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WASHINGTON COUNTY – On October 25, 2023, a Washington County Judge convicted 44-year-old Kevin Loucks, of Belleville, with First-Degree Murder (Class M Felony). The charge comes after an exhaustive investigation by the Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 7 into the murder of 44-year-old Montez Pearson. On July 19, 2023, Pearson was located deceased near Lunte Creek Road in Washington County. Loucks was taken into custody on July 23, 2023, after a search warrant was executed at his residence in Belleville. The ISP was assisted during the investigation by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Belleville Police Department.

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MARYVILLE - Two were transported to trauma facilities in the St. Louis area after a pair of vehicles collided Thursday morning, Oct. 26, 2023, on Illinois Route 162 and Amberleigh Drive. With the two vehicles involved, five were injured in the accident. Three were transported to Anderson Hospital for evaluation and one was immediately transported to a trauma facility in St. Louis and another was transported to Anderson, then flown to a trauma facility in St. Louis. Maryville Fire Chief Doug Dankenberg said the vehicles ended up on Anderson Hospital property by the west entrance to the hospital at the end of the crash. He said there was a light pole struck and the west entrance to the hospital was closed for a small period of time while the area was cleared. The crash was dispatched as a head-on collision, but was actually a T-bone incident, the chief said. The Maryville Fire and Police crew were dispatched at 10:23 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, Fire Chief Dankenberg said. He als

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GRANITE CITY - Granite City hosted a business summit for business owners to learn about property tax reform and economic development in Madison County. On Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, owners and community leaders listened to speeches by Granite City Mayor Michael Parkinson, Madison County Treasurer Chris Slusser and Granite City Economic Development Director Cathy Hamilton. “Part of economic development is retaining what you have,” Parkinson said. “It’s leadership working together and working for you.” Slusser spoke about tax reform and noted that Illinois has the second highest real estate tax in the country. The Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL) has been one proposed solution. PTELL is an optional law in IL counties that would limit tax increases. If the county hits the debt ceiling, PTELL also requires them to put out a referendum to voters about additional borrowing before any decisions are made. Slusser has researched PTELL for

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EAST ALTON - Wieland Rolled Brass Plant in East Alton filed a Work Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN Notice) with the state of Illinois on Oct. 19, 2023, and is expected to idle around 100 employees in the coming weeks. Wieland is located at 305 Lewis and Clark Blvd. in East Alton. Wieland Rolled Products NA is the leading manufacturer and converter of copper and copper-alloy sheet, strip, foil, tube and fabricated components in North America. It was formerly known as Olin Brass and Global Brass and Copper. While primarily processing copper and copper alloys, Wieland also rerolls and forms other metals such as stainless and carbon steel. The company’s products are used in five primary end markets: building and construction, munitions, automotive, coinage, and electronics/electrical components. The integrated brass mill in East Alton is the main operating facility, which produces strip products. Wieland has been the operator of the plant since 2019. East Alton Mayor

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ALTON/EDWARDSVILLE - The volunteer-run Overnight Warming Locations (OWL) are expanding from Alton to Edwardsville as the nonprofit prepares for its fifth consecutive season of providing shelter for unhoused members of the community on winter’s coldest nights. On nights when temperatures are forecasted to drop to 20 degrees or below, OWL volunteers help activate an emergency shelter at Deliverance Temple Church, located at 1125 E. 6th St. in Alton. Last winter, the Alton OWL opened its doors on 16 nights, serving 60 different guests, according to a press release from the organization. Volunteers were also able to help one guest secure permanent housing after he aged out of foster care last season. “Friendships have formed with our unhoused neighbors and volunteers, resulting in getting folks connected to life-saving services such as housing and social service providers,” Alton OWL Operations Director Tyler Dreith said. On Nov. 4, 2023, Germania Brew Haus fans

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WOOD RIVER - Old Alton Edwardsville Road has been officially renamed to Tyler Timmins Drive following a dedication ceremony to honor Tyler for his service as a police officer. Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, marked the second anniversary of Tyler’s passing. Friends, family, fellow police officers, community leaders and members of the Tyler Timmins Memorial Foundation gathered at the intersection of Rock Hill Road and Tyler Timmins Drive in Wood River to unveil the new street sign and share stories about him. “Two years ago today, in a matter of seconds, I lost the love of my life. My daughter lost her father. My family lost their protector and this community lost one of their own,” Linsey Timmins, Tyler’s wife, said. “However, within an instant of all of that loss, we gained this community as our own…My family and I have been so blessed by the members of this community and I cannot express enough how thankful we are for the love and support you

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ALTON - Brian Morris was presented the Hometown Star Award by John Hopkins at a recent Rotary Club of Alton-Godfrey meeting. Brian is the owner of Shiver’s Frozen Custard in Godfrey. Accompanied by his parents, Gary and Mary Ann Morris, Brian described his path to success as an entrepreneur in our community. Born and raised in Alton, he attended Alton schools, graduating from Alton High School in 2007. While pursuing his career path, he enrolled in Lewis and Clark, studying computer technologies, but concluded that area was not his passion. While in high school, Brian worked part-time at Shiver’s Frozen Custard, which at the time was just beginning as a business on Godfrey Road. The business struggled and finally closed. The owner of Caesar’s Pizza bought the business and, while examining the records in the office, came across a list of former employees with Brian’s name and phone number, resulting in a call asking Brian to return to work at Shiver’s. Afte

