Sydney Sinks grew up in the Riverbend area and graduated from Southwestern High School. She received a bachelor’s degree from Millikin University in 2022, where she majored in English-Writing with concentrations in journalism and professional writing and a minor in editing.
At Millikin, Sydney wrote and edited for The Decaturian and BURST Magazine. Her writing has also been published in Decatur Magazine, Gateway Journalism Review and others. She has received recognition from the Illinois College Press Association and the Society of Professional Journalists for her work.
ALTON - OSF St. Anthony’s Health Center has received their fourth consecutive “A” score on the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. The Leapfrog score measures patient health and safety, making note of how often patients present with a hospital-acquired injury or illness. Hospitals...
ALTON - Ameren has provided the City of Alton with a major grant that aims to increase electric vehicle use in the city. The $75,000 grant will lead to either more electric vehicle charging stations installed in Alton, or the city will transition to electric vehicles for their police and publi...
ALTON - Community members have the opportunity to celebrate Christmas and give back at an upcoming party. From 6–11 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, you can come out to Bowl Haven in Alton for the 19th annual Christmas party organized by the nonprofit Something Bigger Than Yourself. The...
Growing up, I was a pretty artistic kid. I enjoyed drawing and painting. It wasn’t like I was a prodigy. I wasn’t good at it, per se, but I enjoyed it. I filled dozens of notebooks with sketches. My grandparents got me a Bob Ross oil painting set, and I was hooked. I spent...
ALTON - Attorney Keith Short has some practical advice for anyone who is in a car accident. “The number one thing I would tell people to do is, as soon as possible after the accident, make a log of everything you can remember about it,” he said. “The absolute first mistake,...
GLEN CARBON - You can help spread Christmas joy with a toy and food drive this weekend. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, you can drop off toys and nonperishable food items at Kellerman Investigations in Glen Carbon. Attendees can enjoy cookies, cocoa, photo opportunities and raffles...
GRAFTON - The annual Grafton Winter Lights Parade promises a gorgeous view on the Mississippi River. At 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, the parade will start at Hawg Pit BBQ and travel down Water Street towards The Loading Dock. Community members are invited to line up or park their car...
GRAFTON - There’s a fun weekend to be had in Grafton, and it all starts with Grafton’s Holiday Treat Trail. Starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, you can stop by The Loading Dock to snag a free ticket, punch card and goodie bag. Only the first 300 people will receive these...
ALTON - The Salvation Army has officially started its Red Kettle campaign to raise money for local programs. From now until Christmas Eve, you have the opportunity to donate at the red kettles in local stores, or you can donate online . All of the money donated locally stays in Madison...
EDWARDSVILLE - Abstracts and Titles, Inc. is celebrating their 60th anniversary, and they couldn’t be prouder to call Madison County home. On Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, staff members and community leaders gathered at Abstracts and Titles at 205 N. Second Street in Edwardsville for a ribbon-cutting...
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