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ALTON - Hayner Public Library District will offer a costume swap to help families save money on Halloween costumes. Throughout the month of September, community members can donate clean, gently-used costumes for all ages at Hayner Library. In October, families can come “shop” for costumes and take home one costume per household member in time for Halloween and trick-or-treating. “The costume swap is brand new this year,” said Mary Cordes, Hayner’s executive

Alton, Illinois’ First Police Motorcycle ALTON - In 1912, Alton police chief Joseph Lachance was frustrated by speeders endangering the public. Drivers knew the police had no vehicles other than an ambulance. One man even sped up passing city hall as a frustrated patrolman ordered him to stop. The chief considered borrowing the East St. Louis motorcycle cop for a few days as a “moral deterrent.” In February 1913, the city council approved the purchase of an Hendee Manufacturing

BENTON – A federal district judge sentenced a St. Clair County tax preparer to 37 months’ imprisonment after she admitted to filing false tax returns and falsifying her personal income and clients’ business expenses. Dormeshia A. Haire, 38, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to one count of false statements on tax return, one count of wire fraud, and three counts of aiding and abetting in submitting false and fraudulent returns. Haire was indicted in April 2024 but continued

ALTON — Tab’s Cafe, the restaurant Tabitha Craig-Robinson and her husband, Dan, opened in 2022 at 400 State St. in Alton, officially closed Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, after a family loss, slower business and the strain of operating the cafe as a two-person team. Craig-Robinson said Dan recently lost his younger brother, who died suddenly. Dan is 51, and his brother was 50. “My husband’s youngest brother passed away,” Craig-Robinson said, adding that the loss “took

PONTOON BEACH – State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) announced $40,000 in state funding for the Village of Pontoon Beach to support improvements along Engineer Road. “Good roads are something our communities depend on every day,” said Senator Harriss. “I’m glad we were able to bring this funding back to Pontoon Beach and help with improvements along Engineer Road.” The funding will help the village complete needed road work while reducing the amount

GRANITE CITY — A man shot by law enforcement officers on Monday morning, Aug. 24, 2026, in Granite City died from his injuries, Illinois State Police confirmed Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, after authorities said officers and deputies responded to reports of a man armed with multiple weapons at a home on Edison Avenue at East 20th Street. Granite City Police officers and Madison County Sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene on Aug. 24, 2026, around 10:20 a.m. Granite City Police officers

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is sharing the following upcoming events and noteworthy items for September. State parks, historic sites, and museums have events throughout the month and the fall is a great time to explore the outdoors. Sept. 1 Public duck and goose hunting area permit second lottery opens Statewide The public duck and goose hunting permit lottery is open statewide Sept. 1-15. Go online for an application. Sept. 1 Bobcat permit lotter

EAST ST. LOUIS – State Representative Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt) continues to donate his legislative pay raise to local organizations across his district. He voted against politician pay raises and chose to help less fortunate families in our community. This month, he donated soap, paper towels, and toilet paper to Jeremiah's Food Pantry in East St. Louis. “Stronger communities are built when we come together to help families in need,” said Schmidt. “I’m proud to

CHICAGO – In two new proclamations, Governor JB Pritzker recognized August 31 as International Overdose Awareness Day and September as National Recovery Month in Illinois. International Overdose Awareness Day acknowledges the impact of drug overdoses on individuals, families, and communities while highlighting ways to reduce drug overdose deaths. National Recovery Month celebrates people in recovery from behavioral health challenges and promotes evidence-based treatment and recovery practices.

SPRINGFIELD – The State Treasurer’s Office made $1.45 billion in investment earnings from the state investment portfolio during Fiscal Year 2026, Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced today. Treasurer Frerichs is the state’s Chief Investment and Banking Officer. He is responsible for investing state revenue in the state investment portfolio . “Every dollar we earn in interest for the people of Illinois is a dollar that lawmakers don’t have to raise in taxes

ST. LOUIS — A deep partial lunar eclipse turned much of the full moon red over St. Louis on the night of Aug. 27-28, 2026, as local skywatchers and the St. Louis Planetarium tracked peak viewing late Thursday night, Aug. 27, 2026, because the eclipse covered a vast majority of the moon’s face. The eclipse created a reddened “blood moon” effect visible across the Scientific American coverage area, including St. Louis. The event coincided with a bright full moon, giving

GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College will add clay shooting to its athletics lineup beginning in Fall 2027 and is currently recruiting student-athletes for its inaugural team. Carrollton native Brady Cox will serve as head coach. Cox, who competed in clay shooting at the collegiate level, said the sport’s growing popularity among area high schools makes LC a natural fit for a college program. “There are more than 20 high schools on the Illinois side that have programs

EDWARDSVILLE – The City of Edwardsville announced that work will begin Monday, August 31, 2026, to transform one of the City’s two newest park properties into a showcase for native plants and a relaxing spot to enjoy that scenery. Construction is scheduled to get underway on Gerber Meadows, at Governors’ Parkway and Gerber Road, to sculpt the 3.42-acre parcel into a passive park with a variety of trees, flowers and grasses; a walking path along the perimeter; and a small parking

CHICAGO — Six months after President Donald Trump started the war in Iran, Governor JB Pritzker today called on the Trump administration to provide immediate relief from skyrocketing fertilizer costs that are squeezing Illinois farmers and raising grocery prices for working families across the country. Governor Pritzker urged President Trump to suspend federal import taxes on the nitrogen-based fertilizers Illinois corn farmers rely on to grow their crops. The Governor also called for a

MADISON COUNTY – Something mysterious has arrived along the MCT Trails thanks to a partnership and the generosity of Agency for Community Transit (ACT), the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau, and Enjoy Illinois. Six new metal sculptures, known as the Mysterious Creatures, have been installed at secret locations throughout the MCT Trails system where the trails intersect with, cross, or run alongside historic Route 66. The installations are part of the MCT Trails Creature Quest –

CARBONDALE — Southern Illinois University School of Medicine welcomed its newest class of medical students Aug. 14, 2026, during a White Coat Ceremony in Shryock Auditorium on the Carbondale campus, where students received white coats to mark the start of their training and a commitment to professionalism and empathy in medicine. Members of the Class of 2030 will spend their first year of training on the Carbondale campus and years two through four in Springfield. Eight students in the medica

CARBONDALE – Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and local and state leaders to celebrate the grand opening of the Southern Illinois Multimodal Station (SIMMS), a $26.2 million investment that connects multiple modes of transportation and creates a new gateway to Carbondale and the greater southern Illinois region. The station will improve mobility and quality of life, while supporting economic development and enhanced tourism, marking Gov.

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 25 states, has secured a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, temporarily blocking a new rule by the U.S. Postal Service that would have imposed burdensome requirements on vote-by-mail systems ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The order blocks the Postal Service from requiring states to obtain the federal government’s approval of ballot and

CHICAGO - Today, Governor JB Pritzker appointed Jim Montgomery to lead the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), effective Aug. 31 and pending Senate approval. Montgomery brings decades of experience in conservation, public administration, and law enforcement, including previously serving as Commissioner and Director of Administration and Finance of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. “The Illinois Department of Natural Resources protects the natural

CAHOKIA HEIGHTS — The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis was activated Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, after two people were shot at BB’s Sports Bar & Grill, 7301 Lake Drive in East Saint Louis, Illinois, and Cahokia Heights police requested assistance with the investigation. The Cahokia Heights Police Department responded to the bar at about 12:29 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 31, 2026, for a report of a shooting. Police determined two people had been shot. Both victims were taken to St. Louis area