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today on the Senate floor requested unanimous consent (UC) to schedule confirmation votes on two U.S. Attorney nominations being held by U.S. Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH)—Rebecca C. Lutzko, nominated to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio; and April M. Perry, nominated to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. U.S. Attorneys are empowered to prosecute all federal criminal offenses and are an integral part of our justice system. Despite these nominees’ eminent qualifications, U.S. Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) once again objected to the unanimous consent request. Last month, Durbin attempted to confirm these two nominees, as well as Todd Gee, nominated to be United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi; and Tara McGrath, nominated to be United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, by UC

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate approved today an amendment patterned after legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (IL-12) to protect veterans’ Second Amendment rights. Bost, the chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, introduced legislation earlier this year that would end the Department of Veterans Affairs’ practice of automatically submitting veterans’ names for background checks when they need help managing their finances. “Until now, a veteran who needed help managing their finances wouldn’t be able to go deer hunting because their name would have been submitted for a government-run background check that restricted their Second Amendment rights without due process,” said Bost. “It’s taken Congress over 30 years to right this wrong. I appreciate the bipartisan work the Senate has done on this issue, and in partnership with the House, I look forward to it being enacted in the final version o

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Rotary Club has chosen to honor Edwardsville High School student, Kaitlyn DeVries, with the Student of the Month Award for the month of October. Kaitlyn DeVries was nominated by English teacher, Ms. Heather Haskins, of Edwardsville High School. Kaitlyn is the daughter of Erin and Bill DeVries. She is involved in many extracurricular activities, such as Key Club, National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, Debate Club, and the OMG Pickleball Club. In addition, she is a nominated student leader in Thirst Project, German Club, National English Honor Society, and Ethics Bowl; she is also the president of the German Honor Society. Kaitlyn’s achievements also include: receiving several medals in competitive pickleball at a 4.0 rating, maintaining a 4.64 GPA through several AP and Honors classes, and holding a first-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. In her free time, Kaitlyn enjoys writing short stories, reading, archery, practicing the bo

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resource (IDNR) is reminding deer hunters of locations where deer can be tested for chronic wasting disease (CWD) free of charge during the 2023-2024 hunting season. Chronic wasting disease is a fatal disease of the central nervous system in deer and elk. It was first detected in a suspect adult female deer from northwest Boone County in 2002. Since then, 162,099 wild deer have been sampled statewide, and 1,752 individual deer tested positive for CWD. The disease is currently confined to a 19-county area in the northern third of Illinois. Wildlife biologists monitor the geographic distribution and intensity of CWD primarily through testing of hunter-harvested deer. Chronic wasting disease is not transmissible to humans; however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend consuming CWD-positive venison, or deer meat. Hunters can visit participating vendors, including taxidermists and meat processors, or

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County is asking people to donate materials, or tell their stories, related to the coronavirus pandemic, as a way to preserve this moment in history. Director of the Madison County Historical Museum Jon Parkin said that an historic event is taking place all around us right now, and he is asking people to share their stories, so it will be preserved for future generations. The museum is also looking for objects, and paper or digital items, that document the current crisis. “We want to include the heroic efforts of first responders, the plight of victims, the effects on businesses, schools, and cultural groups; and the creativity borne of isolation,” Parkin said. The museum will collect paper memorabilia, like flyers, postcards, signs, emails, drawings, or anything that shows how county residents are handling the current situation. Other items the museum will accept include household objects that reflect life under quarantine. “The different

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CHICAGO – Three Illinois Lottery players tried their luck with a $10 scratch-off ticket and wound up in the lottery winner’s circle - each scoring a $250,000 top-prize win. One of the winners was at the MotoMart store at 1117 Camp Jackson Road in Cahokia. The three lucky players each won a quarter of a million dollars on a $250,000 Crossword game. The winning scratch-off tickets were purchased at lottery retail locations across the state - ranging from Northern Illinois all the way down to a suburb outside of St. Louis. The manager at MotoMart in Cahokia shared his excitement from selling one of the winning tickets. Photo courtesy: MotoMart, 1117 Camp Jackson Rd, Cahokia, IL (Google Maps) “It’s quite thrilling that someone won a big prize right here in Cahokia,” exclaimed John Fraser, manager at the Cahokia MotoMart. “Our regular customers tend to think the big wins happen in Chicago, so we’re very delighted that someone

