Local Business Headlines

  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…

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…

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…

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…

  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…

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…

  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…

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…

  By MELISSA CROCKETT MESKE Managing Editor, Illinois Business Journal [email protected] A new wave of partnerships between regional institutions and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is positioning Southwestern Illinois and the St. Louis metro area as a growing hub for geospatial talent development, industry leaders said last week. The Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois announced it has…