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While temperatures remain above freezing the next couple of days, rain and snow may cause some travel issues in certain areas the next 72 hours.

SPRINGFIELD - Several new laws concerning vehicles and driving are taking effect in Illinois starting on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. Here’s an overview of some of those laws regarding Zooming and driving, mirror accessories, and automatic license plate readers. No More Zooming While Driving In 2024, it will be officially illegal to attend Zoom meetings, stream your favorite show, and/or check your social media timelines while driving. If this already seems illegal to you, that might be because Illinois already has laws preventing handheld cell phone usage while driving; exceptions are made when reporting an emergency, stopped/parked on the side of the road, or when in park/neutral during a traffic obstruction. This new law expands on that existing law to specifically target video conferencing, streaming, and social media platforms in an effort to further combat distracted driving. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said in a press release that he drafted this

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ST. LOUIS - The City of St. Louis Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry is offering locations throughout the City of St. Louis for residents to recycle their live Christmas trees. Trees can be dropped off at: Forest Park: Lower Muny Opera parking lot O’Fallon Park Recreation Complex (YMCA): Southwest corner of parking lot Carondelet Park: Grand and Holly Hills, area near gate next to mulch piles Trees will be accepted at these Park sites through Tuesday, January 9, 2024. The trees will be used for mulch and firewood that will be free and made available to residents at the same sites. Trees must be free of all decorations, including ornaments, tinsel, lights, and tree stands, and should not be bagged or covered. Fake or plastic trees, wreaths, and pine roping are not accepted at these sites. City residents are discouraged from placing Christmas Trees in alley dumpsters or recycling containers, however they may also be placed in the alleys for bulk pickup.

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ALTON – OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center recently bestowed its Mission Partner of the Month Award for December to Jenn Terry, Administrative Supervisor (Nursing Administration). Hospitals are 24/7/365 entities, and there’s no downtime. So whatever happens during the daylight hours certainly takes place overnight. Reading Jenn’s nomination is to deduce that 1) she is an ideal example and can attest to what happens at night and 2) she is the leader of the night at OSF Saint Anthony’s. Jenn’s nomination reads in its entirety: “While department heads are nestled in their beds, Jenn works nights and often picks up extra for coverage and in the Emergency Department. She encounters many challenging scenarios and troubleshooting opportunities with grace. She is supportive of all Mission Partners and is an excellent resource. We’re fortunate to have her here at OSF Saint Anthony’s." Winners of the Mission Partner of the Month

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This is a picture of turtles and.......fish? ready to spout at the Latona Fountain in the gardens of Versailles. No, wait: turtles and lizards, to celebrate the myth of Latona, who got pissed off at the Lycians and had them turned into frogs and lizards. Frogs? So why does the fountain have turtles and lizards? ...continue reading "Lunchtime Photo"

EAST ALTON/WOOD RIVER - Wyatt Owens is a fierce hockey player, but he has proven himself even tougher off the ice as he undergoes treatment for lymphoma. The 18-year-old player for East Alton-Wood River has received a lot of support from his team, and now they are asking the community to step up and help out. DAWG Nation Hockey Foundation is sponsoring a fundraiser for Owens, and his team is cheering him on. “Everybody’s got his back,” said James Mitchell, Owens’s coach. “We’re fighting for him. Hockey’s the best, and to see everybody come together and stuff and do this for Wyatt, it’s just been amazing.” On Dec. 19, 2023, teams from across the conference taped up their sticks in lime green to bring awareness to lymphoma and show support for Owens at the East Alton Ice Arena. The Alton, Granite City, Bethalto and Highland hockey clubs took a break from the competition to come together and welcome Owens as he joined

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It's a somewhat sad moment in the St. Louis restaurant scene. In just a few days, longtime Botanical Heights restaurants Elaia, Olio and Nixta will leave their homes on Tower Grove and McRee avenues for good, after negotiations by restaurant owner Ben Poremba to purchase the buildings failed. Without a doubt, Poremba and his restaurants are responsible for the area's renaissance, and since the 2012 opening of Elaia and Olio, the south city enclave has flourished with new businesses, such as Union Loafers and La Patisserie Chouquette, opening.

SPRINGFIELD – As 2023 comes to a close, the Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police and nearly 200 law enforcement agencies across the state are reminding the public they'll be working overtime now through the beginning of the new year in an effort to keep roads safe for everyone. “Getting behind the wheel after drinking or using impairing drugs is a criminal act that jeopardizes your safety and the safety of others,” said IDOT’s Director of Highways Project Implementation Steve Travia. “Other dangerous behaviors like not wearing a seat belt, distracted driving and speeding are also strongly addressed by our laws. These laws exist for one reason – to keep the millions of people who use our public roads safe.” This final statewide enforcement push of 2023 has one goal – to save lives. During these last days of the year, additional law enforcement will be patrolling for impaired driving, seat belt, speeding, distracted

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The woman, a St. Charles resident, was found with a gunshot wound in her head, police said.

SPRINGFIELD – Workers in Illinois will begin earning paid time off on January 1, 2024. The new law allows workers to earn up to 40 hours of paid leave in a 12-month period. Workers will accrue one hour of leave for every 40 hours worked. Governor JB Pritzker signed the landmark legislation in March, making Illinois the third state in the nation and first in the Midwest to mandate paid leave for any reason. “Illinois is the most pro-worker state in the nation, and the Paid Leave for All Workers Act is a prime example of those values translating into action,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Starting January 1st, I couldn’t be prouder that Illinois is officially becoming the first state in the Midwest to mandate paid leave for any reason. From raising the minimum wage to enshrining the right to collective bargaining in our state constitution, my administration will continue to support and protect Illinois’ workforce at every turn.” “The

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SPRINGFIELD – If you had a baby or adopted this year, don’t forget to open a Bright Start or Bright Directions college savings account and claim your $50 seed deposit from the Illinois First Steps program, State Treasurer Michael Frerichs reminded new parents today. “We launched the Illinois First Steps program this year to help put families on a path to saving early for their child’s education,” Frerichs said. “Saving now means money will be available when your child is ready to attend a university, community college, trade school, or start an apprenticeship.” To qualify for the Illinois First Steps $50 seed deposit, parents or legal guardians must be Illinois residents at the time of birth or adoption, the beneficiary child must be born or adopted on or after Jan. 1, 2023, open an Illinois529 college savings account with Bright Start or Bright Directions, and claim the seed deposit before the child's 10th birthday. Bright Start and Bright

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At public universities across the state, staff and faculty unions have faced a contentious year of negotiations and, in some cases, strikes.  Pay has been a major issue on several campuses and the unions are now looking to Springfield for potential reforms to the state’s higher education funding.  At Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, negotiations are ongoing between campus leadership and the union that represents clerical workers.  Amy Bodenstab, who works as an office manager in…

Officers from the Bismarck Police Department responded to the scene after reports of a disturbance, officers said.

Ed Pilla of the Maplewood Bar and Grill (Eddie’s on Manchester) passed away in mid-December, according to a friend of Pilla’s, Mike Jones. “He was 95. The best Pizza in the area. It was sad to see his place closed,” Jones said. Pilla came by the newly opened A Pizza Story in 2013 to meet […]

Most housing economists agree the conditions for housing will improve, even if only slightly, in 2024, but one report predicts that prices will fall significantly in the St. Louis area.

Before it closed, the establishment was one of the St. Louis region’s oldest continuously operating restaurants, operating for nearly 70 years.

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