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LOS ANGELES, CA. — On Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, an intruder was arrested after climbing a fence at the residence of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Protectors from Gavin de Becker & Associates (GDBA) detected and detained the intruder, who asked to see the candidate. The intruder was turned over to the LAPD. After being released from police custody, the man immediately returned to Kennedy's residence and was arrested again. The candidate was home at the time of both arrests. GDBA had notified the Secret Service about this specific obsessed individual several times in recent months and shared alarming communications he had sent to the candidate. Over several months, the campaign submitted formal requests for Secret Service protection, yet U.S. Department of Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas has refused to approve the protection. Every presidential administration for 55 years has afforded early protection to candidates who requested it. The Biden administration is the sol

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ALTON - The Alton City Council gave their final approval to several items passed by the Committee of the Whole earlier this week, including new stop signs and other traffic safety improvements on Alby Street, property bids and demolitions, and more. The council unanimously gave final approval to an ordinance placing stop signs on northbound and southbound Alby Street at East 20th Street. According to the ordinance, the intersection at Alby and East 20th Street will be converted from a two-way stop with a blinking yellow light overhead to a four-way stop with a blinking red light overhead. The intersection will also feature LED lights illuminating the stop signs and painted stop lines on the roadway. While the City Council passed the ordinance without debate on Wednesday, the item was the subject of some discussion during the Committee of the Whole meeting earlier this week. At that meeting, Alderwoman Stephanie Elliott asked if placing two more stop signs at the intersection

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ALTON - The Alton City Council voted 6-1 to officially approve an $8.1 million redevelopment agreement for the new Route 3 and Buckmaster Business District, also known as Alton Circle Plaza, which was passed by the Committee of the Whole earlier this week . The redevelopment agreement has been made between the City of Alton and Missouri-based Valcour Development Company. The total cost, which the city has agreed to reimburse up to half of, covers several interior and exterior renovation projects around the newly established Route 3 and Buckmaster Business District, which roughly covers the area encompassing Big Lots, Goodwill, and other stores, but excludes the new Starbucks location. The city plans to reimburse Valcour through new sales tax revenue generated by a 1% sales tax increase on most retail items sold within the newly established district. Mike Batchelor has repeatedly and publicly criticized the city’s decision to raise sales taxes in the area, noting it

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ALTON - Halloween is almost here and with it comes an abundance of trick-or-treating, parades and fun outside. This Halloween is going to be much cooler than normal around the region. Ben Herzog, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in St. Louis, said temps on Halloween night and the night before will likely be in the lower to mid-30s. The projection by the NWS is a high of 45 and a low of around 29 on Monday, Oct. 30, 2023, and a high of 46 and low of around 27 degrees on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023, Halloween night. “Temperatures are going to drop well before next week,” Herzog said. “We have a cold front that will come through on Friday. We will have pretty warm temperatures during the day on Friday, but by Friday night, temps in the St. Louis area are going to fall into the mid and upper 40s.” Herzog predicted on Halloween night temps would be around the mid-30s, but he said people would be fine if they dressed in layers for the night's fun activities.

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EAST ALTON/WOOD RIVER - Woodrow Peterson and his group the Backpack Bandits have been busy recently with a massive Community Cleanup in October. Peterson also saw a request from the Madison Police Department when they didn’t have any additional NARCAN for patrol officers and he helped fulfill that urgent need with a donation of 20 cases. NARCAN is a nasal spray designed to rapidly reverse the effects of a life-threatening opioid emergency. The recent Community Cleanup Day in East Alton and Wood River were very successful, Peterson said. He also commended the East Alton-Wood River High School volunteers who showed up to help. He singled out Ed Ringering, the former East Alton Street Department director, for his help with a tractor during the cleanup. “Some of the grass was five feet tall,” he said, but with the tractor and all the volunteer help, they were able to attack and remove it. The cleanup group addressed the needs of an elderly person in the area and i

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ALTON - The Overnight Warming Center received a portion of the proceeds from the Mayor’s Fundraiser and Charity Ball. Alton Mayor David Goins and First Lady Sheila Goins met with Overnight Warming Center organizers at Deliverance Temple Church of God in Christ in Alton . They made their donation alongside Dawn Elliott, the mother of Alton native and NFL star Zeke Elliott, who donated several pounds of food on Zeke’s behalf. “People come in agitated, freezing,” organizer Peter Hough said. “Give somebody a snack and treat them nice, it’s better. Everything gets better. It’s a small thing that makes a big difference.” The Overnight Warming Center provides food and shelter for people when the temperature reaches below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Anyone who needs a place to sleep for that night can come to Deliverance Temple at 1125 E. 6th Street in Alton. Hough and Tyler Dreith, the nonprofit’s operations director, said they

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - Representative Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Representative Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Representative Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), and Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL) announced the establishment of a new Congressional Caucus focused on educating policymakers and uplifting the needs of Predominantly Black Institutions. The Congressional Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI) Caucus will unite policymakers who share the goal of understanding and advancing policies to support PBIs. PBIs were established in 2007 via P.L. 110-84, the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, to expand access to important federal grants to assist institutions with limited institutional wealth to include colleges and universities serving large percentages of low-income African American students. Prior to 2007, these support grants assisted only a subset of institutions that educate low-income students who are underrepresented in higher education, including: Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions

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