[Op-Ed] ‘What the heck is really going on in Alton, Illinois?’
By CHARLES MOONEYHAM In one of my last pieces, “Art in the Age of Disillusionment,” I mentioned “The Exodus from the Machine,” a phrase echoing the idea of The Great Unplugged. It’s a cultural undercurrent pulling Gen X away from the digital noise and back into the arts. And it’s not just them. Young Millennials, Zoomers, and even the…
Read MoreSIUE professor awarded East St. Louis NAACP 2025 Educational Leadership Award
On Oct. 12, 2025, Tandra Taylor, Ph.D., assistant professor in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Department of History and SIUE’s interim director of the Institute for Community Justice and Racial Equity (ICJRE) at the Southwestern Illinois Justice and Workforce Development Center on SIUE’s Belleville campus, was recognized with the 2025 Educational Leadership award from the…
Read MoreEast-West Gateway announces its 2025 Outstanding Local Government Achievement honorees
East-West Gateway recently announced its slate of 2025 Outstanding Local Government Achievement (OLGA) award honorees. Six individuals were chosen to receive the awards out of a pool of 28 nominations, each of which were noted for doing important work for the betterment of the St. Louis region in the organization’s official announcement. The OLGA awards…
Read MoreHBT Financial Inc., CNB Bank Shares Inc. jointly announce merger agreement
HBT Financial Inc. (NASDAQ: HBT) (the “Company” or “HBT Financial” or “HBT”), the holding company for Heartland Bank and Trust Company (“Heartland Bank”), and CNB Bank Shares Inc. (OTC: CNBN) (“CNBN”), the holding company for CNB Bank & Trust N.A. (“CNB Bank”), yesterday jointly announced the signing of a definitive agreement pursuant to which CNBN…
Read MoreEdwardsville Police remind drivers: Be safe and smart while celebrating Halloween
As Halloween approaches, the Edwardsville Police Department is urging everyone to drive sober, buckle up, be alert for pedestrians and follow traffic laws. With children and families out after dark for trick-or-treating and community events, officers will be stepping up enforcement to keep the streets safe. “Driving under the influence — whether from alcohol, cannabis,…
Read MoreBudzinski hears from Metro East seniors on government shutdown impacts
Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) met with senior citizens and senior living organizations in the Metro East to discuss how Trump Administration policies and the ongoing government shutdown are impacting vital services for older Americans. The conversation, which took place at Senior Services Plus in Alton, centered around issues related to Social Security and Medicare…
Read MoreNearly 2 million Illinoisians set to lose SNAP benefits amid congressional stalemate
Illinois Democrats blame Trump, congressional Republicans for elongating shutdown By BEN SZALINSKI Capitol News Illinois Article Summary About 1.9 million people in Illinois are set to lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits beginning Nov. 1 if the federal government shutdown continues into another month. About $350 million in SNAP benefits are distributed to qualifying Illinois…
Read MoreJury chosen in murder trial of former Sangamon County Deputy Sean Grayson
Case was moved to Peoria amid pretrial publicity By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois PEORIA – A jury was chosen Monday in the murder trial of former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson. Grayson was charged with first-degree murder after shooting Sonya Massey, 36, in her kitchen after she called to report a prowler…
Read MoreAttorney General Raoul continues to fight against attack on Planned Parenthood funding
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul today, as part of a coalition of 21 attorneys general, filed an amicus brief supporting Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit challenging a provision in the sweeping budget reconciliation law that eliminates federal funding for health care services provided by its health centers. The so-called Defund Provision blocks federal Medicaid funding for any…
Read MoreUMB completes systems, brand conversion following Heartland Financial acquisition
UMB Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: UMBF) announced on Oct. 16 that it has successfully completed its systems and brand conversion of Heartland Financial USA Inc. This milestone is the final component of the largest acquisition in UMB’s 112-year history, which officially closed on Jan. 31, 2025. This acquisition expanded UMB’s footprint from eight to 13 states…
Read More