Area News
Illinois law enforcement achieves near universal compliance in inaugural SAFE-T Act training verification cycle
By Tribune Staff • The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB) today announced near universal compliance among active-duty law enforcement officers in the state’s first verification group in the training verification process as mandated by the Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act. The high achievement rate for the “A-G” last name group,…
Read MoreJoe’s Market Basket shares benefits of planting perennials
By Tribune Staff • June marks National Perennial and Pollinator Month, an ideal time to brighten your garden as warmer days arrive. Joe’s Market Basket shares how perennials and pollinators are closely connected, and why keeping perennials healthy is vital. Perennials come back year after year and survive cold, dry winters. As the backbone of…
Read MoreResidents who live along Bouse Road encouraged to attend public meeting in July
Charles Bolinger Editor • As part of Troy’s efforts to convert area oil-’n-chip roads into concrete streets with new sidewalks or shared-use paths, curbs and gutters, Bouse Road has figured into the city’s plans for a while now. Troy’s City Engineer, Tom Cissell, gave details. The roadwork has two phases. The first phase will go…
Read MoreThe Bakery keeps busy with new location in Marine
By Bruce Darnell • Located at 101 E. Alton St., The Bakery has turned from a local pop-up dessert shop to a fully-run business providing sweets of all sorts. Jessica Kutz, who co-owns the business with her husband, said they opened during the first weekend of May, forgetting the exact day. But when you see…
Read MoreOvercoming years of adversity leads St. Jacob single mother to Pennsylvania State University
By Bruce Darnell • Ariel Schellenger, 35, started school at Southwestern Illinois College in 2009. She never finished, and in the years since has had two children. But, after a series of personal struggles, she started working on improving her situation. Last year she went back to school at Bryant & Stratton College, and less…
Read MoreLane closures on I-270 in Madison County June 15, 16
By Tribune Staff • The Illinois Department of Transportation announced on June 12 that intermittent daytime lane closures will take place on Interstate 270 between Illinois 111 and Interstate 55 in Madison County on Monday, June 15, and Tuesday, June 16, weather permitting. The lane closures are necessary for the evaluation of pavement conditions. Motorists…
Read MoreTroy City Council shifts gears on new dump truck
By Charles Bolinger Editor • During its June 1 meeting, the city council changed gears on a dump truck bid for the public works department. A bid approved at the May 18 city council meeting for a medium-duty Ford F-550 cab/chassis with a dump bed was changed during the public works portion of the June…
Read MoreMaryville takes first step to establish bicycle, pedestrian master plan
By Kathy Turner • Community surveys, a volunteer committee, village board members, village employees and engineers from Juneau and Associates all pulled together over the past months to present what is a first step in developing a bicycle and pedestrian master plan for the Maryville community. With approval of the resolution, the plans will be…
Read More‘Best-smelling accident ever’ on I-70 caused loss of semi truck, trailer on June 10
By Charles Bolinger Editor • Some semi-truck accidents leave liquids behind, like water or beer; others leave objects in their wake, like rubber ducks. The one that took place on June 10 on Interstate 70 between Highland and Greenville left behind a great aroma, even though the tractor-trail involved was a total loss. What lingered…
Read MoreThree Collinsville teenagers detained by ICE while en route to work in central Illinois
Charles Bolinger Editor • A traffic stop in central Illinois on June 9 led to the detainment of three teenage boys from Collinsville. Jesus Alexis Cruz, 16; Hector Cruz Sanchez, 19; and Jonathan Godoy, 19, are all in the United States without legal status. The trio were en route to work in Morrisonville, a small village…
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