Area News
Careers in View: Local artist Suzi Blake works with DC Comics, Jacksepticeye, more
By ZACHARY DAUM Managing Editor, Herald Publications [email protected] Local comic book shop Fantasy Books and Games is a multi-award nominated shop in the Fairview Heights area that features comic books, board games, card games and more. Something many may not know, however, is that employee Suzi Blake, a comic artist and colorist originally from…
Read MoreLandmarks Illinois announces winners of Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Awards
Nine preservation projects across Illinois, recognized for excellence in reuse, sustainability and community impact, will be honored at a Nov. 7 event Landmarks Illinois has announced the winners of the 2025 Landmarks Illinois Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Awards. This year’s nine winning projects are located in Granite City, Millstadt, Belvidere, Charleston, Chicago, Tinley Park…
Read MoreFrom ILEPI: Pre-apprenticeship programs boost diversity in construction
A new report from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI) and the University of Illinois’ Project for Middle Class Renewal (PMCR), The Impact of Pre-Apprenticeship Programs in Illinois: Evidence from the Highway Construction Careers Training Program and the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program Since 2017, shows that pre-apprenticeship programs are dramatically expanding opportunities for women and…
Read MoreDisco Time wins 2025 St. Louis Derby at Fairmount Park
On Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, Fairmount Park Casino and Racing honored its centennial with the marquee event of the season, the FanDuel St. Louis Derby. It was Disco Time that cruised to victory in the $250,000 St. Louis Derby held at the venue over the weekend (Sept. 18-20, 2025) as a part of its 100th…
Read MoreSIUE receives reaffirmation of Higher Learning Commission accreditation
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has received reaffirmation of accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), following a rigorous, University-wide review process including a successful on-site evaluation earlier this spring. The HLC visiting peer-review team found no areas of concern and affirmed that SIUE meets all five Criteria for Accreditation, including all core components and federal compliance…
Read MoreAnnual ‘Girls Night Out’ promotes breast cancer awareness, offers mammogram screenings
Event is scheduled from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year in the United States, an estimated 240,000 women get breast cancer, and 42,000 women die from the disease. Mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early, when it is…
Read MoreMadison County renews contract with Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois
By RANDY PIERCE Focusing on economic development and providing good-paying jobs for the local workforce is the goal of the Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois, which will now continue to provide such support services to Madison County through Sept. 30, 2026. The organization’s annual contract, consisting of $30,000 in fees to be paid to the Leadership…
Read MoreILEPI new report: Union membership growing in Illinois, Michigan
The 11th annual State of the Unions study from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI) and the University of Illinois’ Project for Middle Class Renewal (PMCR) finds that while union density is shrinking nationally, states that protect or restore collective bargaining rights are seeing membership gains and faster wage growth. Illinois added 27,000 union…
Read MoreFormer educator convicted of sexual abuse; receives prison term
A former educator at Edwardsville High School has been convicted of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse and sentenced to four years in prison. Erin Hamilton-Foley, 53, pleaded guilty Monday [Sept. 22, 2025] in Circuit Court in Madison County to the Class 1 felony charge. Hamilton-Foley was an assistant principal at Edwardsville High School when she was…
Read MoreIAM District 837 ratifies union-proposed settlement offer, ball in Boeing’s court
By MELISSA CROCKETT MESKE Managing Editor, Illinois Business Journal On Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union) District 837 members ratified a four-year contract offer that was drafted and proposed to Boeing Defense as an alternative to the company’s most recent offer that had been rejected. The union-proposed offer…
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