Area News
Legislators to host upcoming regional ICASH events
State Senator Erica Harriss (R-56th-Glen Carbon) and state Senator Jil Tracy (R-50th-Quincy) have teamed up with the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office to host an ICASH event from 12 Noon to 4 p.m. on Monday, May 4 at the Mississippi Valley Library District location (408 West Main Street, Collinsville, IL 62234). Harriss and the Illinois…
Read MoreCelebrate Route 66 in 2026
The 100th anniversary of the Mother Road in Illinois is officially underway throughout the region Get your kicks on Route 66 in southwest Illinois this summer. Communities and residents all along the Last 100 Miles of Route 66 in Illinois will celebrate with a variety of festivals, events, and even newly created Mother Road themed…
Read MoreSIUE hosts ceremony marking construction completion of new Health Sciences Complex
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Health Sciences Complex, a $117.4 million state-appropriated construction project made possible by the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois Capital program and overseen by the Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB), hosted a ceremonial ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, to mark its construction completion. The Clayco and Poettker joint…
Read MoreMCT celebrates National Bike Month: Trail Summit, bike donation drive, trail survey
Virtual summit to highlight regional trail projects; local libraries to serve as bike donation hubs This May, Madison County Transit (MCT) will celebrate National Bike Month with several initiatives designed to support bicycling, trail use, regional trail development, and cycling access throughout Madison County. As part of the celebration, MCT will engage in the following…
Read MoreMidAmerica St. Louis Airport hosts second airplane pull event
By BRUCE DARNELL Have you ever pushed a car while it was in neutral? Even with a few people helping, it can be a hard task. Now imagine pulling 13 cars combined—about 52,000 pounds or 26 tons—as quickly as possible and you’ll have a good idea of what contestants had to overcome on April 25…
Read MoreNew ‘State of the Air’ report shows continued struggles for STL region
Despite long-term progress, latest national report ranks metro area among top U.S. cities for ozone pollution As daily air quality forecasting resumes for the 2026 season on May 1, the American Lung Association’s newly released “State of the Air” report reveals that, even after decades of efforts to clean up air pollution, millions of Americans…
Read MoreFifth annual ‘One Day, One SIUE’ raises more than $3.2M
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville raised a record-breaking $3,221,709 during its fifth annual One Day, One SIUE celebration on Thursday, April 23, bringing together alumni, students and community supporters for an evening of philanthropy, pride and impact. Held outside the University’s new Health Sciences Complex, this year’s theme, “Soaring to New Heights,” reflected both the…
Read MoreFormer East St. Louis librarian, Public Aid eligibility assistant sentenced to prison for embezzlement
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced the former director of the East St. Louis Public Library to 15 months’ imprisonment after she admitted to embezzling more than $100,000 from the East St. Louis Public Library and the Illinois Department of Human Services. Kenyada T. Harris, 42, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to eight…
Read MoreHSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital is expanding healthcare access with $116M investment
HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in O’Fallon is expanding access to high-quality health care by investing $116 million in campus and infrastructure projects. Overview There are multiple projects happening at HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. One is the construction of a new outpatient surgery center and medical office building on the northeast corner of campus and…
Read More‘Mississippi Riverscapes: 2026 Plein Air Art Competition’ returns to the Riverbend
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rivers Project, in partnership with Jacoby Arts Center, Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau, and Mooneyham Art LLC, recently announced its second annual Plein Air art competition, “Mississippi Riverscapes.” This event is an open-air painting and drawing competition at Rivers Project recreation areas throughout the month of May and…
Read More