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SOUTHERN ILLINOIS - A local nonprofit is doing everything they can to keep pets in their homes. The Infinity Project is based out of Marion but serves all of Southern Illinois. As a new nonprofit, they offer low-cost microchipping, a pet food bank, emergency veterinary support and more so people can keep their pets in situations where they might otherwise have to surrender the animals. Founder Ashley DeBoer shared that the path to The Infinity Project was not always clear, but supporters

MARYVILLE - The Village of Maryville has an exciting year ahead, according to Mayor Wayne White. White recently stopped by “Our Daily Show!” with C.J. Nasello to detail Maryville’s upcoming infrastructure projects, appreciation programs and more. He is proud of the town and eager to share their efforts with the larger Riverbend region. “In smaller communities like ours, we have a lot going on despite the fact that we don’t have the population that some

ALTON - Corbin Barnard of Marquette Catholic secured the individual regional crown Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Alton with a top score of 1,339. Barnard qualified first overall in the competition for the upcoming sectional. Joining Barnard in advancing were teammates Logan Sherman, a junior who finished fifth overall with 1,136 points, and senior Gavin Tinsley, who placed seventh with 1,080 points. The Marquette Catholic team collectively scored 5,188 points, earning fifth place in the regional

GRAFTON – A public hearing was held last Friday, Jan. 16, 2026 at Grafton City Hall to answer questions from the public about the purchase and future operation of a ferry service connecting Grafton and Missouri . “We’re moving forward with the purchase of the ferry … we’re very excited about this,” Mayor Mike Morrow said. “We’re looking at operating the ferry seven days a week, 365 days a year – and so that’s going to be a big boo

MADISON COUNTY - As local communities consider data center projects, Madison County Board Chairman Chris Slusser answers a few questions about what a data center could mean for the community. Troy and Granite City have both made headlines as city officials weigh the pros and cons of data centers. On Dec. 10, 2025, Granite City Mayor Mike Parkinson and Troy City Manager Jay Keeven joined Slusser on a tour of a Nebraskan Google hyperscale data center. Slusser is supportive of the current

ALTON - The Jersey Community Unit School District No. 100 boys bowling team placed third at the Alton Regional tournament, held Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, advancing to the sectional meet. The competition took place in Alton, Illinois. Civic Memorial led the team standings with a score of 6,034, followed by Alton with 6,018. Jersey finished third with a total of 5,627 points. Individual performances for Jersey included senior Clark Blasa, who finished ninth overall with a score of 1,206

ALTON - Alton’s boys bowling team finished second at the regional tournament Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, scoring 6,018 points, just behind Civic Memorial’s 6,034. “We bowled great and were in first all day,” Alton head boys bowling coach Ray Lewis said. “We had one bad game and it hurt us, and CM kept bowling well and passed us up and won. The same thing happened to us last year at the regional, but we came back even stronger and won the sectional, so if we keep th

COLLINSVILLE — The Collinsville Police Department is seeking the public’s help in identifying a suspect connected to a burglary that took place in the early morning hours of January 18, 2026. Officials released the above images of the individual and asked anyone with information to contact Detective Temple at 618-344-2131, extension 5209, or send a message via the department’s Facebook page. Tipsters may remain anonymous. The department did not provide additional

EDWARDSVILLE - Students from the Jersey Community High School band were selected to participate in the SIUE Bi-State Bands event held Friday and Saturday at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The students traveled to SIUE on Friday evening for initial practice sessions, followed by all-day rehearsals on Saturday, culminating in a Saturday evening performance. The Jersey selected students include Carter Butler, a junior saxophone player; Payton Mooney, a senior flutist; Abigail Wedig

ALTON - The City of Alton is officially kicking off its 40 Days of Nonviolence initiative to support local youth. On Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, city officials and representatives with the 40 Days of Nonviolence organization spoke about the initiative and plans to provide students with 40 days of programming. These programs aim to curb violence in the city starting on Jan. 28 through March 8, 2026, and beyond. Speakers noted the connection between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the kickoff

