Williamson County social worker pleads not guilty

These 10 Under-The-Radar Illinois Thrift Shops Keep Bargain Hunters Digging For Hours

Paperback books for a quarter each. Three full floors of secondhand stuff stacked inside an old house. A charity shop where your purchase helps pay vet bills for rescue dogs. I could stop right there and you’d probably already be reaching for your car keys. Illinois has a sneaky habit of hiding its best bargains in plain sight, from a former warehouse to a grocery-and-thrift combo.

This Overlooked Kentucky Town Still Has Apartments Renting For Under $800 A Month

Somewhere between Louisville and Nashville, there’s a Kentucky town quietly doing everything right, and most people have no idea it exists. Madisonville, Kentucky is that town, and it’s the kind of place that makes you wonder why you’ve been paying so much to live somewhere else. Now...

Southern Illinois Has 8 Small-Town Diners Worth The Long Drive For Breakfast Alone

Some of the best mornings start with a plain little building you almost drive right past. You walk in hungry, grab a booth, and suddenly the bacon, biscuits, and coffee turn an ordinary trip into a story you keep telling. Southern Illinois is full of these quiet breakfast spots, tucked...

Election raises questions about mayor pro tem

Thomas earns most city commission votes; Wilson marks longest-serving female commissioner. Paducah City Commissioner Dujuan Thomas received the most votes in Tuesday’s city commission election, putting him in a position to potentially become the city’s next mayor pro tem. The city commission must still formally select someone for the position.

City of Benton, Illinois announces cancellation of Snow Globe Village 2026

BENTON, Ill. — The City of Benton, Illinois is announcing the cancellation of Snow Globe Village, originally set for Nov. 21 and Nov. 22, 2026. "We were looking forward to introducing this exciting new holiday event to our community and sincerely apologize for any disappointment or inconvenience this cancellation may cause," a release from the city states.

Harrisburg High School asks parents for help following repeated restroom vandalism

HARRISBURG, Ill., (KBSI) — Harrisburg High School officials are asking parents and families for help following repeated incidents of vandalism in student restrooms throughout the school year. In a message shared with families, school officials said intentional damage has forced some restrooms to temporarily close, causing disruptions for students...

Giant City School earns Illinois’ highest school rating

JACKSON COUNTY, Ill. (Heartland News) - A Jackson County, Illinois school earned a major achievement this year. Giant City School received an exemplary designation by the Illinois State Board of Education, the highest ranking under its guidelines. In order to receive it, the school had to reach certain levels of...

McCracken Commissioner Jones renews push for railroad overpass improvement

PADUCAH — McCracken County Commissioner Eddie Jones is renewing conversation about the potential for city and county collaboration to rejuvenate privately owned railway overpasses in the city of Paducah. Jones initially brought up the prospect of collaborating with the city to beautify the railroad overpass located at Broadway Street...

USDA rolls out new SNAP cost-of-living adjustments; Advocates say more needs to be done

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s new cost-of-living adjustments began at the beginning of October. Advocates say the change isn’t enough to address the ongoing need for food in Kentucky communities. The United States Department of Agriculture rolled out the changes for this fiscal year, providing a nearly 3%...

McCrack-Con coming up Saturday, 11-07-26

McCracken County Public Library's third annual McCrack-Con to return Saturday. Roll for initiative! The McCracken County Public Library's third annual McCrack-Con will return from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7.

Free Veterans Weekend Community Event in Carbondale on November 7

A southern Illinois non-profit and a local gym are teaming up to host a free Veterans Weekend community event in Carbondale. Organizers say boxing and combat sports clubs from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Missouri will take part in sparring matches held in two rings. The event will also feature veteran-owned businesses, food vendors, community resources, a student veterans food drive and live music.

The Place Where a Candidate Promising to Do Less on Data Centers Actually Won

1. McCracken County, Kentucky – A rare bright spot for the data center sector quietly occurred in deep red Kentucky in a race defined by what’ll likely be the first project built on federal land. As I previously reported , a large data center project became the primary point of conflict in the race for McCracken County’s judge-executive. The incumbent Republican Craig Clymer had welcomed the project, and faced a challenge from independent George Bray, mayor of the county’s largest city of Paducah. Bray also supported the data center but said his city, which is adjacent to the project, should’ve received more demarcated benefits. Bray called for a community benefit agreement. Turns out voters in McCracken County didn’t care enough about this issue to make a change and wanted to keep Clymer in office. He won handily, netting more than 12,000 votes to Bray’s roughly 7,600. It’s one of the few races across the country that went in favor of the candidate promising to do less when it came to data centers. 2. Pulaski County, Arkansas – After a blue wave election in Little Rock, this county government is on a collision course with data center development. We’ve been covering

Jackson Veterans Day parade set for Nov. 11

JACKSON, Mo., (KBSI) — The city of Jackson will honor military veterans with a Veterans Day parade Wednesday, Nov. 11. According to the Jackson Police Department, the parade will begin at 4 p.m. and travel through uptown Jackson. The parade will start at the Frozen Food Locker on South...

Cape Girardeau’s Spaghetti Day set for Nov. 5

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., (KBSI) — The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department and Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Foundation will host Spaghetti Day on Thursday, Nov. 5. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the A.C. Brase Arena in Cape Girardeau. Meals will include...

Downtown Cape Girardeau announces holiday events, 34th annual Parade of Lights

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., (KBSI) — Old Town Cape Inc. is preparing for the holiday season with several events planned in downtown Cape Girardeau, including a Christmas tree lighting, Small Business Saturday and the 34th annual Parade of Lights. The holiday festivities will begin Friday, Nov. 27, with the downtown...

Cape Girardeau prepares for more road work and street improvements

The City of Cape Girardeau boasts plenty of fun activities, a lively downtown and multiple subdivisions, but all of that traffic can cause more stress on the roadways. While it might cause more delays and longer travel times, the City of Cape Girardeau is planning more construction projects and improvements to the roads around town.