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George Washington didn’t have just one birthday—at least not on paper. He was born on February 11, 1731 by the calendar used in the British Empire at the time. Then the calendar changed, and his birthday “moved” to February 22, 1732. That odd switch helps explain why Americans have celebrated Washington in so many different ways, on so many different dates, for more than two centuries. Why Washington’s birthday mattered so much From the start, Washington’s

On display at the ever-popular orchid show, the Missouri Botanical Garden’s vast orchid collection includes more than 6,000 individual plants representing almost 700 unique species, and approximately one in 10 […]

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EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville continued its annual honors recruitment tradition this February, welcoming high-achieving students to campus for Honors Scholarship Day before traveling to high schools across the region to personally surprise select incoming students with the Meridian Scholarship , the University’s most prestigious award. Honors Scholarship Day took place Friday, Feb. 16, 2026, and invited local area honors students and their families to

EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville High School agriculture students will celebrate FFA Week, and they invite the community to join them. On Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, the Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization will host an ice-skating event from 4–5 p.m. at the R.P. Lumber Center. Students will cook a breakfast for EHS staff members on Tuesday, Feb. 24, and offer ag literacy activities in the morning on Wednesday, Feb. 25. On Thursday, Feb. 26, community members can support the FFA by dining

ALTON - Tracy Zerwas has used her passion for art to give back. Zerwas, one of the YWCA’s eleven 2026 Women of Distinction, will be honored at the Y’s annual gala for her commitment to the community. After a 23-year career in the Southwestern Community Unit School District #9 teaching art, she loves to volunteer and has enjoyed working with students across generations. “I just feel like that's so important for children and to give them a place to shine,” Zerwas said

On February 19, 1926, recently retired boxing champion Benny Leonard (born Benjamin Leiner; April 7, 1896 – April 18, 1947) came to Western Military Academy. Leonard held the world lightweight title (under 135 pounds) from 1917 to 1925 and is widely considered to be one of the best lightweight boxers of all time. The son of Russian Jewish immigrants, Leonard learned to fight in the streets of New York. Sportswriter Al Lurie called Leonard, "the most famous Jew in America...beloved by

ALTON - An Alton resident has decided to run the world’s first “Taco Bell 5K” — the 3.7-mile distance between Taco Bell on Landmarks Boulevard and the Taco Bell on Homer Adams Parkway. On March 21, 2026, Ben Herring plans to consume 1,500 calories at one Taco Bell, run to the other, and eat an additional 3,500 calories worth of food for a total of 5,000 calories and a 5K run. In doing so, he is raising money for 5A’s Animal Shelter in Alton through a GoFundMe