GODFREY - This year, a special celebration between friends turned into a fundraiser for the Village of Godfrey Parks and Recreation Department. Susie Eckert and her friends have hosted an Oscars party for the past 20 years, complete with a red carpet, ballgowns and over 60 attendees. As the party grew, they moved it to Tony’s Ranch House in Godfrey and turned it into a fundraiser for local nonprofits. This year’s celebration was the final Oscars party, and they raised nearly $2,000 for the Godfrey Parks and Recreation Department. “It’s a blast,” said Mary Mathews, owner of Tony’s Ranch House. “It is a goal to have fun, and everybody gets to come out and have a good night out. But it’s also about helping the community as much as possible. going towards Godfrey Parks and Rec this year, which is just excellent. I’m very proud of the parks.” During the party, attendees walk the red carpet and vote on awards for Best Dressed,
Green Day is once again taking a shot at the Donald Trump administration with a lyric change.During the band's show in Melbourne on Saturday, Billie Joe Armstrong sang the line…
The recent book “Character Limit” exposes a perfect case study in destructive arrogance: Twitter was already building more sophisticated versions of everything Musk claimed he wanted. But Musk and his sycophants were so convinced of their own brilliance, and so certain everyone at Twitter was an idiot, they didn’t even bother to understand what was […]
An 18-year-old appeared in St. Louis Circuit Court on Monday and admitted to a 2023 fatal shooting after reaching a plea agreement with city prosecutors.
SPRINGFIELD – University of Illinois Springfield students earned awards and were elected to offices at the Model Illinois Government (MIG) simulation, held Feb. 28-March 2 at the Illinois State Capitol. Abbie Hasty of Alton was one of the UIS delegation award winners. The UIS delegation won five individual awards: Melody Colonel of Chester won the Outstanding Member of the Senate award. Maria Rodriguez Spengler of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, won the Outstanding Whip in the Senate award. Samuel Moore of Moweaqua won the Outstanding Committee Person in the Senate award. Abbie Hasty of Alton won the Outstanding Committee Chair in the House award. Timothy Malit of Springfield won the Outstanding Lobbyist award. UIS students competed against peers from 15 colleges and universities across Illinois. The simulation allows participants to serve as legislators, staffers, lobbyists, journalists and executive branch officials. Throughout the weekend, UIS students debated legislation,
To completely understand computer security, it’s vital to step outside the fence and to think outside the box. Computer security is not just about firewalls, Intrusion Prevention Systems, or anti-viruses. It’s also about tricking people into doing whatever a hacker wishes. A secure system, network, or infrastructure is also about informed people. The All-in-One Super-Sized […]
– Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced bipartisan legislation that would strengthen National Guard units in Illinois and across America by helping to ensure our servicemembers have access to the funds needed for maintenance and readiness activities that keep us all safe. Specifically, the bipartisan Guarding Readiness Resources Act would provide a critical exemption from the Miscellaneous Receipts Act for State Active Duty (SAD) reimbursement payments, ensuring that these funds are directed back to the National Guard units that incurred the expenses and ultimately bolster readiness and operational efficiency. “The men and women of the National Guard are committed to the motto of ‘always ready, always there’—which is why it’s important our Guardsmen have the resources they need to stay mission-ready,” said Senator
The parents of a toddler who drowned in an above-ground pool in 2019 in Warren County were given $25 million Friday in a lawsuit against the company who manufactured the pool involving a defective design and Rural King, according to court records.
ALTON - Anne Johnson works from a place of passion. Johnson, one of the YWCA’s ten 2025 Women of Distinction, will be honored at the Y’s annual gala for her commitment to the community. Johnson is a retired teacher who taught math in the Alton Community Unit School District #11 for 31 years. Now, she spends her time volunteering and helping to make the community a better place. “After retirement, I knew that there was something I needed to be doing,” she said. “I felt like helping anyone that I can, so I started volunteering.” Johnson volunteers at St. Anthony’s Hospital three days a week. She also helps at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Collinsville and serves as a foster grandparent. At her church, Tabernacle Baptist Church, she works as an usher and volunteers for several church projects. As a former teacher, Johnson understands the value of education. She offers free tutoring out of her home and at Hayner Library. Community
On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, Governor JB Pritzker issued the following statement on the institution of President Trump’s tariff plan: “Trump’s Tax on Working Families will have a devastating impact on Illinois’ manufacturing and agriculture sectors and will hurt hardworking Illinoisans at the grocery store checkout, on their utility bills, and at the gas pump. I have spent the past few weeks talking with farmers, manufacturers, and even breweries who have been preparing to reduce production and raise prices – actions that may have ripple effects for supply chains in Illinois and across the country. “Donald Trump swore to bring down costs on Day One. Instead, he’s taxing working families while embarrassing America on the world stage. I will be staying in close contact with representatives from Canada and Mexico to emphasize Illinois’ commitment to an ongoing trade partnership, and I will not stop fighting to ensure Illinoisans get a fair
A Republican lawmaker from northwest Missouri is rallying legislators from both sides of the aisle to change who can serve on the state’s Clean Water Commission.
WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke out against President Trump’s tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China. As of today, President Trump has instituted a 25 percent tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, as well as an additional 10 percent on goods from China, bringing the total to 20 percent tariffs on China. In his remarks, Durbin underscored that the Trump tariffs would not lower prices, as he promised during his campaign, but instead spike prices for Americans. “Instead of improving the lives of or lowering prices for Americans, we are seeing policies of the Trump Administration do exactly the opposite. The President has spent his time trying to systematically dismantle the federal government, creating rifts with our closest allies, and now, imposing destructive tariffs on our biggest trading partners. The tariffs that he has unleashed… will hurt American consumers and supply chains
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