Belleville News-Democrat

The Belleville Kiwanis Club tried to give up selling Christmas trees. Honest, it did. Full Story »

A metro-east man who Caseyville police arrested Thursday after a foot chase was charged with the attempted aggravated robbery of a convenience store. Full Story »

Because of a recession-driven effort to tighten the budget, the city will spend slightly less this year on marketing to holiday shoppers. Full Story »

A juror in the tax fraud trial of Belleville car dealer Jamie Auffenberg was sentenced Thursday in St. Croix, the U.S. Virgin Islands, to three years in prison after pleading guilty to soliciting a bribe from one of Auffenberg's lawyers. Full Story »

The Illinois Department of Public Health is now staffing the Illinois Flu Hotline with trained medical professionals to answers questions about H1N1. Full Story »

After 705 days of commuters taking the scenic route around good old Highway 40 in St. Louis, the new Interstate 64 emerges Monday. Full Story »

The East Side Health District and St. Clair County Health Department will offer H1N1 vaccination clinics this month. Full Story »

The rate of foreclosures filed by local homeowners does not seem to be slowing down. Full Story »

A former Madison County planning and development bookkeeper faces felony charges after an audit revealed more than $31,237 in missing permit fees. Full Story »

A woman was hospitalized early Thursday morning after the car she was driving flipped over into a ditch along Illinois 15 in Belleville. Full Story »

Due to a large Sunday paper this weekend, the News-Democrat is moving up circulation deadlines to make changes to your subscription, such as a request to start, stop or hold delivery of your newspaper. Full Story »

Old Time Pottery will begin liquidating assets at its Fairview Heights store Thursday. Full Story »

Five-year-old Zoey Outland smiled broadly as she held up her new pair of boots. The brown suede knee-high boots had a furry lining that rimmed the top of the stylish children's shoes. Full Story »

Some deadlines to send packages to military personnel overseas have passed, but there is still time to get priority mail packages and letters in the mail in time for Christmas , according to the U.S. Postal Service. Full Story »

Old Time Pottery will begin liquidating assets at its Fairview Heights store today. Full Story »

City landlords may soon have to pay $50 per unit per year and pass an eight-hour class before they are allowed to rent property in the city. Full Story »

The Hospice of Southern Illinois has built the first home in the area where patients can come to live their lives to the end. Full Story »

A truancy officer gets canned for sending sexually inappropriate messages. A girls volleyball coach may be fired for getting drunk at an out-of-town tournament with students. A teacher's aide is on leave with pay while the district continues to investigate her conduct while attending a party with underage students. And there's more. Full Story »

Gov. Pat Quinn, school administrators and state legislators from the metro-east broke ground Wednesday for a new Science Building Complex on the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville campus. Full Story »

Christopher Coleman's defense lawyers sent subpoenas to local media outlets so they can make a case for moving his trial because of the extensive pre-trial publicity, according to law professors. Full Story »

Police arrested a woman Wednesday who they said walked into a CVS store, implied she had a weapon and got prescription pain medication. Full Story »

The Illinois Democratic Women have scheduled a training session on "Political Campaigning." The session is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday at the IBEW Hall at 2000 Mall St., which is near the new Home Depot in Collinsville. Full Story »

Brussels Ferry service will be stopped 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday for repairs and maintenance. Full Story »

St. Elizabeth's Hospital kicked off its holiday season Tuesday night with an outdoor lighting ceremony, a sculpture unveiling and an introduction to its new Christmas tree forest. Full Story »

The mayor decided Tuesday night to put off a vote that would have changed the city's ordinance on animals. Full Story »