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EDWARDSVILLE — The 33rd annual Edwardsville D.A.R.E. Car-Truck-Motorcycle Show took place on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, bringing together vehicle enthusiasts and community members despite challenges posed by the extreme heat of 100-degree temperatures and technical difficulties. Organizers of the event, held at a new location this year, expressed gratitude to participants, sponsors, volunteers and attendees who braved the weather to support the fundraiser for the local D.A.R.E. program. The event showcased a variety of vehicles, including cars, trucks, motorcycles and other multi-wheeled machines, drawing interest from both dedicated car enthusiasts and casual visitors. However, the combination of high heat and humidity led organizers to make the difficult decision to close the show earlier than planned. Additionally, computer problems prevented the timely completion of judging, delaying the announcement of competition results. Organizers apologized for the shortcomings

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BELLEVILLE, Ill. — The Belleville Police Department officially swore in Officer Dean this past week as she prepares to begin training at the Southwestern Illinois College Police Academy. The Belleville Police Department invited the public to congratulate Officer Dean and extend well-wishes as she embarks on her law enforcement career.

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WHITE HALL — Colby L. Brooks, 53, of rural White Hall, died Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, after an accident involving a lawnmower on private property, Greene County Coroner Brady Milnes has confirmed. Brooks was pronounced dead at 1:40 p.m. at the scene on Saturday. The coroner said preliminary findings indicate he suffered traumatic asphyxiation after being ejected from the lawnmower he was operating. The incident occurred in rural White Hall, Greene County. The circumstances surrounding the accident remain under investigation by the Greene County Coroner’s Office and the Greene County Sheriff’s Office.

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ST. LOUIS - Amid the rise in ticks during the warm weather, a new study suggests that residents in Missouri and Illinois should take caution while enjoying the great outdoors. Terminix recently published a report from 2024 that places Missouri and Illinois among the states with the worst tick problems. The report attributed the various [...]

GREENVILLE - Joyce Joplin (Volkers) is seeking financial assistance to cover funeral expenses for a distinguished Navy veteran following the unexpected passing of her father, Eldon “Butch” Joplin on Aug. 10, 2025. Joplin described her father as a man known to many as "Butch," who served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Vulcan as a Hull Maintenance Technician. He married Joplin’s mother in 1981, and they had three children before divorcing in 1995. Joplin said her father loved his children unconditionally. He retired about six years ago from Peterson Springs and also served for many years on the Greenville Fire Department. Joplin said her father did not leave any funds to cover funeral costs. She is currently unemployed due to the time spent accompanying him to medical appointments and is uncertain about the timeline for raising money for his cremation. She indicated that any contributions would be used for the cremation, outstanding debts, and a celebration of life.

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Residents in Vandalia were mistakenly alerted by storm sirens in the middle of the night, and local authorities are double-checking the system to ensure it does not happen again.

Back in April, former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar released the song "Encore, Thank You, Good Night," revealing that the tune was inspired by a dream he had about his late bandmate Eddie Van Halen. Well,…

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COLLINSVILLE - The Collinsville Police Department announced the return of its Citizen Police Academy after a three-year pause, aiming to strengthen the relationship between local law enforcement and residents. The program will begin this spring in Collinsville, Illinois, offering an eight-week session held on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Led by Sergeant Josh Hunt and Sergeant Jay Edwards, the academy is designed to promote understanding of the criminal justice system and provide insight into everyday police work. The department described the academy as a “unique opportunity to educate the citizens of Collinsville” and a way for participants to observe law enforcement through a hands-on approach. The Citizen Police Academy is free and open to the first 25 applicants. Interested residents can apply by scanning a QR code provided by the department or visiting the Collinsville Police Department’s website to complete a brief application. According to the

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A second suspect has been charged for his role in allegedly scamming an auto repair shop in Overland out of several thousand dollars last summer.

