Area News

By Zachary Daum [email protected] “We came back off of an ‘op,’ and we were sitting around with beers on the table and the team (was) chatting. One person said, you have an accent. ‘Where are you from?’ I said, ‘Canada.’ He said, ‘Well, that’s cool. When did you become a citizen?’ I said, ‘I’m not.’…

NEW BADEN – Emmet Metzger, 27, of New Baden, has been sentenced to natural life in prison for the murder of his girlfriend, Alexis Maki. The sentencing took place Monday, June 9, 2025, at the Clinton County Courthouse in Carlyle. Metzger pleaded guilty on April 7 to first-degree murder in connection with the November 4,…

By Jeff Thornton Memorial Day weekend is always the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing”, the Indianapolis 500! This year there were all kinds of storylines. Could Josef Newgarden win his third race in a row. Could Rookie, Robert Shwartzman win his first race from the pole position? Could Kyle Larsen complete all the laps at Indy…

By Zachary Daum [email protected] On May 17, Mascoutah-based indie rock band Halcyon stepped onto the stage at Pointfest 2025, marking the biggest moment of their musical journey so far. Opening one of the largest annual rock festivals in the country, the five-piece group played a 20-minute original set at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in front of…

AgeSmart and Statewide Agencies Host Day of Action May 28 to Urge Federal Support MASCOUTAH – A series of events at senior centers in the Southern Illinois area will take place on Wednesday, May 28, as Area Agencies on Aging, including AgeSmart Community Resources, rally in response to potential federal budget cuts that could dismantle…

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS — A 22-year-old Belleville man has been charged in connection with the shooting of three Fairview Heights police officers on Saturday night, May 17. Elijah Thompson faces four counts of Attempted Murder, three counts of Aggravated Battery, and one count of Resisting Arrest following an incident that began when officers responded to a…

By Zachary Daum [email protected] On April 26, the indie rock band “Halcyon” won the Road to Pointfest Grand Finals at Pop’s in Sauget, Illinois. The win earned them a spot on the Pointfest 2025 lineup, which will be held May 17 at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in St. Louis. It’s a major milestone for the…

By Zachary Daum [email protected] Bishop Stanley Schlarman, a longtime priest and bishop who served the Diocese of Belleville and later the Diocese of Dodge City, Kansas, passed away on April 28, 2025. He was 91 years old. Born on July 27, 1933, in Belleville, Illinois, Schlarman was one of four children raised by Cletus and…