Johnson County voters weigh in on future of historic courthouse restoration

JOHNSON COUNTY, Ill. (KBSI) – The future of Johnson County’s historic courthouse is back in the hands of voters as residents consider whether county leaders should continue pursuing funding to restore the condemned building. The courthouse was evacuated in 2023 after a serious structural problem raised concerns about...

Williamson County social worker pleads not guilty

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...

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...

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...

Wheatcroft citizens vote to prevent dissolution of city

HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – On Tuesday night, voters in the city of Wheatcroft voted against dissolving the city 28-22. The vote prevents the city from being absorbed by Webster County, and leaves the responsibilities and budget for the area in the hands of local officials. Judge/Executive Steve Henry said the decision ended up on the […]

Southern Illinois schools earn Exemplary ratings on 2026 Illinois Report Card

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (KBSI) — Several Southern Illinois schools have earned the state’s highest overall designation on the 2026 Illinois Report Card. Carterville High School, Tri-C Elementary School, Giant City School and Vienna High School were among the schools receiving an Exemplary designation. The report cards, released Oct. 30,...

Salem Army Veteran receives $5,000 at Thrive Mount Vernon

MOUNT VERNON, Ill. (KBSI) — Leonard Newcomb and his wife have four children and three bedrooms. They’re looking to sell their current home and buy one with more room. Now, a $5,000 check could help with the down payment. Newcomb, a U.S. Army veteran, is the Illinois winner...

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.

Republicans win Livingston, Lyon, Caldwell judge executive races

Republican candidates trounced their Democratic challengers in the Livingston, Lyon and Caldwell judge executive races, according to the Kentucky Secretary of State election results. In Livingston County, Republican Michael Williams beat Democrat Teris Swanson with 1,892 votes compared to Swanson’s 1,596. In nearby Lyon County, Jamie Green-Smith, who was...

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...

FOUR DEFENDANTS SENTENCED IN WAYNE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT

Four defendants appeared in Wayne County Circuit Court Thursday. 46-year-old Sean M. Dawkins of Clay City pleaded guilty to an amended Class 3 felony charge of unlawful possession of methamphetamine. Dawkins was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to serve 180 days in jail, with the jail sentence stayed. He was given credit for three days previously served. As part of his sentence, Dawkins was ordered to pay fines and court costs and pay $2,112.57 in restitution to Sierra Bravo Contractors, LLC. He must also complete any treatment or programs required by the probation department, submit to drug testing, and comply with standard probation conditions. Under the plea agreement, another count in the case was dismissed, and a petition to revoke probation filed in a separate 2023 felony case was withdrawn. Dawkins is scheduled to return to court October 3, 2028, at 1 p.m. for a review hearing.

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.

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.

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%...

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

Hotel, restaurant owners offer to pay for Cape Girardeau tourism study

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (Heartland News) - Local hotel and restaurant owners are prepared to pay a Chicago-based firm about $100,000 to assess Cape Girardeau’s tourism potential beyond sports tourism, according to a plan presented to the city council on Monday. Jeff Maurer of Mayson Capital Partners pitched the plan...

Missouri to pay $150,000 to settle lawsuit over prisoner’s death by suicide

Missouri must pay $150,000 to the mother of a man who committed suicide in a Southeast Missouri prison, a Mississippi County judge ruled Friday. Jahi Hynes was 27 when died April 4, 2021, at the Southeast Missouri Correctional Center in Charleston. His mother, Willa Hynes, sued the Department of Corrections, three of the agency’s corporate […]