LOUISIANA, MISSOURI —  The Buffalo Township United Fund is inviting the community to a night of comedy and fundraising later this month with “Louisiana Laughs,”  a special comedy night set for Friday, February 28, 2026 , in Louisiana, Missouri. The event will feature veteran stand-up comedian Willie Farrell , a Midwest-based performer with more than three decades of experience  entertaining audiences across the country. Farrell is known for his fast-paced delivery, strong cro

PITTSFIELD, ILLINOIS —  The Pike County Sheriff’s Department reports a major drug-related arrest  during the week of February 9 through February 15 involving a Perry, Illinois man. Authorities say Ricky L. Allen, 51, of Perry, Illinois , was taken into custody on February 13  on multiple charges, including possession of methamphetamine  and possession of drug paraphernalia . Jail records indicate Allen was arrested by the Pike County Sheriff’s Department and later released th

PIKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS —  Illinois State Police have identified the man found deceased Monday afternoon near the Champ Clark Memorial Bridge as John A. Sobie, 55, of Rockport, Illinois . Sobie’s body was discovered near the bridge around 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 16, after Illinois State Police troopers responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle parked near the bridge along U.S. Highway 54, according to the Pike County, Illinois Sheriff’s Office. Troopers located Sobie on the emb

PITTSFIELD —  The Pittsfield High School Saukettes brought home a spectacular haul of honors from the 2026 Illinois Drill Team Association (IDTA) State Finals , making Pike County proud with a sweep of state-level performance championships. At the state finals competition, the Saukettes captured multiple top titles, including 2026 State Champions in Class A Lyrical  and 2026 State Champions in Open Pom , along with the 2026 High Point Championship  and 2026 Grand Champion  te

JACKSONVILLE —  One person has died following a shooting Saturday evening in Jacksonville, according to local police. Officers were dispatched at 5:42 p.m. to the 800 block of West Chambers Street after reports of shots fired. When police arrived, they found an individual suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound, authorities said. The victim was transported to Jacksonville Memorial Hospital, where they later died. The identity of the victim has not been released as pol

PITTSFIELD —  The Pittsfield Police Department has welcomed a new four-legged member to the force, introducing Maverick, a 3-year-old trained narcotics K-9, who officially began active duty last week alongside his handler, Officer Mackenzie Moore. Since starting work, Maverick has already assisted Pittsfield officers in two arrests. Moore says Maverick clearly understands when it’s time to work, immediately shifting into duty mode as soon as he is deployed from the squad car,

PITTSFIELD —  The family of a Pittsfield High School student killed in a May 24 automobile crash, along with a student who survived the collision, have filed a civil lawsuit seeking a combined $300,000 in damages against the two drivers involved. According to Illinois State Police, the crash occurred at the intersection of U.S. 67 and Woodson Winchester Road when a car driven by Pittsfield High School student Tristyn Ruzich collided with a truck driven by Zachary Trace of Woo

PITTSFIELD —  Work is set to begin Monday, February 16, on a major downtown revitalization project that city leaders say will modernize infrastructure and improve streets and sidewalks throughout the heart of Pittsfield. Mayor Gary Mendenhall said construction crews are expected to move in with more than 60 workers downtown as the long-planned project officially gets underway. The effort has been in development for several years after the city secured multiple state grants in

NEW LONDON, Mo. —   STORY UPDATE: Gavin Davis of New London, age 21 is facing charges of unlawful use of a weapon, first-degree assault causing serious physical injury and armed criminal action. Two people are recovering after a shooting early Friday morning at a New London bar, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Authorities say the incident happened just before 1 a.m. at Tubby’s Grub and Pub  after reports of a man causing a disturbance inside the business. The

CALHOUN COUNTY —  Ferry service in Calhoun County has fully reopened following a new update issued Friday, reversing an earlier partial-closure notice and restoring all major river crossings. On February 12 , officials reported that the Kampsville Ferry  had reopened while the Brussels Ferry  remained closed, limiting options for drivers traveling across the Illinois River. At that time, the Kampsville Ferry resumed operations as a free, 24-hour service operated by the Illino

