Hello Southern Illinois! Hope your coffee tastes especially good this morning. In today’s bring-the-kiddos edition: New downtown stage debut, student pilots earning wings, and Beach Story Hour + excuses to get the fam out and about this week.
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01 — Worth knowing In the newsThree local stories this week, plus a few worth your money.
New venue, live music: Carbondale will debut the new downtown Robbie Stokes Memorial Stage on June 25, with The Way Down Wanderers headlining and Jeremy Todd opening. The free celebration starts earlier than usual -- get the full concert details.
Soaring toward new horizons: SIU Carbondale’s Able Flight 2026 cohort is training now, with student pilots with disabilities set to earn wings in late June or early July as a $2 million campaign progresses -- see the flight training update.
Preserving local service stories: Marion mapped more than 3,000 veterans’ graves, a project led by retired Judge Patrick Murphy with city IT director, using over 800 pages from the Boyd family to preserve legacies -- explore the veterans grave map.
Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.*
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03 — On our radar
Local business spotlightNearby spots we'd actually send a friend to.
Local fantasy escape: Jeremy "Boo" Rochman Memorial Park is that magical, slightly oddball spot every Southern Illinoisan should keep in their back pocket, where imagination runs wild and kids burn energy while adults catch a breather. Bring a snack, leave the screens in the car, and let the afternoon sort itself out.
Your mini Vegas fix: If you want a low-key spin session without trekking to the riverboats, Little Vegas keeps it simple with legit video gaming, free soft drinks and fresh popcorn, plus a surprisingly private setup so you can focus on the reels, not who’s watching.
For the plant pros: If you handle landscaping or run a garden center, Tabor Wholesale Nursery is a family run, wholesale only grower in the Shawnee Hills since 2012. They raise tree liners, trees, shrubs, ornamental grasses, and perennials in USDA Zone 6, with local pickup and Midwest shipping when you are stocking big.
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04 — Our recommendations
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Have an event to share? We (and our readers) can't wait to hear about it! Submit an event → |
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05 — The event calendar Fun for the famOur favorite upcoming kid and family-friendly events. All events are subject to change. Always check official event pages before heading out.
📚 Beach Story Hour @ Marion Carnegie Library | Wednesday (6/24) – Beach Story Hour is landing on the sand with MCL and The Thrillbillies, trading box scores for bedtime tales. Expect a baseball book, sing-and-dance energy, and a take-home craft that beats another fridge magnet, keeping the kids busy while you enjoy the breeze.
🦖 Dino Kids Show @ Community Park Amphitheater (O'Fallon) | Thursday (6/25) at 10:30 AM – Need a break from screens and soccer cleats? Head to the Community Park Amphitheater for a free dino caper where Ozum and his magical drill juggle eggs, make fossils vanish, and unearth kid-sized answers to extinction. Snacks, soft drinks, and priceless quiet included.
🎷 Jive with Jazz Kids Concert @ Carbondale Public Library | Thursday (6/25) at 11:00 AM – Let the kids discover jazz without the recital jitters in the library garden, courtesy of Southern Illinois’ young musicians. No tuxes, no shushing, just swing and grass stains. All ages welcome, ones under 10 need a responsible adult, part of the Southern Illinois Music Festival.
🎭 Runaway Puppet Theatre @ Marion Carnegie Library | Friday (6/26) – Give the screens a break and let Runaway Puppet Theatre wrangle the kids with Tall Tales, Tiny Heroes, a three-story romp for the library's Summer Reading. Expect an outrageous Ugly Duckling, pint-sized bravery, and jokes that land for grown-ups. Air conditioning, minimal effort, maximum smiles.
☕ Caffeine and Chrome @ Gateway Classic Cars (O'Fallon) | Saturday (6/27) at 9:00 AM – Last Saturday mornings call for caffeine, chrome, and a little tire-kicking. Gateway Classic Cars of St. Louis throws a free, family, and dog-friendly meet with coffee, donuts, and rows of gleaming classics that shine brighter than the Arch. Expect shop talk, and good exhaust.
🎨 June Fourth Saturday PYOP Open Studio @ Little Egypt Arts Association (Marion) | Saturday (6/27) at 10:00 AM – Fourth Saturday means paint-your-own-pottery at the studio, where $5 covers your glazes and firing, and you grab a bisque piece from the shelves. Low-stress, high-satisfaction, suitable for kids, grandparents, and commitment-phobes. Space is limited, because kilns are not bottomless.
⚔ America 250: Revolutionary War in a Trunk @ Public Safety Building (O'Fallon) | Saturday (6/27) at 2:00 PM – Channel your inner Minuteman with living historian Geoff Baggett as he unloads a trunk of Colonial-era gear you can actually handle, from flintlocks to everyday tools. Real stories, real objects, no slideshow. It is at the Public Safety Building, not the library.
Want more? Browse our full events calendar | Submit an event |
06 — From our sponsor Heads up for pet parentsTogether with our sponsor Lemonade. Nothing prepares you for a late-night emergency at the vet. I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. From the initial exam fee just to be seen, to x-rays, surgery, medication, and follow-up visits… the bill racks up fast (to say the least). And at that moment? You’re not thinking about your savings, you’re just saying yes to whatever keeps them thriving. As soon as we got home, I dug around online and ultimately signed up for Pet Insurance. It was too late for me, but you could save thousands on your next vet bill with *Lemonade. |
07 — The Southern Illinois report Weather forecastToday — High: 84°F — Low: 67°F — Precip: 7%
Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. South wind 1 to 7 mph. Later: A chance of rain showers after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. South southwest wind 1 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Tomorrow — High: 86°F — Low: 70°F — Precip: 57%
A chance of rain showers before 10am, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 10am and 1pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. South southwest wind 1 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Later: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 7pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely between 7pm and 10pm, then showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. South southwest wind 1 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. This house is wildThis spacious 4-bedroom, 3-bath home outside Carbondale blends rural calm with practical perks. The oversized primary suite features a walk-in closet, double vanities, and separate tub and shower, while an open kitchen, breakfast nook, and living room keep things connected. A sunroom, covered porch, large deck, 2-car garage, and 24-by-32 pole barn round it out.
Take a peek inside → |
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