You just can't beat a lazy afternoon at Kiss The Sky , the last independent record store in the western suburbs.

A handful of Metro East schools have called off classes for the day. They include: Brussels Calhoun District 40 Carlinville Collinsville Edwardsville District 7 Granite City District 9 Highland schools Jersey District 100 Southwestern District 9 Triad District 2 Venice schools See archived 'Breaking News' stories>> Reader Comments From the ...

DAILY RFT, JANUARY 21, 2010 UNDONE BY CLOONEY COVERAGE Look at the stars: The way this town went apeshit over Clooney & Co.'s visit, we shouldn't be surprised we didn't make the list ["Shocking Revelations in MovieMaker Magazine's List of Top 10 Cities for Filmmakers," Aimee Levitt ]. Nothing shows that your town can handle international talent ...

DAILY RFT, JANUARY 14, 2010 NORTHWEST PLAZA NOSTALGIA Its glory days are missed: We need another Wal-Mart like a hole in the head ["Mall Walkers Rally to Save Northwest Plaza," Aimee Levitt ]. I would love to see Northwest Plaza rise again as one of the best malls in the country.

Tyrone Echols recently talked with RFT writer Keegan Hamilton about radioactive material in the soil of Venice, Illinois.

This week's RFT feature story, "Meltdown in Venice" features Larry Burgan of Granite City, Illinois, and his fight to prove that his former employer is responsible for radiation poisoning that he believes damaged his health and the health of those who live nearby the factory.

During the week before the Fourth of July nine years ago, Larry Burgan came to believe that he'd been exposed to thousands of pounds of radioactive dust.

An $865,607 grant will help Riverbend Head Start and Family Services add 16 new professional jobs and expand its Early Head Start program, agency officials said Thursday.

A southwestern Illinois coroner's jury says a man's shooting death was a homicide, but the suspect no longer faces murder charges.

The Madison County coroner's jury on Wednesday declared a 24-year-old Granite City man's death a homicide but a suspect has been charged with aggravated unlawful use of weapons because it was considered self-defense. Chaunci E. Dukes was shot to death on Sept.

It's 12.5 miles between O'Fallon and East St. Louis high schools, but the two schools seem worlds apart.

Two men were arrested as a result of a saturation detail Wednesday in the southern areas of Madison County.

A former Venice, Illinois police chief has been accused of stealing money. Madison County Sheriff Capt.

The St. Clair County State Attorney's Office has charged a Venice, Illinois man for a murder that took place at a nightclub more than a week ago.

The St. Clair County state's attorney on Thursday charged Dorian E. Boyd with one count of first-degree murder.