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ALTON - The Wedge hosted its monthly Community Collaboration Lab to engage community members in conversations about public safety data. On Aug. 13, 2025, community members came together for a free workshop at The Wedge titled “Making Public Safety Data Work for Communities.” Led by Dr. Dennis Mares, Professor of Criminal Justice Studies and Director of the Center for Crime Science and Violence Prevention at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, the conversation centered on how to access and utilize public safety data. “We’re trying to unlock the potential of the data,” Mares said. “How does it help a community to figure out what problems a community has, and what can we do to make those problems less?” Mares explained that public safety data includes computer-assisted dispatch data, or the data that comes from 911 calls, and records management system data, or crime data. His organization is working with local police departments

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After a spring and summer of wet conditions throughout almost the entire state, drought is returning to Missouri. About 10% of Missouri is now classified as abnormally dry, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a map that tracks drought and updates weekly. “We hadn’t had a week in July or August with a map that […]

The Festival of the Little Hills will once again fill Historic Main Street and the grounds of Frontier Park in downtown St. Charles with shoppers, music lovers and foodie folks as it has nearly every year since 1971.

GRANITE CITY - Granite City School District #9 recently received generous donations from two local organizations aimed at supporting students as they begin the 2025-26 school year. Hope Lutheran Church contributed socks, underwear, and school supplies as part of their July Social Ministry project. The school district expressed gratitude toward Pastor Alan Beuster, his wife Sandy, and the entire congregation for their ongoing support of the students. In addition, Jesus Saves Ministries donated 100 school supply sets for junior high and high school students, along with 55 TI calculators and extra supplies for all students in the district. These additional items included folders, glue sticks, scissors, toothbrushes, colored pencils, pens, loose-leaf paper, and earbud cases. Director DeeAnn Billings and Outreach Minister John Cipponeri were acknowledged for their generosity. These donations are intended to help Granite City School District #9 students start the school year prepared

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GRANITE CITY - Ryan Brokaw is a senior running back and defensive back for the football team of Granite City High School, and feels very confident that the Warriors will have a successful season in 2025. Last year, for a team that finished 0-9, Brokaw was the team's leading rusher, running for 179 yards and two touchdowns, also catching nine passes for 63 additional yards. He had his most success returning kickoffs, taking 12 back for 313 yards, also running back one punt for 25 yards. He expressed confidence and enthusiasm over how things have gone for Granite in the opening week of workouts. Brokaw is a Stillwater Senior Living Male Athlete of the Month for Granite City. "It's been going pretty well," Brokaw said, "We've had very intense practices, a lot of energy. It's looking good, we're excited, ready to play Alton next week (in a week zero scrimmage Aug. 22), we're ready to go get them." The Warriors open up the 2025 season at home Aug. 29, 2025, against Peotone, and Brokaw

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DECATUR – The Illinois State Police (ISP), partnering with the Decatur Police Department, the McLean County Sheriff’s Office, and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, has created the Illinois Trafficking Enforcement Group (ITEG) to take its work in combating human trafficking to the next level. Similar to the nine ISP Metropolitan Enforcement Groups and 13 Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Forces created to combat drug trafficking, ITEG will consist of local and state partners focused on fighting human trafficking, while also working with community groups and health organizations to provide trauma-informed support services to individuals who have been trafficked. “Human trafficking occurs not just globally, but locally, and it is critical law enforcement at all levels work together,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “The Illinois Trafficking Enforcement Group enables state and local law enforcement to literally work side by side, while coordinating with ou

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GLEN CARBON - Kannon Kamp was a standout player for McGivney High School’s baseball team during the recent season, according to head coach Chris Erwin. Kamp, who wore No. 20, was a key contributor both at the plate and on the mound, helping lead the team to one of the highest-scoring seasons in the country. Erwin described Kamp as the team’s “No. 1 pitcher” and a “mainstay at the top of the order” as a lead-off hitter. Kamp finished the season with a .410 batting average, collected 50 hits, including 12 doubles, and drove in 37 runs while drawing 38 walks. His offensive production was part of a larger team effort that scored 437 runs, tying for third most in the country. Kamp and Justin Terhaar were McGivney IHSBCA All-State selections. Kamp is a Byron, Carlson, Petri & Kalb Male Athlete of the Month for the Griffins. On the pitching side, Kamp was a workhorse for the team, starting the state championship game and compiling an 8-1 record with

