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TRENTON - A family is facing a devastating loss following a car accident on March 17, 2025, that claimed the lives of Ashley Koehler and her 10-year-old son, Jacob. The tragedy left Ashley's 3-year-old daughter Gracie in critical condition, fighting for her life at Cardinal Glennon Hospital. Amanda Emmerich, Ashley's sister, is organizing a GoFundMe fundraiser to support the family as they navigate this challenging time. "I am asking you to please donate to help her family pay for funeral and medical expenses or anything her children may need," Emmerich said. She said the accident resulted in multiple skull fractures and a broken leg for Gracie, who is also experiencing seizures. As she undergoes treatment, the family is grappling with the emotional and financial repercussions of their loss. Ashley leaves behind her husband, Jeff, and three other children. In a recent update, Emmerich shared that Gracie has made it through surgery, although doctors had to leave part of her skull of

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GRANITE CITY – A remarkable 150 band students from Coolidge Junior High School and Grigsby Intermediate School recently showcased their musical talents at the Illinois Grade School Music Association (IGSMA) State Solo/Ensemble Contest held March 1 at Coolidge. This prestigious event has been hosted at Coolidge for the past 15 years and continues to be a highlight for young musicians in the region. Of the 150 students who participated, an impressive 132 received an Excellent or Superior rating, demonstrating their dedication, hard work, and musical growth. These talented students spent three months diligently preparing their solos, culminating in outstanding performances at the contest. The IGSMA State Solo/Ensemble Contest provides students with a platform to refine their musical skills and gain valuable performance experience. The continued success of Granite City’s band students is a testament to the strength of the district’s music program and the unwavering

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EAST ALTON – Each year, volunteers across Illinois contribute to monitoring water quality through Illinois RiverWatch. Training will be held in April and May, providing community members with the skills to collect data and assess the health of local streams. RiverWatch, a community science program, is coordinated by the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC) at Lewis and Clark Community College. Each spring, RiverWatch offers workshops where volunteers learn to collect and identify stream macroinvertebrates (water bugs) and describe the physical condition of the stream habitat. “Macroinvertebrates is just a fancy word for water bugs,” Riverwatch Volunteer Coordinator Hannah Griffis said. “Many people do not pay attention to these small animals living in our streams, but they are affected by pollution and habitat changes. By collecting a sample of them, we can use them as bioindicators to assess the quality of the stream they live in.”

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ALTON – Newly filed court documents shine new light on a recent case of aggravated robbery at the Puff Zone Smoke Shop in Alton. Nicholas E. Apel, 24, of Alton, was charged on March 17, 2025 with a Class 1 felony count of aggravated robbery. On March 13, he allegedly stole property from Puff Zone by indicating he was armed with a firearm and threatening the use of force. A petition was filed to deny Apel’s pretrial release which adds more context surrounding the incident. According to the petition, officers responded to Puff Zone after an employee reported the robbery. “Officers contacted store employee who provided that defendant entered store and demanded products,” the petition states. “Defendant brandished what she believed to be a firearm. Defendant took various products and fled the store.” After reviewing the store’s surveillance footage, officers found Apel in the area and placed him under arrest. “Defendant was interviewed

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WOOD RIVER – Four local wrestlers were honored on Monday night, March 17, 2025, for their outstanding athletic performances in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) state championship. Wood River Mayor Tom Stalcup presented the wrestlers with Certificates of Recognition at this week’s City Council meeting. First was Drake Champlin , a senior at East Alton-Wood River High School and a wrestler for the Oilers. Mayor Stalcup said Champlin has earned several accolades competing in the 215-pound weight class, including first place at the Civic Memorial and Mascoutah tournaments, the Rochester invitational, the IHSA sectionals, the IHSA state tournament, and many other matchups. Champlin boasts an impressive win-loss record of 43-1. Next was Freshman Chloe Skiles of the Roxana High School Shells. Among her many athletic achievements listed by Mayor Stalcup were her first-place ranking at the Wonder Women girls wrestling tournament , earning her the 105-pound division

