New $25 million CAVC expansion unveiled at Collinsville High School campus

By Ray Popkess • A massive state-funded investment in the Collinsville Area Vocational Center (CAVC) was revealed to the public on Oct. 30 across Caseyville Road from Collinsville High School. The CAVC caters to high school students seeking career paths in the trades, healthcare, education and service industries. The...

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.

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.

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

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

Metro East St. Louis: High Stakes in Metro East: General Election Races Decades of Dirty Sewage in Cahokia and Fatal I-255 Collision

As unofficial returns settle key leadership contests across St. Clair and Madison counties, regional focus shifts to longstanding municipal infrastructure upgrades in Cahokia Heights and urgent safety evaluations on Interstate 255 following a tragic collision. Overview: Voter turnout shaped high-stakes county board races and judicial referendums across the Metro East,...

Highland City Council approves estimated 3.92% tax levy increase

Reporter • Highland City Council approved an estimated 3.92% increase in its property tax levy during its Oct. 19 meeting. The proposed increase would generate roughly $202,000 in additional property tax revenue for the city compared with the previous year. The amount would rise from $5,161,357 last year to $5,363,762. The city’s property tax rate is expected to decline by 1.04%.

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...

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

IDOT to resurface Route 162 in Troy from I-55/70 to Dewey Street next spring

Editor • While it was not contained in his bi-monthly city engineer’s report, Tom Cissell had news to share during the Nov. 2 Troy City Council meeting. “I did hear some really exciting news,” he said. “I went to the mayors’ meeting last week and the IDOT District 8 Engineer said IDOT will resurface Route 162 from the Interstate 55/70 interchange east to Dewey Street next spring.” Bid the orange pavement good-bye! Cissell estimates the current overlay was put down in 2005.

Marion County Clerk Steve Fox’s last election anything but normal

Marion County Clerk Steve Fox had some special surprises for his final election before retiring December first. It started with power problems. “Three precincts that had power outages for multiple hours during the day. I really want to thank the community for stepping up. We had generators, lights, and different things brought in so that we could get through the day, and I appreciate that.”

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

Mettler Development awarded contract for Glen Carbon PD remodel

By Kathy Turner • The Glen Carbon Village Board on Tuesday, Oct. 20, approved a bid from Mettler Development LLC for renovations at the police department. The bid came in at just under a total of $1.5 million. Included in the project will be construction of locker rooms for...

St. Clair County Elects New Clerk, Re-Elects Several Board Members

ST. CLAIR COUNTY – St. Clair County voters elected a new County Clerk and re-elected County Board members in several districts, while voters in various fire protection districts chose to consolidate into the Cahokia Fire Protection District. Following are unofficial county-level results from the Nov. 3, 2026 St. Clair...

BJC, Aetna Reach 2027 Agreement For Illinois TRAIL Retirees

ST. LOUIS — Illinois state retirees enrolled in the TRAIL program through Aetna Medicare Advantage will retain in-network access to BJC HealthCare providers and hospitals in 2027 under a one-year agreement between the two organizations. This includes hospitals like Barnes-Jewish in St. Louis, where many in Illinois go for...

Troy City Council approves Formosa Ridge redevelopment agreement

Brian Huffman and his wife purchased a former dairy farm at 2101 Formosa Road in Troy, north of the city’s hotel complex, earlier this year with the desire to convert it into a wedding and meeting venue called Formosa Ridge. During the approval process this summer, one issue was...

Edwardsville Unemployment Rate Dips To 3.1 Percent In September 2026, Alton's Mark Also Drops To 4.2 Percent

EDWARDSVILLE - Unemployment fell in September 2026 across Madison, St. Clair, Calhoun, Greene, Jersey and Macoupin counties, as well as Edwardsville, Alton, Granite City and East St. Louis, while the Illinois portion of the St. Louis metropolitan area added 500 jobs compared with a year earlier. The declines were part...

Troy’s finance committee discusses ways to pay for 2027’s Independence Day fireworks

Editor • Troy City Administrator Jay Keeven sought some direction from the city’s finance committee on which route they should take for fireworks after this year’s extra-large display in honor of the nation’s 250th Anniversary. No votes took place. Keeven said that in 2026, fireworks cost...

Macoupin County voters oust one incumbent board member, support separation from Chicago

Three of four referendums approved, including one to create special ambulance service in Medora

Troy talks EAV rates, tax levies during finance committee

Editor • Troy’s equalized assessed valuation (EAV) continues to climb while its tax rate keeps falling due to the increased EAV. That was just one outcome from a discussion of the city’s tax rate during a Nov. 2 finance and economic development committee meeting at city hall. No votes took place at the committee or city council levels.