ALTON — Civic Memorial High School senior Jude Breyer finished in fourth place individually at the IHSA Regional Bowling Tournament at Alton, contributing to the Eagles’ team victory and advancing them to the sectional competition. Shown above are CM bowlers. The CM bowling boys are Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Male Athletes of the Month. The scores for the CM bowlers were as follows: Breyer, a senior, 1286 Hunter Kremke, a senior, 1235 Kale McMichael, a senior, 1204 Jayden

ST. LOUIS - Ameren Corporation's (NYSE: AEE) operations in Missouri and Illinois triggered more than $20.7 billion in annual economic output, according to a study by a leading market research and development firm. Conducted by HR&A Advisors and commissioned by Ameren, the study analyzed direct spending by the company on functions such as payroll, capital equipment, supplier services, and the additional economic benefits that are generated when those investments prompt other businesses and

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO. — Ka'Ontee Johnson, 30, of the 1400 block of Comet Drive in St. Louis, was identified as the pedestrian fatally struck early Saturday morning, Jan. 17, 2026, in the 9000 block of Lucas and Hunt Road, according to the St. Louis County Police Department. The incident occurred at 1:26 a.m. Jan. 17, when officers from the North County Precinct responded to a motor vehicle crash call. Upon arrival, officers found Johnson had been struck by at least one vehicle and was

Martin Luther King Jr. Day didn’t start as a feel-good holiday. It started as an argument—loud, emotional, and deeply political—about what the country owes to the people who pushed it to change. The day matters because it is one of the few national holidays created to honor a citizen who challenged the government and the culture around him. It is also a reminder that progress is not automatic. It has to be demanded, organized, and defended. Understanding how this holiday was

The first sip of a hot drink can make your whole body feel warmer—even though it barely changes your core temperature. That little burst of comfort is real, and it’s one of the reasons people reach for tea, coffee, cocoa, or broth when the air turns cold. Warm drinks in cold weather aren’t just a habit. They hit several systems at once: your nerves, your senses, your emotions, and your social routines. Some of the effects are physical, some are psychological, and most are

This morning starts off very cold with clear skies and a low near 12 degrees. A cold weather advisory is in effect until 10 a.m. due to dangerously cold wind chills that could drop to 15 below zero. Winds from the WNW at 15 mph with gusts up to 29 mph add to the chill, making it feel bitterly cold. By afternoon, expect mostly sunny skies and frigid temperatures peaking at a high of 20 degrees. The brisk wind continues, with gusts keeping it feeling colder than the thermometer shows. This evening

Silence isn’t just the absence of sound. It has a texture—and sometimes it feels so thick you can almost lean on it. That’s why a quiet street can feel completely different depending on what’s happening in the world around it. One kind of quiet feels open and relaxed, like a pause between conversations. Another feels sealed shut, like the world has pulled a blanket over itself. The difference isn’t only in your head. It comes from how sound moves, what the landscape

On January 19, 1915, the world saw the first large-scale aerial bombing raid on Britain when German Zeppelin airships attacked towns on England’s east coast. Air raids were not entirely new, but this moment showed how quickly war was expanding beyond battlefields and into everyday civilian life. At the time, it forced governments and ordinary people to confront a new kind of danger: attacks arriving from the sky with little warning. It still matters today because it marked an early turning

BELLEVILLE - On the night of Saturday, January 17, 2026, police responded to multiple shots fired on the 1700 block of Jamestown Road in Belleville, Illinois, resulting in one woman’s death and injuries to another, authorities said. At approximately 11:19 p.m., officers from the Belleville and Swansea Police Departments arrived at the scene and found three female victims. One woman was deceased in the roadway, while two others were inside a nearby parked vehicle. One of the women in the

MACOUPIN COUNTY — Attorney General Kwame Raoul charged Michael Upton, 34, of Palmyra with multiple felony counts related to child sexual abuse material and drug possession following a search of his residence on East Oak Street in Palmyra. The charges, filed in Macoupin County Circuit Court, include two counts of dissemination of child pornography, each a Class X felony carrying a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison. Upton also faces 10 counts of possession of child pornography,