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GODFREY - In the race for mayor of Godfrey - we have a clear choice of candidates - and the best choice is Mayor Mike McCormick. Mayor McCormick is the only candidate in this race who opposed the pay raise for mayor. In fact, one of his opponents signed Mayor McCormick’s petition, then voted for the pay raise and once it passed the Village Board, and took out his own petition to run for Mayor. Mayor McCormick is a full-time mayor. Walk into the Village Hall and you are likely to see the Mayor sitting right out in front ready to help. Mayor McCormick has a record of accomplishments in Godfrey that is as impressive as it is long. Some of the highlights are the great park system, the improvement of the roads, the addition of great local businesses, and his creative approach to the pandemic which kept local businesses open while benefitting families. And to his credit - all this has been done while keeping Godfrey’s municipal tax rate the lowest in the country with no municipal

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BETHALTO - Dallas Zimmerman wants to see changes in Bethalto. Zimmerman, one of nine candidates running for a seat on the Bethalto Community Unit School District #8 Board of Education, shared more about who he is and what he stands for. He noted that he wants to see more transparency and efficiency from the school board, and he believes he is the right person for the job. “I’m focused on the leadership, the transparency, and my background in being efficient,” he said. “Personally, I believe there’s just too much familiarity amongst the school board and that whole group to where they’re kind of a band of brothers.” Zimmerman grew up in Fosterburg, then moved to Bethalto and transferred to Civic Memorial High School. After graduating, he joined the military for nine years and then lived in Florida and Wisconsin for another ten before eventually moving back to the Bethalto area. Back in Bethalto, Zimmerman owned a consulting business

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ALTON - Community members have the opportunity to learn more about how their dreams can guide their daily lives. At 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 3, 2025, at River Bend Yoga in Alton, the second session of the free “Raise Your Spiritual IQ!” series will discuss “Your Dream Worlds Revealed,” a conversation about techniques to remember and interpret your inner journeys for help in daily life. Organizers Flora Van Koten and Sheila Aehle will talk about how to remember and develop your own dream symbols to interpret your dreams and the messages they might reveal. “That voice is Soul, your true identity,” Van Koten said. “When that voice is heard, then the voice of ego — also called the little self — will stop and listen. It’s not used to doing that. However, over time and with the practice of looking at your dreams, you’ll be able to hear and understand more about what God or your higher self is trying to tell you.”

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MARION – Centerstone is excited to invite the public to an open house event for CASTLE (Centerstone Autism Services – Think! Learn! Explore!) on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at 1205 W. Main St, Marion, Il. Centerstone’s CASTLE program provides specialized, evidence-based autism services for children ages 3-12, helping them develop essential skills for lifelong learning and success. The open house offers an opportunity for the community to tour the facility, meet the dedicated team, and learn more about the impact of CASTLE’s programs. "We are incredibly grateful to open our doors to the community and offer these much-needed services in Southern Illinois. CASTLE will provide children with autism and their families the support they need, and we hope many across the region will take advantage of these vital resources.” said Anne Tyree, Regional CEO for Centerstone. Attendees will have the chance to explore the therapy spaces, spea

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EDWARDSVILLE — Mike Babcock is preparing his next steps as he gets ready to step down from his role as Wood River Township supervisor — a position he’s held the past 16 years. “I had no idea when I first ran for office that I would still be serving,” Babcock said. “I am thankful to the voters of Wood River Township who entrusted me to serve as their supervisor for all these years.” After Babcock was appointed as Madison County Treasurer in 2024, he made the decision not to seek re-election as supervisor. His term will end on May 19. Although state statute doesn’t deem holding concurrent offices as a conflict, Babcock felt it was time to retire as a part-time supervisor and focus on his new job as the county’s full-time treasurer. Babcock looks back on the job he’s done as supervisor and is proud of being a good financial steward of taxpayer funds. As supervisor, and with the boards help, he cut the budget by 15 percent