HIGHLAND - Kevin Johnson, owner of Artisan Stone Interiors in Highland, was recently airlifted to Barnes Hospital in St. Louis after sustaining three skull fractures and a brain bleed in a suspected hit-and-run accident while test-riding his rebuilt e-bike. The incident, which left Johnson unable to perform the physical labor required for his flooring business due to a strict 10-pound lifting restriction, has also resulted in mounting medical bills and financial strain. Johnson, who does not recall the details of the crash, said the severe damage to his e-bike led doctors to suspect a collision with a vehicle. He is currently recovering at Barnes Hospital and has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser to help cover medical expenses, living costs, and to keep Artisan Stone Interiors operational during his recovery. “I’m grateful to be here today and recovering,” Johnson said. “The good news is that I am healing, but recovery comes with major challenges. With hospital

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ST. LOUIS – Today, Mayor Cara Spencer announced that the City of St. Louis has ended alley recycling due to ineffectiveness and high costs and will instead grow its number of recycling drop-off locations by 50%, increase its number of alley refuse dumpsters by 100%, and commit additional staff to the collection of trash. Recycling costs the City almost five times more per ton than trash. Yet, more than half of the recycling collected in St. Louis this year is rejected at the recycling center due to contamination. For those materials, St. Louis taxpayers have been paying the full cost of recycling without receiving any of the benefits. Meanwhile, many St. Louisans have experienced overflowing dumpsters in their alleys as the City has struggled to run some of its recycling and trash routes as frequently as needed. By ending alley recycling, the work hours previously dedicated to alley recycling are now focused on trash collection. Additionally, all alley recycling dumpsters

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Trump and his GOP enablers wouldn’t know subtlety if it held them down and punched them in the face repeatedly. Being a little bit crafty is never an option for an administration that prides itself on its performances. A little subtlety tends to go a long way, especially when you’re already fighting dozens of federal […]

By coming as a group, they hope to avoid debacles like Zelenskyy’s February meeting in the Oval Office

ST. LOUIS — Four endangered Mexican spider monkeys seized from smugglers near the U.S. southern border have found a home at the Saint Louis Zoo where staff hopes their story can spread awareness about the devastating illegal wildlife trade. Federal authorities in spring 2024 seized the monkeys as infants in three separate confiscations. Each was likely poached from the wild to be sold as an exotic pet, becoming a victim of a global criminal network that typically kills the infants’ mothers during capture. “This has to stop. These monkeys remind us that the sale of primates as pets must end once and for all,” said Regina Mossotti, Vice President of Animal Care at the Saint Louis Zoo. “Buyers may not realize it, but the illegal wildlife industry causes incredible suffering to so many animals. It not only harms endangered species, it also puts their native habitats in peril.” After their seizure, the four monkeys were initially taken to Gladys

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The Phelps County Sheriff's Department is asking the public to assist their search in locating a missing girl.

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Murrayville) to prevent school gun violence was signed into law on Friday. Representative Davidsmeyer filed his legislation after hearing of an incident in his district where a student threatened to commit an act of gun violence against another student. The victim told the school staff about the incident, but they did not report it to the principal because it was just a threat. House Bill 1316 requires all school officials to immediately notify the principal’s office in the event of any threat of gun violence on school grounds. The principal shall attempt to notify the offending student’s parents as soon as possible so that the parents may ensure that the student does not have access to a firearm. “I don’t want to take any threats of violence lightly,” Rep. Davidsmeyer said. “My legislation will help prevent school gun violence while not impeding on the Second

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ST. LOUIS – On Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer announced a series of updates to the structure of the Mayor’s Office. On the occasion of outgoing Chief of Staff Nancy Hawes’ last day as interim chief of staff, Mayor Spencer announced Casey Millburg as the incoming chief of staff. Hawes began her service as interim chief of staff with the mayor’s inauguration, and Millburg has served as the mayor’s policy director. “Nancy Hawes has shown fantastic dedication to St. Louis by stepping away from a highly successful legal career to lead the build-out of my administration and my staff through the intense transition and the massive challenge of responding to the May 16 tornado,” said Mayor Spencer. “I am both proud of and grateful for her excellent leadership. My administration and our city are better positioned for the future thanks to her cool head and hard work.” Hawes’ many achievements during her time

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