ALTON - As the Alton River Dragons adjust to a new field manager and prepare for the second half of the season, two players are reflecting on their goals for the year. Hayden Wilson and Ethan Wielt are both new River Dragons players who are eager to join the team. They noted that the field manager mixup mid-season is “different” for a college summer league, but they’re excited to see where it takes them. “That’s part of the business of baseball,” Wilson
TROY, Ill. - Triad High School’s debate team made its first appearance this year at the National Speech & Debate Tournament in Richmond, Va., where students Connor Pearce, Morgan Barnett, and Daniel Winfield represented both the school and the Greater Illinois District in World Schools Debate, becoming the first team from Southern Illinois to advance to the event’s elimination rounds. The National Speech & Debate Tournament brings together competitors from across the United
ALTON – Alton may tighten its rules on short-term rental units in an effort to balance neighborhood character with economic and tourism benefits. City Council members are set to consider a resolution at their June 24, 2026 meeting which would amend a section of the City Code regarding zoning regulations for short-term rental units. In 2023, the city divided short-term rental units into two categories: “Type A” short-term rentals, which are owner-occupied, and “Type
EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Sheriff Marcos D. Pulido has graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, completing an invitation-only leadership program for experienced law enforcement officers, the sheriff’s office announced. Pulido was among 255 law enforcement officers who graduated from the academy’s 298th Session. The group included officers from 46 states and the District of Columbia, along with 29 international members
CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker released the following statement marking the fourth anniversary of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization: “Four years ago, American women lost their constitutional right to an abortion after Donald Trump’s Supreme Court justices did what he hand-picked them to do: overturn Roe v. Wade. “With abortion rights under assault across the country, I have fought to make Illinois a safe
EDWARDSVILLE – Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7 has named Shanyra Cox assistant principal of Woodland Elementary. Her appointment was approved by the District 7 Board of Education on June 22, 2026. Cox brings more than two decades of educational experience to the role, having served students, families and staff in a variety of instructional positions throughout District 7. Most recently, she has served as an instructional technology coach since 2022. “This opportunity
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As our nation experiences an alarming surge of near misses and continues to grapple with the tragic DCA mid-air collision that killed 67 people, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee (CST) on Aviation, Space and Innovation—today stressed the importance of implementing the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) safety recommendations and putting our aviation workforce at the center of any efforts
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 23 attorneys general, today filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida to carefully scrutinize the parties’ conduct and claimed settlement agreement in Trump v. IRS. In the brief , Raoul and the coalition argue the lawsuit and subsequent settlement were a collusive fraud engineered to avoid the constitutional limits on presidential authority. The brief also emphasizes
BRIGHTON - The Brighton Fire Department responded about 7:15 p.m. Sunday, June 22, 2026, to a reported structure fire near U.S. Highway 67 and Smitty Lane, where arriving crews found an approximately 90-by-40-foot metal structure heavily involved, according to the Brighton Betsey Ann Fire Protection District. All units returned to service shortly after 10:30 p.m. Sunday, June 22, and no injuries were reported. The fire prompted a response in the area of Highway 67 and Smitty Lane,
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 22 states, opposed a proposed joint employment rule by the U.S. Department of Labor that would weaken worker protections and make it harder to hold employers accountable for wage theft and other labor law violations. The proposed rule would narrow the standard for determining joint employment under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act.
BELLEVILLE - Community members can learn more about local resources that combat food insecurity. From 2–4 p.m. on Thursday, June 25, 2026, there will be a panel discussion about food insecurity in St. Clair County, local resources, and how the community can help. This Food Resources Community Meeting will be held at the Regional Office of Education in Belleville, or you can attend via a virtual Zoom link. “We only know what people tell us,” said Stephanie Herling with
EDWARDSVILLE - High school students have had the opportunity to create their own short films through SIUE’s Department of Mass Communications. From June 15–18 and 22–25, 2026, students are on campus at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville for “Script to Screen: Producing a Short Film,” a workshop designed to help high schoolers conceptualize, record, edit and publish their own films. Cory Byers, an instructor within the Department of Mass Communications
A flame can turn a crowd of strangers into a shared audience in seconds. That simple fact helps explain why fire appears in so many traditions. A candle on a birthday cake, a campfire at a family gathering, a bonfire on a holiday, a lamp lit in prayer, fireworks at a festival, a memorial flame that never goes out—fire keeps showing up when people want a moment to feel larger than ordinary life. It gives light, warmth, danger, beauty, and focus all at once. Few things hold human attention
On June 24, 1509, Henry VIII was crowned king of England, alongside Catherine of Aragon, in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey that marked the start of one of the most closely watched reigns in European history. At the time, the coronation symbolized stability after years of dynastic conflict in England and helped confirm the authority of the young Tudor monarchy. It still matters today because Henry’s reign reshaped religion, government, and the balance of power in Britain. Decisions made
Watch this quick video from TJ Kelly for a preview of our upcoming Lunch & Learn, Stress Management for Busy Professionals. We hope you'll join us! This Wednesday, June 24th - Lunch & Learn at Tri-Township Public Library, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM Speaker: TJ Kelly, Counselors Associates Topic: Stress Management for Busy Professionals Click Here to Register! Tuesday, July 7th - Creating Business Connections: Small Tables... Big Opportunities, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Each group will include
EDWARDSVILLE, IL — Judge Patrick King today announced his intention to seek election to the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Stephen Stobbs. Judge King currently serves as a Circuit Judge in Madison County and brings extensive judicial and legal experience, commitment to public service, reputation for fairness and integrity to his candidacy, and a dedication to family and community. The Illinois Supreme Court appointed Judge King as a Circuit Judge in 2025 reflecting confidence
BETHALTO - 1st MidAmerica Credit Union recently awarded five $1,000 scholarships to local area high school graduates Arlie Hartmann, Isabelle Edwards, Josie Proctor, Kaylynn Buttry and Olivia Schneider. Arlie Hartmann is a graduate of Alton High School. She plans to attend the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to pursue a degree in Biology. Isabelle Edwards, a graduate of Civic Memorial High School, plans to attend Lewis and Clark Community College and earn a degree in Dental Hygiene. Josie
EDWARDSVILLE - A female driver was taken to an area hospital after a two-vehicle crash about 3:45 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, 2026, on Center Grove Road near Tiger Drive, where police said witnesses reported seeing her black Ford passenger vehicle swerving before the collision. Edwardsville Police said the westbound Ford, identified as unit 1, swerved into a black Ford pickup truck, identified as unit 2, that was also traveling westbound and was in the turn lane for the EHS sports complex. Unit
COLLINSVILLE/EDWARDSVILLE - A Collinsville man was found guilty Tuesday, June 23, 2026, of aggravated battery after prosecutors said he struck a victim in the leg with a machete during a Fourth of July gathering outside an apartment complex in Collinsville, Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced. Following a bench trial presided over by Circuit Judge Amy Maher, Jorge L. Barrera, 29, was convicted of using a deadly weapon in the July 4, 2024, attack, according to Haine’s
JERSEYVILLE – Jerseyville officials took action this week to limit where vending machines for vapes, e-cigarettes and related products are allowed in the city. Jerseyville City Council members approved an ordinance amending a section of the City Code regarding vending machines for tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, and alternative nicotine products at their June 23, 2026 meeting. The current Jerseyville City Code only accounts for “cigarette machines” under a section
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