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ALTON - OSF St. Anthony’s Hospital has a new group for community members in their twenties who could use some extra support. The twentysomethings group meets from 3:30–4:30 p.m. on Thursdays in the Psychological Services Department at St. Anthony’s. This therapy group talks about socialization, life transitions, social anxiety and other challenges that folks in their twenties experience. “Really, we talk about anything from managing finances to resume-building, what kind of jobs are you interested in, how to make friends, difficulties with depression due to isolation and not making friends or socializing much,” explained Rachel, LCPC, who oversees the group. “The thing about this group is a lot of folks will be graduating from high school or college, and they’ve had that routine set for them for so many years. Now it’s gone, so what do they do? Now what?” Rachel said that the group accepts up to ten people. They discuss

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College will connect students, graduates and community members with employers throughout the region during its annual Job Fair, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. The fair is open to the public and will be held from 9 a.m. to noon in The Commons on the Godfrey Campus. The event is free for employers and job seekers and typically draws more than 350 attendees annually. Career Resources Specialist Terri DeWerff said Career Services looks forward to connecting employers with job seekers on campus. “Lewis and Clark Career Services offers a variety of resources in resume development, interviewing skills, and online professional networking,” DeWerff said. “We coordinate with program faculty/staff to assist students and graduates with career readiness competencies as they prepare for their job search and the upcoming Job Fair.” DeWerff said 50 employers have registered for the fair this year. “The goal is to provide an even

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CHICAGO — Today, Governor JB Pritzker announced that 2025 Spring enrollment at Illinois Community Colleges continues to surge, increasing to 8.9% compared to the previous Spring. The nearly 9% increase is the largest Spring-to-Spring enrollment increase since the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) began collecting systemwide enrollment in the late 1990s, and the third straight year of Spring enrollment increases according to the state’s latest 2025 Spring Enrollment Report . “With the largest Spring-to-Spring enrollment increase and the third straight year of growth, our community colleges have not only bounced back from the pandemic – they are now stronger than ever thanks to our historic investments in education,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “We are the home to the third largest community college system in the nation, and we want to continue seeing growth and opportunity for working families by making higher education more affordable and accessibl

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EDWARDSVILLE - The following students have been named to the Honor Roll at Metro-East Lutheran High School for the third quarter of the 2024-2025 school year: Grade 9 - Honor Roll with High Distinction (g.p.a. 4.0) Madison Dunn, Edwardsville Liam Hazelwonder, Godfrey Marion Hemmer, Fairview Heights Claire Houck, Maryville Collin Hudzik, Edwardsville Ryan Sullivan, New Douglas Lily Walloch, Collinsville Grade 9 - Honor Roll with Distinction (g.p.a. 3.75-3.99) Abby Ayer, Shiloh Elijah Ball, Worden Abby Dulaney, O'Fallon Lyla Eggebrecht, Wood River Oliver Elmer, Edwardsville Noah Gray, Collinsville Caitlyn Hardage, Caseyville Lily Hartzel, Troy Moira Krueger, Glen Carbon Laynie Menard, Glen Carbon Preston Menossi, Edwardsville Cole Payne, Edwardsville Matthew Redden, Edwardsville Henry Reiseck, Hamel Molly Schulmeister, Staunton Calista Stults, Collinsville Owen Trackwell, Maryville Josie Wright, Edwardsville

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ST. CLAIR COUNTY – A head-on collision on U.S. Route 50 in St. Clair County resulted in the deaths of three individuals in a crash that was reported at 8:49 p.m. on Monday, March 17, 2025, according to a statement from the Illinois State Police Troop 8. The crash occurred west of Clinton County Line Road in St. Clair County, prompting an immediate response from law enforcement. Upon arrival, authorities discovered two occupants deceased at the scene, while a third was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. U.S. Route 50 was closed for several hours as officials investigated the incident, with the roadway reopening at approximately 1:35 a.m. on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. As of now, no further details have been released regarding the circumstances of the crash or the identities of those involved. The Illinois State Police said the investigation is ongoing.

