ALTON – A man from Centralia faces multiple felonies after setting fire to an occupied Alton residence. Matthew W. Brasket, 38, of Centralia, was charged on March 6, 2025 with a Class X felony count of aggravated arson and a Class 2 felony count of arson. On March 4, 2025, Brasket allegedly damaged a property in the 2300 block of Henry Street in Alton by means of fire. Court documents state he “knew or should have known” the residence was occupied at the time of the offense. A petition to deny his pretrial release states the fires resulted in significant damage. “Officers responded to a report of a fire at a residential property,” the petition states. “Alton Fire Department reported that they extinguished two fires, which were intentionally set. One of the fires was located on a deck, and a portion of the deck was charred and siding of the building damaged by fire.” A witness told officers that shortly before the fires began, Brasket “threatened
Southwest Airlines, the busiest carrier at St. Louis Lambert International Aiport, is undergoing a series of business strategy changes to cut costs, the latest of which impact both travelers and employees.
SWANSEA - The Rotary Club of Swansea would like to thank everyone who supported their recent “Rotary Round Up” Annual Dinner Auction. Proceeds of more than $33,000 will be used throughout the year to support nonprofit organizations and community programs that align with the basic principles of Rotary. The event was held on Saturday, February 22, 2025, at the Belleville/Swansea Moose Lodge 1221. More than 200 people attended the event, which featured a country-western theme and included appetizers, buffet dinner and drinks. The Without Limits - Team Galaxy Special Olympics Cheer Team kicked off the festivities with a special performance and a paddle raise to support their efforts resulted in more than $12,000. In addition, guests enjoyed a robust silent auction, as well as a reverse raffle, won by Laurie May of Aguilar Landscaping. The highlight of the fundraising activities was a live auction, led by Swansea Mayor Michael Leopold. “We enjoyed a sold-out event an
Former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett is heading out on the road this fall to celebrate Genesis' classic album The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.The Rock & Roll…
Clarence Thomas, the longest-serving current member of the nation’s high court, was in the capital city to observe the naming of a conference room in the Supreme Court building after him.
ALTON - OSF St. Anthony’s Hospital offers a Connections Caregiver therapy group for individuals who are caring for a loved one. The group meets from 9–10 a.m. on Mondays at OSF St. Anthony’s Hospital in the Psychological Services Department. Sara Bennett, LCSW, runs the group and encourages people who are in a caregiving role to consider signing up to gain more support and coping skills. “The group is full of people who are going to be going through some type of caregiving situation,” Bennett explained. “Part of caregiving is really making time for the things that are important, and stepping away from that role sometimes is really important and being in a room full of other people who are doing the same thing.” Bennett noted that people find themselves in a caregiving role for all kinds of reasons. They might have a loved one with a physical or intellectual disability or chronic illness, or their loved one might be experiencing an
MARYVILLE - The 2025 Anderson Hospital Foundation Gala was held on Feb. 8, 2025, at The Four Seasons Hotel in St. Louis. The event raised a total of $154,121.00. The Foundation allocates funds for capital projects and programs for Anderson Hospital. The Anderson Hospital Foundation Winter Wonderland-themed Gala included a cocktail hour, with passed hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, a gourmet dinner, a LIVE auction, an audience appeal fundraiser (to support the Emergency Room Renovation project) and it was followed by dancing to the sounds of the Well Hungarian Band. Over 250 guests attended and enjoyed the festivities. “We have such a great following for this event, and we thank our sponsors who always support us,” said Lori St. John, Director of Development. The 2026 Gala will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel on February 7, 2026. Please contact Lori St. John at 618-391-6426 for more information.
Back before the plan to destroy our democracy got started in earnest, and back before the pandemic that dominated our lives for several years (whether we thought it should or not), was a time when we were having quaint, albeit silly, arguments about confederate monuments and whether they should be removed. My memory is good […]
ALTON - The Wedge and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) are proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership that will transform the economic landscape of the greater Alton Metro Region. The collaboration, branded as "The Wedge Powered by SIUE," will create a dynamic ecosystem for innovation, education, and community development when The Wedge officially begins operations on April 7, 2025. This strategic alliance builds upon AltonWorks' community revitalization efforts and leverages SIUE's academic excellence to catalyze regional economic transformation. The Wedge will serve as a 55,000-square-foot social impact hub, research lab, thinktank, and workspace that drives innovation across Illinois and Missouri and ultimately extend across the Midwest. "This partnership represents a pivotal moment for our region," said John Simmons, AltonWorks CEO. "By bringing together SIUE's research capabilities and educational programming with The Wedge's innovative workspace, we're creating
A St. Louis-based company that provides outsourced sales and marketing solutions to consumer goods companies and retailers has named a new operations chief for one of its three business units.
EAST ST. LOUIS — The body of a 19-year-old man was discovered in an alley in East St. Louis on Sunday, March 9, 2025, prompting an investigation by Illinois State Police. The victim, identified as Byron E. Gettis Jr., was found in the 1700 block of Gay Avenue and had sustained multiple gunshot wounds, according to St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr. He was pronounced dead at 5:30 p.m. Sunday. The Illinois State Police confirmed it was called to the scene by the East St. Louis Police Department at 6:33 p.m. on Sunday to investigate. Byron Gettis Jr. was the son of former Major League Baseball player Byron Gettis Sr., who played for the Kansas City Royals in 2004. Following his baseball career, Gettis Sr. transitioned into coaching football and has been a prominent figure in the local sports community. Earlier this year, Gettis Sr. celebrated his son’s enlistment in the U.S. Army and said at that time he was very proud of his son's entry into the U.S. Army. The investigation
Ringo Starr’s Ringo & Friends at the Ryman premieres Monday on CBS, and fans are getting another sneak peek at the special.The network just released a clip of Ringo joined by…
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