Area News
Pritzker must address multi-billion-dollar deficit amid federal funding uncertainty
Annual budget address will be among toughest in governor’s two terms By BEN SZALINSKI Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — The relative ease of budgeting following the pandemic thanks to federal aid and strong tax revenue surpluses for the state appears to be over. Gov. JB Pritzker will present his seventh budget proposal Wednesday as the…
Read MoreSenator Erica Harriss delivers handmade cards to area seniors
State Senator Erica Harriss (R-56th-Glen Carbon) extends her heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated in her annual Valentines for Seniors Card Drive, making this year’s event a tremendous success. “Each year, we continue to brighten the faces of our senior community through this initiative, and I’m thankful to those who have taken the time to…
Read MoreL&C continues Black History Month programming through Feb. 25
More free, public programming for Black History Month continues through the end of February at Lewis and Clark Community College. “We encourage community members on campus and off to come out and be engaged in these offerings,” said Student Activities Coordinator Jared Hennings. “Having a good cross section of the community involved enhances the…
Read MoreSouthern Illinois University Carbondale officially among top U.S. research schools
On Feb. 13, 2025, Southern Illinois University Carbondale officially entered the ranks of the top research universities in the nation: It has been designated Research 1, or R1, in the Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education. The prestigious designation by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching confirms SIU…
Read MoreIDNR, ICF award 26 youth habitat enhancement projects through the Schoolyard Habitat Grant Program
More than $40,000 in grants for 26 Illinois schoolyard habitat action projects have been awarded by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Illinois Conservation Foundation (ICF) for the 2025 application period. The Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant program supports the development or enhancement of wildlife habitat on school grounds or other public…
Read More‘Love in the air’: New clock, globe installed at The Wedge
By MELISSA CROCKETT MESKE IBJ Managing Editor [email protected] Starting at 1 p.m. on a cold Valentine’s Day for 2025, community members gathered at 620 E. Broadway in Alton to watch a new clock installation at the historic, iconic building known simply as “The Wedge.” The architectural wonder, now known as The Wedge Innovation Center…
Read MoreSecond annual Builders Spring Home Show Fenton to be held March 15, 16
The second annual Builders Spring Home Show Fenton will be held Saturday and Sunday, March 15 and 16, with free admission and parking. The new home show, located in a Southwest St. Louis County location near the intersection of I-44 and I-270 in Fenton, Mo., gives area residents the opportunity to shop the latest home…
Read MoreTurnpike Troubadours, ‘Red Dirt’ music pioneers, to perform Aug. 17 at state fair
Tahlequah, Okla. kings of Red Dirt music Turnpike Troubadours will perform at the Illinois State Fair Grandstand on Sunday, Aug. 17. After releasing five genre-defining albums and building a fiercely loyal fanbase, Turnpike Troubadours took a three-year hiatus beginning in 2019 to find clarity amidst the noise of a red-hot career. After the break, the…
Read MoreIllinois lawmakers react to Madigan corruption verdict
Longest-serving legislative leader in U.S. history found guilty on 10 charges By BEN SZALINSKI and PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers voiced a wide range of reactions Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, following former House Speaker Michael Madigan’s conviction on multiple federal corruption charges. Republicans, who have long complained about his style of…
Read MoreHabitat incentive programs aid landowners, wildlife
By HANNAH SPANGLER FarmWeek The Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever organizations are assisting landowners in establishing pollinator or wildlife habitats that benefit upland birds, grassland birds and farmer profitability. “When I meet with a landowner, the first thing I want to do is understand their goals, what resources they have and if they have…
Read More