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...

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

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%.

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.

Robert Carroll of Nashville, IL joined the Real Rock Army today!

Robert thinks he should be a part of the Real Rock Army because “if he’s awake, he’s tuned in!”. Robert listens all day long, but is a certified Lern-Loverboy. Roberts’ kids have moved out of state, so he’s moved his dad into the house and made it his mission to convert dad into a KSHE listener.

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.

Millstadt Named 2026 “Sister City of the Year” by Illinois Sister Cities Association

Millstadt, IL — Millstadt has officially been honored by the Illinois Sister Cities Association as the 2026 “Sister City of the Year.”. This prestigious award stands as a testament to the hard work and dedication of the members of Millstadt Sister Cities, alongside the robust support of the broader Millstadt community. The recognition also reflects the ongoing cooperation and joint efforts of friends and the Verschwisterungskomitee in Gross-Bieberau, Germany, working together to foster deep, long-lasting personal relationships across borders.

Edwardsville Veterans Day Parade returns Nov. 11

The Madison County procession features grand marshal Kimberli Goodner, a flyover, bands and a free American Legion Post 199 afterparty.

Veterans Caring for Veterans golf tournament honors local veterans

“He was very proud of his service to the Navy, very proud that he went to Vietnam and served there,” John Phillips’ brother-in-law said. “And he was a brother.”

World's Largest Catsup Bottle: Collinsville's claim to fame

Illinois Route 66: Where the Mother Road Begins

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.

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

Blackburn Annexation Passes Maryville Village Board

The Maryville Village Board meeting opened at 6pm on November 4 with Trustee Rod Schmidt absent. The meeting began with public comments. Page Durham, a resident of Collinsville, was the first to speak, and she began by handing the board an informational flier. She came representing the Madison County Farm Bureau, a non profit representing 1,300 land owners and farmers within the county. Durham spoke on behalf of the annexation of the Regal property, which the Farm Bureau opposes for various reasons stated on her handout. The annexation itself is for the Blackburn Manor subdivision and the surrounding area. She acknowledged the annexation is working within state limits, but the bureau would like the board to adopt an agricultural zoning area for the property. Their intention is to keep farmland as farmland. Allowing the farmers to use that land as they always have. She then offered her services to the board and the staff in the creation of said agricultural zone. Dwayne Regal spoke next. His property is the one in question regarding the annexation. He isn't ready to hook up to city water yet, and he currently prefers his well water. Regal wanted to know if the annexation will

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.

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

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

Madison County Historical Society presents ‘A Christmas Memory’ Nov. 19

• On Thursday, Nov. 19, the Madison County Historical Society (MCHS) and Alumni Players! (AP!), will offer up an evening of entertainment they hope will set the tone for the coming holiday season. The centerpiece of the evening will be a performance of “A Christmas Memory,” a short story by...

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...

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,...

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.