SPRINGFIELD —  A proposal moving through the Illinois General Assembly to raise the statewide minimum wage to $27 an hour  is drawing sharp criticism from small business advocates who warn the plan reflects a growing disconnect between Chicago-area lawmakers and the economic realities of downstate Illinois. Filed by Senator Kimberly Lightford and Representative Norma Hernandez, the legislation would significantly accelerate wage increases beyond Illinois’ current schedule. Un

PITTSFIELD —   Editor’s note:  This is a corrected version  of this story. We apologize for an earlier error after the AI-based tool we use to assist in gathering news information failed on this item. The following information has been reviewed and corrected. The Pittsfield Police Department has added a new narcotics K-9 to its force following a donation that made the program possible, strengthening the department’s ability to combat drug-related crime in the community. Polic

SPRINGFIELD —  Illinois and the nation are marking the birthday of Abraham Lincoln today, honoring the legacy of the 16th president whose life and career were deeply rooted across central and western Illinois, including connections to Pittsfield and Pike County. Born February 12, 1809, Lincoln spent much of his adult life in Illinois after moving to the state as a young man. As a lawyer riding the Eighth Judicial Circuit, Lincoln traveled extensively through west-central Illi

HARDIN —  The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office marked a formal transition in leadership on January 30, 2026, as newly appointed Sheriff Zach Hardin presided over the swearing-in of the department’s full-time deputies and a newly appointed chief deputy. The oaths were administered before the Honorable Judge Charles H.W. Burch, officially reaffirming each officer’s authority to serve as Deputy Sheriffs of Calhoun County. The Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the entire existing te

MACOMB —  Western Illinois University’s psychology program is receiving a $3.6 million federal grant  aimed at helping graduates launch their careers while expanding access to mental health services in rural school districts  across the region. The funding comes through the Mental Health Service Professionals Demonstration Grant Program  administered by the U.S. Department of Education. The multi-year grant is designed to strengthen the pipeline of trained mental health profe

PITTSFIELD —  After a stretch of colder winter weather, the Twin Pikes region is on track for a noticeable warm-up heading into next week, with temperatures climbing steadily and several days expected to reach well above seasonal averages. Forecast trends show highs rising out of the 40s midweek and pushing into the 50s by Friday , with that warmer pattern continuing through the weekend. By early next week, daytime highs are expected to approach or reach the lower 60s , marki

CARROLLTON —  Greene County State’s Attorney Craig M. Grummel announced Tuesday that Benjamin T. Rice  has been sentenced to concurrent five-year prison terms  in the Illinois Department of Corrections following convictions in two separate felony cases in Greene County Circuit Court. Rice was convicted in one case of aggravated battery , which was prosecuted by Special Prosecutor Michael Havera  of the Illinois State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor’s Office. In a separate ca

HANNIBAL —  A Missouri family continues to search for answers nearly three years after the disappearance of Brian James Snyder, a 6-foot-6 Hannibal resident who was last known to be alive in May 2022. Snyder, born February 28, 1976, was raised in Mount Sterling, Illinois, and had lived in Hannibal at the time he vanished. Family members say it is completely out of character for him to go long periods without contact, making the extended silence deeply concerning. He also has

LOUISIANA —  The City of Louisiana is expected to see a major economic boost following the sale of the former Press Journal Printing facility on Georgia Street, a development that could bring dozens of new full-time jobs to the community. According to newly sworn-in Ward 1 City Council member Woodrow Polston , the industrial property has been sold to a company planning to employ between 40 and 60 full-time workers . Polston shared the update publicly, calling the sale “great

CALHOUN COUNTY —  The Calhoun Ferry Company has announced schedule updates affecting both the Golden Eagle Ferry and the Winfield Ferry. According to the company, the Golden Eagle Ferry  will reopen tomorrow morning, Tuesday, February 10 , beginning at 5 a.m. , and will resume regular operating hours. At the same time, the Winfield Ferry  will close tonight at 9 p.m.  and will remain closed until further notice . The Calhoun Ferry Company did not provide a timeline for the Wi