SCOTT COUNTY —  A Scott County woman has filed a wrongful death lawsuit accusing a Springfield-based nonprofit organization and her daughter’s foster mother of negligence in the death of her 8-year-old daughter. Amanda Sleek of Winchester filed the lawsuit against Rutledge Youth Foundation  and Mallori Reardon  of Murrayville in connection with the death of her daughter, Emma , who died July 10, 2023. The lawsuit alleges negligence by both defendants while Emma was in foster

LOUISIANA —  City officials in Louisiana have issued a public statement explaining why the City Council moved forward with filling the Ward I council vacancy, saying the action was legally required under Missouri law and necessary to ensure continued representation and uninterrupted city operations. In its statement, the City of Louisiana said that once a councilmember is lawfully removed from office, a vacancy exists immediately by operation of law. At that point, the City C

LOUISIANA —  Woodrow Polston was officially sworn in this week as the new Ward 1 city council member after being appointed by Mayor Tim Carter. The oath of office was administered by City Clerk Riley Anderson following Polston’s acceptance of the appointment. Polston’s appointment comes as he is also a declared candidate for mayor in the upcoming April 7 municipal election . He fills the Ward 1 council seat while continuing his campaign for the city’s top elected position. Pr

PITTSFIELD —  The Pike County Sheriff’s Office and local police agencies released their weekly arrest report covering February 2 through February 8, 2026 , with several serious felony-level and violent offenses  highlighted alongside multiple failure-to-appear and warrant arrests. Among the most significant cases, William E. Potter , 35, of Louisiana, Missouri, was arrested by the Pike County Sheriff  on February 5  on multiple charges, including possession of methamphetamine

SPRINGFIELD —  Illinois lawmakers are considering a new proposal that would require certain drivers to install speed-limiting technology in their vehicles as part of a statewide effort to reduce high-speed crashes and traffic fatalities. House Bill 4948 would create the Intelligent Speed Assistance Program , allowing courts to order some traffic offenders to install a certified device that automatically limits a vehicle’s maximum speed based on posted speed limits. The measur

GREENE COUNTY —  A Greene County man has been sentenced to eight years in prison following the revocation of his probation in a drug case, according to court records. Thirty-seven-year-old Dale Smith Jr.  was sentenced late last week to eight years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after being convicted on two Class 3 felony counts of possession of methamphetamine. The sentences will be served concurrently. The sentencing followed a probation revocation by the Greene

CALHOUN COUNTY —  The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office has announced the appointment of Chris Barnes  as its new Chief Deputy, bringing to the role a longtime public servant with decades of experience in law enforcement, fire service, and leadership. Barnes has worked in public safety since the late 1990s, serving in both law enforcement and fire protection roles across Southern Illinois. Over the course of his career, he spent 20 years in the fire service, including 15 years

SPRINGFIELD —  Cases of acute respiratory illnesses, including flu and COVID-19, have declined across Illinois according to state health data released in January, offering signs of improvement after one of the state’s toughest flu seasons in recent years. Illinois had been experiencing unusually high levels of influenza activity earlier this winter, with flu severity reaching the highest category, described as “very high,” in early January. More recent data now places flu act

BOWLING GREEN, MO —  A major investment in services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities is moving forward in Pike County, Missouri , after the Pike County Agency for Developmental Disabilities  project was officially funded. The funding will allow PCADD, in partnership with the City of Bowling Green , to construct a new Developmental Support Center and renovate the agency’s existing facility. Local leaders say the project will significantly expand

BOWLING GREEN —  Tom Thompson has officially filed to run for mayor of Bowling Green in the upcoming April municipal election and, as of the close of filing, is the only candidate seeking the office. Thompson, a longtime local business owner and part owner of A Taste of Philly, said his decision to enter the race is rooted in a deep commitment to the city and a desire to help guide its future growth. He has identified the Bowling Green Municipal Airport as a key economic asse