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BETHALTO - Desiree Potter is passionate about Bethalto. Potter, one of nine candidates running for a seat on the Bethalto Community Unit School District #8 Board of Education, shared more about who she is and what she stands for. She noted that her family moved to Bethalto for the school district, and she has been pleased to see how the district has treated her children. “My number one thing is, I’m a mom,” Potter said. “We feel so strongly about Bethalto. This is our roots. I’m not originally from here, but I love Bethalto, and we put roots here. I’m hoping one day my kids will have grandkids and we’ll be here for generations.” Potter has two sons at Civic Memorial High School. She also helped raise her nephew, and she noted that she saw a major transformation in him when he transferred to Bethalto schools. She is pleased with how the district has nurtured and educated her children, and she wants to be a part of that. Over

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SPRINGFIELD - Returning to the Illinois State Fair for the first time since 2017, Brad Paisley will perform on the Illinois Lottery Grandstand Stage on Thursday, August 14, 2025. With three GRAMMYs, two American Music Awards, 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, and 14 Country Music Association Awards, including a highly coveted Entertainer of the Year honor and recognition as the most successful CMA Award co-host in history, Brad Paisley has earned his place in country music history as one of the genre’s most talented and decorated male solo artists. “Three-peat, Grandstand crowd favorite, Brad Paisley is always welcome at the Illinois State Fair,” said Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II. “His award-winning songwriting and showmanship are unmatched, and we’re honored to bring him back to our Grandstand.” In addition to his superstar status, becoming the first artist to achieve 10 consecutive Billboard Country Airplay

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COLLINSVILLE - The Collinsville Community Unit School District #10 Board of Education recognized Collinsville High School student Taylor Dawson at the March 17, 2025, board meeting. Taylor was honored for winning the IHSA state championship in the girls wrestling at pounds. Taylor won the 140-pound division by defeating Christiana Finley of Country Club Hills Hillcrest by fall 5:59 and then pinned Maggie Zuber of Chicago Mother McAuley Catholic at 45 seconds of the final to capture the crown. The Kahoks wrestling sensation was introduced by Kahoks Athletic Director Clay Smith, who presented her with a certificate of recognition signed by board president Gary Peccola and Superintendent Dr. Mark B. Skertich. Taylor was joined and congratulated by Kahok varsity wrestling coach Jordan May.

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 12 attorneys general, today submitted a comment letter to the U.S. Department of State opposing proposed changes to the passport application process that would prevent transgender and nonbinary individuals from obtaining a passport that matches their gender identity. “This change in the passport application process is the latest of the Trump administration’s efforts to diminish the existence of transgender and nonbinary Americans. Prohibiting transgender and nonbinary people from having identification documents that align with their gender identity makes them less safe,” Raoul said. “Transgender and nonbinary individuals have the right to choose how their identity is reflected on their passports so they are not subjected to unnecessary confusion or delays while traveling. I am proud to stand with other attorneys general to advocate for and protect the rights of transgender and nonbinary individuals

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CHICAGO - In recognition of Sunshine Week, Attorney General Kwame Raoul released the Public Access Counselor Annual Report with details of a sampling of over 4,200 new matters received in 2024, as well as other matters the Public Access Counselor (PAC) addressed last year. The PAC works to increase transparency in Illinois government by resolving disputes regarding public bodies’ compliance with the state’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Open Meetings Act (OMA). The 2024 report also describes how the PAC trained thousands of individuals on Illinois’ transparency laws in webinars, seminars and conferences throughout the state. “During Sunshine Week, I’m proud to highlight the hard work and commitment of my office’s Public Access Bureau to ensuring government agencies in Illinois are accessible to the people they serve,” Raoul said. “I encourage appointed and elected officials and FOIA officers, as well as the public, to attend

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