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CARROLLTON - Greene County Deputy Sheriff Chris Weller is pleased to declare his candidacy for Greene County Sheriff in the 2026 general election following the retirement of Robert McMillen in August, 2026. With over 25 years of experience in law enforcement, Weller has built a substantial resume that illustrates his commitment to his community. He began his career as a correctional officer at the Greene County Jail in 2000, where he worked until graduating from the Police Academy in 2002. While working as a temporary full-time deputy, he went on to earn his Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois College in 2004. During those years, Weller served as a police officer in Greenfield, Carrollton, White Hall, and Roodhouse. In 2006, he began his full-time career with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. Weller takes great pride in having served his home county for the entirety of his career, accumulating experience in all the major municipalities. A lifetime resident of Greene County

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SPRINGFIELD, IL – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today convened health care leaders to discuss how Trump and Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill will harm Central Illinois and rip health care from as well as increase costs for Illinoisans. Duckworth and Durbin met with leaders from Memorial Health, Springfield Clinic, Hospital Sisters Health System and SIU Medicine to discuss the looming crisis of more than half a million Illinoisans losing health coverage and loss in funding for rural health providers. Photos from today’s event are available on the Senator’s website. “Access to quality health care is already too difficult in this country—especially in rural areas—and thanks to Republicans’ Big Beautiful Betrayal things are only going to get worse,” Duckworth said. “Trump and Republicans succeeded in making the largest cuts to Medicaid in history and because of them,

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SPRINGFIELD - Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined state legislators and stakeholders to sign SB 1953, also known as Sonya Massey’s Bill. The law will revise police hiring procedures across Illinois, requiring agencies to comprehensively review an applicant’s employment history—including detailed employment records—before making a job offer. The legislation aims to increase policy accountability across the state and prevent future tragedies such as the killing of Sonya Massey . “When Sonya Massey feared for her safety, she did what anyone would do—she called law enforcement for help. Communities should be able to trust that when they call the police to their home, the responding officer will be well-trained and without a history of bias or misconduct,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Today, I sign Sonya Massey’s Bill to help prevent these tragedies, to better equip law enforcement to keep our communities safe, and to continue working

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Did you know that water play not only entertains children but also significantly boosts their cognitive development and motor skills? Studies have shown that interactive water activities can enhance sensory experiences, improve hand-eye coordination, and foster creativity. Designing a DIY outdoor water play area offers a fantastic opportunity to blend fun with learning, all within the comfort of your own backyard. Understanding the Benefits of Water Play Water play is more than just splashing around. It encourages problem-solving as children experiment with pouring, measuring, and transferring water between containers. It also introduces basic scientific concepts such as volume, flow, and buoyancy in a hands-on environment. Moreover, water play encourages social interaction and cooperative play, which are vital for emotional and social development. Planning Your Water Play Area: Space and Safety Before gathering materials, assess the available outdoor space. The area should be flat

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A new box set celebrating John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s political activism and early life in New York City is on the way.Power to the People (Super Deluxe Edition), produced by the couple’s son Sean Ono…

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A federal jury convicted a St. Louis County man of multiple child sex crimes on Wednesday afternoon.

August 14 marks a day rich with moments that have shaped history across the globe. On August 14, 1948, the Berlin Airlift was in full swing as Allied forces continued their extraordinary effort to supply West Berlin by air amid the Soviet blockade. After World War II, Germany was divided into four occupation zones controlled by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and the Soviet Union. The city of Berlin, deep inside Soviet-controlled territory, was similarly divided. In June 1948, the Soviets blocked all ground access to West Berlin, hoping to force the Allies out of the city. Faced with the prospect of abandoning West Berlin’s 2 million residents to Soviet control, the United States and its allies launched the Berlin Airlift—an unprecedented operation that involved flying thousands of tons of food, fuel, and supplies daily into the city. By August, the operation had reached a remarkable pace, with planes landing every few minutes. This massive logistical feat

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The St. Louis Artists' Guild is proud to present Protean Bodies, Translucid Decay, an installation of works by Sarah Knight that relate transgender existence to material flux and ecology. Protean […]

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