it almost everywhere they see it. That small contradiction says a lot about human nature. Most of us want easier paths when we are tired, stressed, or pressed for time. But we still respect the person who stays late to finish a job well, the athlete who trains when no one is watching, or the parent who works two shifts to support a family. Hard work carries meaning beyond the task itself. It signals effort, discipline, sacrifice, and purpose.
On September 3, one of the most far-reaching events in global history was the formal start of Britain and France’s war against Nazi Germany in 1939. Two days earlier, Germany had invaded Poland, breaking earlier agreements and making clear that Adolf Hitler’s government intended to expand by force. When Britain and France declared war, a regional crisis became a wider world conflict. At the time, the decision mattered because it marked the failure of diplomacy to contain aggression
EAST ST. LOUIS — An East St. Louis man with prior convictions, including second-degree murder, was sentenced yesterday to the maximum 15 years in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm after a federal jury found him guilty in May 2026. Anthony D. Bradley Jr., 37, was convicted of possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Before trial, Bradley stipulated that he was a convicted felon and that he knew he was a convicted felon at the time of the offense conduct. “This
COTTAGE HILLS – A sex offender from Cottage Hills was recently charged with her latest registration failure in Madison County. Courtney A. Runion, 37, of the 1400 block of Lee Street in Cottage Hills, was charged on Sept. 1, 2026 with a Class 2 felony count of unlawful failure to register as a sex offender, her second such offense. On Aug. 5, 2026, Runion allegedly failed to register with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office within three days after changing her residence. She had previousl
CHICAGO — One lucky Illinois iLottery player is waking up as a millionaire after winning $1,420,131 on the FastPlay™ Ultimate Diamond Jackpot game last night. The latest win marks another major milestone for the Ultimate Diamond Jackpot, which awarded a nearly $3.3 million iLottery jackpot just last month. That prize was the second-largest jackpot win since FastPlay launched in 2020. Ultimate Diamond Jackpot is a $30 progressive FastPlay game. The jackpot begins at $75,000
JERSEYVILLE – A Jerseyville resident who pleaded guilty to stabbing a 17-year-old in Wittman Park will avoid further jail time after pleading guilty to a heavily amended battery charge. Trent J. Devore, 20, with no listed address, was sentenced on Aug. 17, 2026 to 24 months of conditional discharge after pleading guilty to a Class A misdemeanor count of battery. The charge was originally classified as a Class 3 felony count of aggravated battery in a public place before being reduced to
GODFREY/WOOD RIVER - Riverbend Family Ministries does a lot to help those in need, and now they’re asking for the community’s support at their upcoming banquet. On Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at The Commons at Lewis and Clark Community College, RFM will host their annual “Building a Better Tomorrow” banquet featuring speakers, a catered meal, silent auction and more. The goal, explained Executive Director Christy Schult and Development Director Rachael Craddick, is to
ST. LOUIS — A former gymnastics coach admitted Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026, in U.S. District Court in St. Louis that he engaged in unlawful sexual activity with two 13-year-olds he met through gymnastics programs. Marco A. Zomphier, 32, pleaded guilty to two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said it will recommend a sentence of 25 years in prison. Zomphier admitted meeting the first victim in 2012, when she was a member of a YMCA dance and gymnastics
ROXANA - The Roxana Education Association and the Board of Education for Roxana Community Unit School District No. 1 reached a tentative agreement Monday evening, Aug. 31, 2026, on a successor collective bargaining agreement following negotiations, the district said. The agreement reflects a shared commitment to supporting students, recognizing educators and maintaining a strong educational workforce. Details of the agreement will be released after ratification by both the REA membership and
GODFREY - Tara Hurst never set out to become a life coach. But six years later, she’s proud to help people overcome their obstacles and grow. Tara Hurst started Tara Hurst Coaching & Consulting after her own weight loss journey led her to confront the “never-ending journey” of self-improvement. She began posting her meal plans and motivational content on social media, and she found that these topics resonated with people in the Riverbend community and beyond. Now, Hurst
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police and law enforcement agencies throughout the state are reminding the public to drive responsibly by ramping up efforts to get impaired drivers off the roads during Labor Day holiday travel. “There's no excuse for driving impaired, period,” said Stephane B. Seck-Birhame, bureau chief of Safety Programs and Engineering at IDOT. “The consequences of driving impaired could be costly and deadly. Remember,
EDWARDSVILLE/ALTON — In Southwestern Illinois, the Illinois section of the St. Louis, Missouri-Illinois MSA had a July unemployment rate of 3.5%, down from 4.5% in July 2025. Total nonfarm employment in the area decreased by 800 jobs from a year earlier. Madison County’s unemployment rate was 3.5% in July, compared with 4.4% a year earlier. Jersey County was at 3.3%, down from 4.1%. Calhoun County was at 3.7%, down from 4.7%. Macoupin County was at 3.7%, down from 4.7%. St. Clair
EDWARDSVILLE – Continuing her steadfast commitment to supporting Illinois’ number one industry, State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) was recognized Monday night by the Illinois Farm Bureau as a Friend of Agriculture during a gathering of area farmers, producers and agriculture leaders. “Our farmers play a pivotal role in our state’s economy and workforce,” said Senator Harriss. “Representing the Horseradish Capital of the World, along with some of
CHICAGO – Attorney General Raoul joined the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and a bipartisan coalition of 22 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against Amazon alleging the company engaged in deceptive and unfair practices that secretly inflated prices in its online search advertising auctions. In their lawsuit , Raoul and the coalition allege that for over seven years, Amazon has covertly and substantially increased the prices that more than one million brands and sellers were required
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