Area News
HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital welcomes first baby of 2026
HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital recently shared news of its “proud welcome” of Rosalinda Elizabeth Taylor as the first baby born at the hospital in 2026. Delivered at 2:02 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2025, at St. Elizabeth’s Women and Infants Center, she weighed 6 pounds, 5 ounces, and was 20 inches long. Her parents are…
Read MoreSTL statement on release of November’s fatal shooting video
An official statement was released on Jan. 2, 2026 by St. Louis Lambert International Airport regarding the recent release of video from the November fatal shooting by the St. Louis County Police department: “Today, St. Louis County Police released video regarding the fatal shooting that occurred in St. Louis Lambert International Airport’s Terminal One on…
Read More‘The Lodge’: Eckert’s unveils cozy winter pop up experience
With new menu and beverage options, The Lodge is a familiar winter escape, warming up the St. Louis region in the new year Eckert’s Farm, the eighth-generation family farm in Belleville, Ill. (951 S. Green Mount Rd.), invites guests to slow down and cozy up at The Lodge, its newest pop-up bar experience, open on…
Read MoreMcLeod Express fortifies Illinois trucking services with Contegra-constructed second warehouse
With increasing demand for warehousing space in central Illinois, family-owned McLeod Express has opened its second warehouse in Decatur. Edwardsville-headquartered Contegra Construction completed the 611,000-square-foot facility. It supplements McLeod’s existing warehouse operations and is conveniently located about a mile from the I-72 exchange and three miles from the Midwest Inland Port in Decatur. “Our partnership with…
Read MoreBank robbery investigation in Edwardsville leads to suspect arrest
The Edwardsville Police Department announced on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, that a 51-year-old Washington, Ind., man was taken into custody and is facing charges stemming from an investigation into a robbery at an Edwardsville bank earlier in the week. The robbery occurred at Chase Bank, 248 Harvard Drive, Edwardsville, on Monday afternoon, Dec. 29. On…
Read MoreFrom IDHS: Notification of incident involving protected health information
Pursuant to the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, 45 CFR Sections 164.400-414, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) has notified the media of a security incident involving internal planning maps. On Sept. 22, 2025, IDHS discovered that maps created by the IDHS Division of Family and Community Services’ Bureau of…
Read MoreIllinois celebrates economic development milestones in 2025
State incentive program investments drive a record $13 billion Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) recently released data highlighting record-breaking economic development milestones from 2025. Guided by Governor Pritzker’s strategic economic growth plan, Illinois reached a record $13 billion in incentivized investments, delivered record tourism accomplishments, and marked…
Read MoreCongress advances whole milk bill
By TAMMIE SLOUP FarmWeek After more than a decade of whole milk being absent from school cafeterias, legislation allowing for more milk options awaits the president’s signature. The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, passed by the U.S. House on Dec. 15 and the Senate in November, would overturn USDA’s 2012 restrictions that have…
Read MorePoettker Construction celebrates 45 years in 2025
Poettker Construction, a company specializing in construction management, design-build, and general contracting services, finished 2025 without a lost-time incident. With safety as a core value, Poettker employees completed over 400,000 work hours without a lost-time incident and 5,120 hours of safety training in 2025. Poettker Construction also launched a drone program to benefit risk management…
Read MoreNew laws: Illinois education measures focus on immigrant rights, AI in the classroom
Measures that provide legal protections for students, guidelines for schools take effect Jan. 1 By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois Article Summary Illinois lawmakers responded to President Trump’s crackdown on immigrant communities with new legal protections for students and guidelines for schools that will take effect Jan. 1. Community colleges will be barred from using…
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