CARROLLTON — Intern Billy Springman, 20, of Carrollton, is working to increase public awareness of Greene County’s new official website after the County Board approved and launched it earlier this year. Springman was tasked by the Greene County Board in early 2025 with overseeing the creation of a modern, centralized county website. After months of development and collaboration with county officials, staff, and RiverBender.com, he formally presented the website to the board in March
SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois State Fair is turning up the volume for 2026 with the announcement of an impressive lineup of supporting acts set to join this year's Grandstand Concert Series. From country and rock to hip-hop and reggae, concertgoers can look forward to ten nights of memorable performances featuring some of today's most exciting artists. The 2026 Illinois State Fair Grandstand Concert Series includes: August 14 – Bailey Zimmerman with Jake Worthington August 15 &ndash
ROXANA - Community members can enjoy a local production of “Annie” later this month. Curtain’s Up Theater Company will perform “Annie” July 24–26 and July 31–Aug. 2, 2026, at The Roxana Community Theater. Directed by Christy Luster, the production promises to be a fun piece of community theater that brings people together and shares a larger message of hope and family with audiences. “It’s just the best feeling in the world,” Luste
BRIGHTON — The Village of Brighton said Friday, July 10, 2026, that some customers may not receive their water bills before the payment deadline and urged those who have not received a bill to contact the village office for their current balances. In a statement, the village said customers who have not received their bill should call the office at (618) 372-8484. Payment is due Wednesday, July 15, 2026. “If you have not received your bill, please contact our office at (618) 372-8484
ALTON – Alton City Council members approved changes to residency requirements for city employees this week, but not without making major changes in the absence of Mayor David Goins. At the council’s July 8, 2026 meeting, an ordinance amending a section of the Alton City Code regarding residency requirements for non-union city employees was given a second reading. Before the final vote was called, Alderman Michael Velloff made a series of amendments expanding the ordinance far
EDWARDSVILLE - Lucy Doyle’s sophomore girls track and field season was marked by a runner-up finish at the IHSA Class 1A Girls Track and Field Sectional in Carlinville on May 13, 2026, and a personal-best performance a week later at the state championships in Charleston. Doyle of Metro East Lutheran placed second in the 3,200 meters at the sectional with a time of 13:05.38 to advance to the IHSA 1A State Track and Field Championships at Eastern Illinois University. At state, she ran a
ST. LOUIS — Homicide detectives are investigating a fatal shooting in the Wells/Goodfellow neighborhood in St. Louis after police said officers responding to a disturbance Thursday night, July 9, 2026, encountered a gunfight and found a 44-year-old man wounded in the street. The shooting happened around 9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 9, in the 2800 block of Union near Maffitt and Union, according to police. District 5 officers responding to a disturbance call detained four people and found th
ALTON - The Gen. George Rogers Clark Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution held a program Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at Lincoln-Douglas Square in Downtown Alton to mark the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence and reflect on its significance. “While July 4th marks the birth of our independence, July 8th was the day the people first heard the words that would change the world,” said Richard Ruedin, past president of the Gen. George Rogers Clark Chapter of th
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following statement after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision in Barnett v. Raoul, in which the court upheld the state’s ban on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines. “This is a win that enhances public safety in Illinois. We have seen the damage that assault weapons and large-capacity magazines can inflict, and these weapons of war have no place in our communities. My office has successfully defended th
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced weekend lane closures on eastbound and westbound Interstate 64 at Illinois 159 between the Exit 12 entrance and exit ramps in St. Clair County. Beginning at 8 p.m. Friday, July 10, traffic will be reduced to one lane in both directions, weather permitting, for bridge repairs. Two lanes in each direction are expected to reopen by 6 a.m. Monday, July 13. The lane closures are part of ongoing improvements
CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed two bills (HB 4456 and HB 5524) that strengthen energy affordability and consumer protections by helping lower utility costs for working families across the state and increasing transparency around the charges that appear on monthly electric bills. This set of new laws builds on Gov. Pritzker’s affordability agenda by ensuring Illinoisans have greater access to energy assistance while increasing available data and transparency o
EDWARDSVILLE - Front access has been restored within the construction zone in the 100 block of North Main Street in Edwardsville, the City of Edwardsville announced in a project update, marking a milestone in a major infrastructure project that still has significant work to be done. The City of Edwardsville administration said the restored access allows people to walk the stretch and visit shops, restaurants and service providers in the area. The update said the project involves replacing
7/13/26 UPDATE: Due to inclement weather, the lane closures on Interstate 55/70 between Illinois 203 and Exchange Avenue in St. Clair County have been rescheduled to begin at 9 a.m. TODAY. All lanes are expected to reopen by 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 14. MADISON – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced weekend lane closures on westbound Interstate 55/70 in St. Clair County to allow for bridge repairs. Beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, July 13, weather permitting, westbound
BETHALTO – A Bethalto man accused of damaging a utility pole with his vehicle during a drunk driving accident faces his fifth charge of driving under the influence. 54-year-old Louis I. Thompson of Bethalto was charged in Madison County court on July 1, 2026 with one count each of aggravated driving while under the influence (a Class 2 felony), driving while license is revoked/suspended (a Class 4 felony), reckless driving (a Class A misdemeanor) and improper lane usage (a petty offense).
JERSEYVILLE – A Brighton resident faces felony and misdemeanor charges in Jersey County after reportedly attacking another individual with a butter knife. Dakota L. Harris, 24, of Brighton, was charged on July 7, 2026 with a Class 3 felony count of aggravated battery and a Class A misdemeanor count of battery. The day prior on July 6, Harris allegedly struck another individual in the face with a closed fist and cut the same victim with a butter knife. The Jersey County State’s
GRANITE CITY – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced lane closures on westbound Interstate 270 from Illinois 3 to the Mississippi River in Madison County for road construction. Beginning at 6 a.m. Saturday, July 11, westbound I-270 traffic will be reduced to one lane, weather permitting. Two westbound lanes are expected to reopen by 6 p.m. Sunday, July 12. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this closure. Drivers are urged
WATERLOO - A search was underway Friday morning, July 10, 2026, in Monroe County, Ill., for a possible plane crash reported south of Waterloo, with local, state and federal authorities working to determine the aircraft’s last known location. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department said it received reports of a possible plane crash around 2:30 a.m. Friday. After receiving the report, the sheriff’s department, the Waterloo Fire Department and Monroe County EMS responded to the are
On July 10, 1940, the Battle of Britain began, opening one of the most important air campaigns of the Second World War. After the fall of France, Nazi Germany aimed to gain control of the skies over Britain as a step toward possible invasion. What followed was a long struggle between the German Luftwaffe and the British Royal Air Force. At the time, the battle mattered because Britain stood as a major center of resistance in Western Europe. Its outcome also shaped the wider war by preventing
A song you have not heard in years can change your mood in seconds. One chorus, and suddenly you are back in a car with your family, in a school hallway, or in a bedroom covered with posters from another version of your life. Nostalgia works that fast. It is not just remembering. It is feeling the past in the present. Nostalgia is one of the most familiar human emotions, yet it is often misunderstood. People talk about it as if it were simple homesickness or a habit of living in the past. In
ST. CLAIR COUNTY - Two people are in custody after a child’s remains were found buried Wednesday in a wooded area in Stookey Township outside Belleville, Illinois, in a case authorities said is believed to be connected to a parental kidnapping investigation involving St. Louis Police and Desloge, Mo., Police. Photos of the suspects in the kidnapping case have been released and are shown above. The child's remains were found after a multi-agency search on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. Officials
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