Fairview Heights approves development plan for Lotawata Creek building

The massive building that housed Lotawata Creek Southern Grill for nearly 30 years will be converted into a gas station with a convenience store, liquor store and fast-food chicken restaurant. Lotawata Creek closed last year at 311 Salem Place in Fairview Heights, near the intersection of Illinois 159 and Interstate 64. On Wednesday night, the City Council approved a site plan for the Sav-On Phillips 66 project and a special-use permit allowing a gas station in an area zoned B-4, or retail business. “This is going to be very good for the city,” said Dallas Alley, director of land use and economic development. “While we loved having Lotawata Creek, and restaurants are a great thing, that’s a very big building, and it would be very difficult to fill it with another restaurant.” The site plan shows a convenience store, Sav-On liquor store, video gambling room and Champs Chicken restaurant inside the building with Phillips 66 gas pumps and electric-vehicle charging stations outside. The restaurant will have a drive-thru window. Developers Alka and Nick Patel, of Caseyville, didn’t return calls for comment Thursday. In city paperwork, they listed 20 other businesses as examples of their ownership experience in the past 27

Wood River City Council asked to consider small liquor bottle ban

County Board member asks Wood River City Council to consider small liquor bottle ban

High turnout yields mixed results in Madison County elections

Madison County voters turned out in force. Here’s which races shifted on Election Day

Madison County backed Republicans in most statewide races

The county did support Alexi Giannoulias, making him the first Democrat to carry the county in a statewide race since 2018.

Amy Elik wins re-election in Illinois House District 111, defeats Rosie Brown

Amy Elik defeats Rosie Brown, wins fourth Illinois House term with 55.17% of vote

Godfrey Village Board Meeting: Maggie Pruetzel Proclamation, Glazebrook Turf Fields and 2027 Plans

The Village of Godfrey Board of Trustees recognizes Marquette Catholic golfer Maggie Pruetzel, the 2026 IHSA Class 1A girls individual state champion, and considers village business at its November meeting. The board approves seeking qualifications for design-build services for additional turf sports fields at Glazebrook Park, as well as engineering qualifications for drainage improvements in Wick-Moore Place and Storyland subdivisions.

Local Food Inspections November 2 - 6

The following food establishments were inspected by the Madison and St. Clair County Health Departments between November 2 and 6. November 2 Trackside Bar & Grill- Collinsville 10 (Pf) Handwashing sink shall be provided with paper towels, continuous towel system supplying user with clean towel, heated-air hand drying device or air-knife system Reference 6-301.12. MENS RESTROOM MISSING PAPER TOWELS. PIC ADDED PAPER TOWELS TO DISPENSER DURING INSPECTION. CORRECTED. 51 ( C) Plumbing needs repair. Repair according to Illinois and local plumbing code. Reference 5-205.15.KITCHEN HAND SINK HAS A LEAK. REPAIR OR REPLACE. November 3 SOS Soup Kitchen-First United Presbyterian Church- Collinsville 19 (P) Food was not reheated to 165F within 2 hours, before being placed in hot holding. Reference 3-403.11. ROAST BEEF WAS COOKED AND COOLED YESTERDAY. BEEF IS BEING SLICED AND PLACED IN CROCKPOTS WITHOUT REHEATING MEAT TO AT LEAST 165F FOR HOT HOLDING. CORRECTED BY PLACING MEATS IN OVEN UNTIL REACHING AT LEAST 165F. Jimmy Johns- Collinsville 16 (Pf) Food contact surfaces and utensils shall be clean to sight and touch. Wash, rinse, sanitize routinely. Reference 4-601.11. ONION SLICER STORED ON RACK FOUND STILL DIRTY. CORRECTED BY PLACING IT INTO 3C SINK TO BE PROPERLY CLEANED AND SANITIZED.

Jen Farley on Persnickety, Downtown Alton’s Growth and the North Alton Godfrey Business Council

November school board meetings for Alton, Bethalto, Wood River, Jersey and nearby areas

November school board meetings for Madison, Calhoun, Greene, Jersey, and Macoupin counties

The Telegraph's Alton area headlines for Nov. 6 over past 100 years of history

Nov. 6 headlines include Barack Obama campaigns in Collinsville for judge in 2006

North Main Street project nears completion in Edwardsville

Major portions of the North Main Street project are complete, while traffic signals, pedestrian beacons and landscaping work remain.

Forest Park's Steinberg Rink Returns Nov. 30 After 21-Month Glade Overhaul

Steinberg Skating Rink in Forest Park is set to reopen Monday, Nov. 30, with a ceremonial ribbon cutting followed by the first public skating sessions that evening. The reopening caps a renovation project at the rink's longtime home at 400 Jefferson Drive, where ice skating is expected to run from late November 2026 through February 2027.

Voters in Madison County say they don't want future data center development

Residents in four Madison County townships overwhelmingly said data center development should not be allowed in their communities. Ballot initiatives in Chouteau, Granite City, Nameoki and Venice townships asked voters whether they support future data center development and construction. Residents in all four townships voted no. Chouteau Township had the most decisive result with 83.27% of the vote against data centers. Other townships voted at least 74% against them. In Illinois, townships are subdivisions of local government that operate alongside cities and villages. The township’s elected board may oversee local infrastructure, such as water and sewer services. Each of the townships included in this advisory measure overlap with Granite City. Because the measures are non-binding, they do not ban data centers even though residents voted against the projects. Heather Groetecke is a lifelong Granite City resident and led the effort to collect signatures for the initiatives. She said the initiative will send a strong message to policymakers about the will of the voters despite being a nonbinding measure. “I am so stunned by the numbers,” Groetecke said. “The people actually listened and cared about their neighbors to vote no for that.” Groetecke wanted to put a data center moratorium on

Godfrey seeks engineering firms for Wick-Mor, Storeyland subdivision drainage fixes

Summer rains exposed drainage problems in two Godfrey subdivisions. What comes next?

Alton weighs sewer fund repayments to Godfrey and Bethalto

Alton prepares sewer repayment to Godfrey; Bethalto's amount is still under negotiation

Collinsville Issues Boil Order After Water Main Break

COLLINSVILLE – A water main break has prompted the Collinsville, Illinois, Water Department to issue a boil order until further notice for customers at specified addresses across the city, including all addresses in the Woodland Trails mobile home neighborhood. Water used for drinking or cooking should be brought to...

Highland approves $9.3 million in Route 160 road improvements for 2027

Reporter • More than $9.3 million in road improvements along two sections of Illinois Route 160 are planned for Highland in 2027 after approval of agreements with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) on Nov. 2. City officials also agreed to name the new road that runs behind the...

Staunton High students dismissed early Friday due to potential gas smell

Early dismissal "out of an abundance of caution," the school district posted on Facebook.

Glen Carbon merchants seek compensation over Main Street construction

Merchants say parking and access problems are affecting their businesses during a storm sewer project, while the village expects the work to finish by Thanksgiving.