SPRINGFIELD, IL. - Krista Phillips of Effingham County was selected from a field of 75 contestants Sunday evening as the 68th Miss Illinois County Fair Queen and will reign over the 2026 Illinois State Fair and DuQuoin State Fair. Phillips was chosen during the final day of the 115th Annual Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs (IAAF) convention at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield. Krista, 21, of Effingham, will graduate from the University of Illinois-Champaign in May 2026 with a bachelor’s
BELLEVILLE — The Belleville Police Department and the City of Belleville officially welcomed two new officers on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Officers Hardin and Winegarner were sworn in as lateral hires, joining the department in their new roles. The department extended congratulations to both officers and expressed appreciation for their decision to serve the Belleville community. The ceremony marks the latest step in the department’s efforts to strengthen its ranks
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Lashana Webb of Jerseyville was recently named to the Dean's List of Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, for the fall 2025 semester. The Lincoln University of Missouri Dean's List comprises full-time undergraduate students earning a minimum term GPA of 3.00, excluding grades in courses that do not carry credit toward graduation. Lincoln University of Missouri is a historically Black, 1890 land-grant, public university that provides excellent educational opportunities
On January 24, 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill in the foothills of what is now Northern California, setting off a chain of events that quickly reached far beyond the United States. A worker in John Sutter’s sawmill project found flakes of gold in the American River, and word spread with remarkable speed. At the time, the discovery mattered because it drew people, money, and attention to a remote region almost overnight, reshaping settlement patterns, trade routes, and politic
Closings Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026 School Closings, E-Learning Days Althoff Catholic High School, E-Learning Day Alton Catholic Children's Home, E-Learning Day Alton School District 11, E-Learning Day Belleville District 118, Closed Belleville THSD 201, E-Learning Day Bethalto District 8 Schools, E-Learning Day Brooklyn – Lovejoy District 188, closed Cahokia District 187 Schools, E-Learning Day CALC - Alton and Fairview Heights, E-Learning Day Calhoun District 40, E-Learning Day
GREENVILLE – Greenville University has released its Dean’s List for the Fall 2025 semester. Students named to the Dean’s List have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement during the semester. To qualify, students must successfully complete a minimum of 12 credit hours. Freshmen (0–29.5 earned credits) must achieve a semester grade point average of 3.5 or higher. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors must earn a semester GPA of 3.7 or higher. The Fall 2025 Dean’s
EDWARDSVILLE – The following students have been named to the Honor Roll at Metro-East Lutheran High School for the second quarter of the 2025-2026 school year: Grade 9 - Honor Roll with High Distinction (g.p.a. 4.0) Mitchelll Althardt, Swansea Lucas Cook, Bethalto McKenzie Cordero, Collinsville Reagan Moss, Edwardsville Anna Mosser, Staunton Dani Spann, Collinsville Shane Stewart, O'Fallon Elise Terracina, Edwardsville Grade 9 - Honor Roll with Distinction (g.p.a. 3.75-3.99)
EDWARDSVILLE – Students, faculty, staff and community members gathered Wednesday, Jan. 21, in the Meridian Ballroom at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville for the 43rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Luncheon, highlighted by a keynote address from Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz, award-winning author, educator and global voice for human rights. The event blended artistic performances, community recognition and reflection on Dr. King’s legacy, with Shabazz calling on attendees
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) announced that $6,650,000 in funding for local projects she championed passed out of the full House of Representatives. This comes just weeks after the House passed $27.8 million in funding for additional local priorities led by Congresswoman Budzinski. In total, the Congresswoman secured more than $34 million in funding for Illinois’ 13th district for the upcoming fiscal year. “I couldn’t be prouder of the
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) voted against a FY26 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill that will fund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at $10.3 billion for Fiscal Year 2026. Ultimately, the legislation failed to include accountability measures Democrats fought for, including a judicial warrant requirement, prohibition on the detention and deportation of American citizens, use of excessive force restriction, enhanced training, a bod
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson secretly stripped a bipartisan compromise on E15 gasoline from must-pass government funding legislation that would have supported American farmers, helped keep consumer costs down, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and protected our national and energy security: “Republicans like Mike Johnson and Trump repeatedly promise our farmers that they will
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) introduced the Capping Costs for Consumers Act, legislation aimed at lowering out-of-pocket costs amid continued Republican inaction to extend critical tax credits that lower healthcare costs. "Families shouldn’t have to make impossible choices between paying for a doctor’s visit or covering their rent. With Republicans' refusal to extend critical ACA tax credits, Democrats
MARYVILLE, IL. — Gabby Wood, a registered nurse at Anderson Hospital’s Pavilion for Women obstetrics unit, was honored Jan. 23, 2026, with The DAISY Award® for Extraordinary Nurses. The award, presented by the DAISY Foundation, recognizes nurses for their exceptional care and dedication. Wood received the award following a nomination from a patient who described her as calm, reassuring and attentive during two separate pregnancy-related hospital visits. The patient recounted that
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) testified before the House Rules Committee, underscoring the need for Congress to allow year-round, nationwide sale of gasoline blended with up to 15 percent ethanol, also known as E15. Her testimony follows House Republican leadership’s decision to drop the policy from the funding bill after a bipartisan compromise deal had been reached. “We had a deal – a real compromise – yet House Republicans couldn’t
SPRINGFIELD – Land of Lincoln Honor Flight is accepting applications from World War II, Korean era and Vietnam era veterans for the 2026 flying season. Veterans who served any time between 1942 and May 7, 1975 – regardless of their duty assignment or where they were assigned for duty – are eligible to participate on an Honor Flight. These veterans are all heroes and deserve the experience of a day of gratitude as we visit the memorials in Washington, D.C. dedicated to their
GODFREY - "Let me tell you 'bout a place up on Godfrey Road a way Where the kids love it they say Dancin’ the time away Here they have a lot of fun Puttin' trouble on the run Ah, you find they’re learnin’ young Dancin’ the time away" — Sam Cook And where will you find them dancing the time away? Right there at Alton Academy of Dance (AAD). While it might have Alton in its name, it has been in Godfrey during its 12 years in business. It
JASIONKA, POLAND – On her official visit to Poland and Portugal this week, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) traveled to Poland’s border with Ukraine where she visited sites of joint NATO military logistical efforts that support Ukraine. At the Jasionka military base cluster, Duckworth underscored America’s bipartisan support for Ukraine and NATO, in the midst of Donald Trump’s escalating and increasingly erratic threats against Greenland. During her visit in Rzeszów,
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois collected more than $8.1 million in civil and criminal actions during fiscal year 2025, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft announced. The office collected $3,937,603 in criminal actions and $4,188,354.34 in civil actions, totaling $8,125,957.90. In addition, the Southern District collaborated with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and Department of Justice components to secure $367,003.26 in jointly
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Nearly 100 days after calling for an independent investigation into the outrageous use of force by ICE federal agents in Chicago, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) reiterated and broadened her request to the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Justice (DOJ) Offices of Inspectors General (OIG) asking that the offices establish a joint task force to investigate the disturbing pattern of violent behavior by Trump’s agents in Chicago, Minneapolis
EAST ST. LOUIS — A Fayette County woman was sentenced to 30 months in prison for her role in a foreign-based scam conspiracy that defrauded victims of tens of thousands of dollars through identity theft and money laundering. Elizabeth Conrad, 55, of Ramsey, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit mail fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit access device fraud, access device fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft. She was ordered to pay $78,480.26
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