HARDIN —  The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office is inviting the public to attend an informational seminar addressing the dangerous and growing trend of sextortion. Pike County Chief Deputy Zack Orr, who also serves as a part-time deputy with the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, will lead the presentation. The seminar will be held at Calhoun High School on February 17, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.  The session is designed to educate attendees about how sextortion schemes work, warning sig

QUINCY —  Travelers heading into the Twin Pikes and West Central Illinois region could soon have another air travel option beyond Chicago, as officials at Quincy Regional Airport weigh whether adding service to Nashville might better serve visitors and residents alike. Currently, Contour Airlines operates 12 weekly flights between Quincy Regional Airport and Chicago O’Hare, making Chicago the region’s sole commercial air link. That could change under a proposal now under revi

LOUISIANA —  The Louisiana City Council will hold a special council meeting Monday, February 9, at 6:00 p.m.  in the 2nd Floor Council Chambers  at City Hall, with a Ward 1 councilmember appointment  listed as the central item of business, according to the official meeting notice released by the city. The special meeting, called by Mayor Tim Carter , was posted Friday afternoon and includes only a brief agenda, signaling a focused session. After roll call and establishment of

JEFFERSON CITY —  Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway says her office is working alongside federal agencies in a broad investigation into slot machine-like gambling devices operating in convenience stores, bars, and other retail locations across the state, focusing on how what she described as “billions of dollars” flow from Missourians to the companies that own the machines. Speaking Thursday before the Missouri House Budget Committee, Hanaway said the state joined t

MT. STERLING —  A Hunnewell, Missouri man has been sentenced in Brown County, Illinois, following his arrest in Mt. Sterling after a violent confrontation with law enforcement during the summer of 2024. According to Brown County Circuit Court records, Ryan M. Edlin, 42 , appeared in court Thursday and entered a guilty plea to Class A misdemeanor resisting a peace officer . As part of an open plea agreement, several more serious charges were dismissed, including Class 2 felony

PITTSFIELD —  The City of Pittsfield is inviting business owners, residents, and community members to attend a public meeting tonight to learn more about the upcoming Downtown Revitalization Project and what to expect as construction moves forward. The public meeting will be held Thursday, February 5, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Pittsfield City Hall , located at 215 North Monroe Street . City officials will be joined by representatives from Rees Construction , the contractor ov

PIT1TSFIELD —  The Pittsfield Police Department has added a new narcotic detection canine to its team, expanding the department’s enforcement and public safety capabilities. Officer Mackenzie Moore  and K9 Maverick  recently graduated from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Canine Academy. Maverick is a three-year-old Labrador and Belgian Malinois mix  trained in narcotics detection and will be deployed alongside Officer Moore in law enforcement operations. City off

LOUISIANA —  A former Louisiana, Missouri police officer charged in a case involving the theft and sale of a department-issued firearm has been sentenced to five years of parole  following a plea agreement that resolved the more than year-old case. Court records show Daylon Green , a former Louisiana police detective, originally faced four felony charges and two misdemeanors  stemming from incidents that occurred in November 2024 . As part of a plea deal finalized earlier thi

LOUISIANA —  The City of Louisiana has announced a list of street upgrades and repair projects scheduled for Summer 2026 , continuing a multi-year effort to improve roadway conditions across several neighborhoods. City officials say the projects include a mix of streets approved for work in 2025  and 2026 , with repairs targeting areas identified through ongoing street evaluations and infrastructure planning. The work is divided into two categories, commonly referred to as “y

PITTSFIELD —  The Pike County Sheriff’s Department  is celebrating a major professional milestone for one of its own, while that same leader also prepares to seek the county’s top law enforcement post. Chief Deputy Zachary Orr  has graduated from the prestigious School of Police Staff and Command  at Northwestern University  in Evanston, completing the 22-week program between May 5 and September 29. The coursework provides advanced, college-level training in leadership, human