Featured

Man pleads guilty to robbing KFC store in Belleville in 2012

The trial of a man accused of the armed robbery of a Belleville fast food restaurant ended with ...

Budget problems killed Amtrak passenger service from Belleville to Carbondale. Railroad buffs filled the last train from Belleville as it pulled out at 10:41 p.m. on Nov. 3, 1993.

Throwback Thursday: Last train from Belleville

This Throwback Thursday is a trip back in time via rail. At 10:41 p.m. on Nov. 3, 1993, Amtrak left...

BND VIDEO

MORE > Photos Videos Submit a Photo

BND GALLERIES

MORE > Photos Videos Submit a Photo

Metro-east News

McKendree University held their Graduate Commencement on Saturday afternoon. About 300 students received master's degrees in this afternoon session; earlier in the morning, about 600 undergraduates received bachelor's degrees. This is a closeup of the McKendree banner, held during the procession.

McKendree ranked one of the best universities to work for in country

McKendree University is not only the lone school from the metro-east to be named on the Chronicle of Higher Education's Great Schools to Work For honor roll. It is the only school in Illinois to get the distinction.

Crime

Man gets surprise when he breaks into surveillance vehicle

A suspected car burglar in Fairview Heights got quite the surprise when he entered an unmarked surveillance vehicle and was greeted by two police officers early Wednesday morning. 3 hours ago

Hot Topics

The Brooks Catsup bottle located on Illinois 159 in Collinsville is for sale.

A $500,000 catsup bottle? Iconic Collinsville landmark for sale

It's an uncertain time for the king of condiments, as a for-sale sign has gone up in front of the Brooks Catsup Bottle.

Sports

Tampa Bay, and Highland High School alumnus Jake Odorizzi pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.

Highland's Odorizzi meets Cardinals hero Wainwright for 1st time

The day after outdueling Adam Wainwright, Highland's Jake Odorizzi met his boyhood hero.

Features

Answer Man: What's really driving up the cost of gasoline?

Your recent story about the Fairview Heights couple not making any money on their sale of gasoline makes me wonder who is making all the money? Someone has to be making tons! -- R.S. of Troy

State|Region

In this July 1, 2014 photo Gov. Pat Quinn speaks at a bill signing in Oak Park, Ill. Illinois Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, a legislative panel chairman probing Gov. Quinn's troubled anti-violence program said Thursday, July, 10, 2014 that the panel will still meet next week even after federal authorities asked them to hold off while they conduct their own investigation. The program offered job training and help for former inmates, among other things, in Chicago neighborhoods plagued by violence. However, commission members said the audit left questions unanswered and had subpoenaed former Quinn aides to testify over two days next week.

Quinn aide: Crime, not politics, prompted troubled grant program

Gov. Pat Quinn was responding to a relentless wave of crime in Chicago when he launched his controversial Neighborhood Recovery Initiative grant program, according to a Quinn spokeswoman.

Nation|World

An MD-83 aircraft in the livery of Swiftair prepares for landing at Zaventem Airport Brussels, in May. An Air Algerie flight carrying over 100 people from Burkina Faso to Algeria's capital disappeared from radar early Thursday over northern Mali after heavy rains were reported, according to the plane's owner and government officials in France and Burkina Faso.

Missing Air Algerie flight ‘probably crashed,’ say officials

An Air Algerie flight carrying 116 people from Burkina Faso to Algeria’s capital disappeared from radar early Thursday over northern Mali and “probably crashed,” according to the plane’s owner and government officials ... 10 minutes ago

Opinion

Keep asking city for help

Belleville has occupancy codes, police patrols, neighborhood organizations and a crime-free housing program, but it still has trouble hot spots like 7701 W. Main St.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?