ST. LOUIS — A Rochester, New York, man was sentenced Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, to 54 months in federal prison for selling counterfeit Xanax on the dark web, both before and after his indictment. U.S. District Court Judge Audrey G. Fleissig handed down the sentence to 31-year-old John Cruz, who pleaded guilty twice to conspiracy to misbrand, introduce misbranded drugs, and sell counterfeit drugs. Cruz admitted to purchasing counterfeit Xanax, an anti-anxiety medication, on the darknet and resellin
EAST ST. LOUIS - State Representative Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt) donated his pay raise for the month of November to Press Play x 2 Shinn, in the form of a food donation. He was more than happy to meet with Nancy Nixon and help her feed people in the community. Every month Rep. Schmidt donates his pay raise to a different local food pantry or non-profit organization throughout his district. “Nancy and I are both passionate about fighting food insecurity,” said Schmidt. “It’s
GLEN CARBON – Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSofSI) has wrapped up the annual Fall Product Program for 2025. Girls in Southern Illinois sold over $485,000 in tasty treats, magazines, and other fun products. Let’s give a shout out to the following girls for being Fall Product Top Sellers for their respective areas: Cearena Chatman from the Alton/Godfrey/Wood River/Roxana Service Unit sold $1,517 in product Olivia Taylor from the Granite City/Madison/Venice Service Unit
SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias today announced a major technological milestone: Starting tomorrow, Illinois residents can securely add their Illinois-issued driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet and present their ID using their iPhone and Apple Watch. This marks a new era of convenience and digital innovation for the state, enabling residents to present their driver’s license and state ID in Apple Wallet in person, online and in apps at select
GRAFTON — A bobcat weighing approximately 25 pounds was recently spotted near the Tara Point Inn in Grafton. The sighting, captured by Rachel Peters, was shared on the Riverbender.com Facebook page on Nov. 18, 2025, as a Photo Of The Day. The medium-sized bobcat in Peters' photo was confirmed by park ranger Scott Isringhausen. He said bobcats have a short bobbed tail with a white tip, ears that stand straight up, and a spotted coat with varying patterns. He said bobcats are known for their
ALTON - Community leaders gathered to learn more about AltonWorks FiberNet, which will increase internet access by delivering enterprise-grade fiber broadband to Alton residents. On Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, Alton residents heard from AltonWorks CEO John Simmons about his vision for the city and the reasons why AltonWorks decided to support the broadband project. Simmons referred to the event as “one of the most exciting days in Alton’s modern history,” highlighting the
BELLEVILLE — A local family is facing an extraordinary challenge as their 13-year-old son, Richard Mothersell, battled two rare cancers simultaneously and died recently, prompting a community call for support. Richard Michael Mothersell, 13, of Belleville, was born on February 13, 2012, in Belleville, and he died on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at St. Louis Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, MO. Richard, diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare bone cancer, in April 2023, underwent an intense
BELLEVILLE – A Belleville man accused of injuring a police officer and resisting arrest by fleeing at high speeds remains in custody on felony charges. LeCourtney A. Luckett, 45, of Belleville, was charged with two counts of aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer (both Class 3 felonies) and one count each of resisting or obstructing a peace officer (a Class 4 felony) and driving while license is revoked (a Class A misdemeanor). On Nov. 11, 2025, Luckett allegedly attempted
WOOD RIVER - The Riverbend East Rotary Club recently recognized the October Service Above Self award recipients from East Alton-Wood River High School-Ayla Thomas and Malachi Carter. They were presented their certificates by club President Mark Smith. Ayla is a student whose dedication shines brightly in every endeavor she undertakes. Ayla's commitment to scholarship is evident in her impressive 3.7 GPA and her standing as an active member of the National Honor Society (NHS). She understands tha
ALTON — November 30, 2025, will mark 30 years since Felicia Rexford was fatally stabbed in the parking lot of the Target store in Alton. Rexford was shopping at the Alton Target on November 30, 1995, when she was attacked. Police believe the stabbing was the result of a robbery gone wrong. Her purse was found nearby with a broken strap, and the suspect is believed to have fled behind the building into a wooded area. Rexford reportedly told a bystander that the assailant was a gray-haired
ALTON - OSF St. Anthony’s Health Center's Imaging Services Department wants you to know they do a lot more than x-rays. Director of Imaging Services Fred SanSoucie, RT(R)(CT)(ARRT), and Manager of Imaging and Diagnostic Cardiology Services Jeff Worman, BS, CNMT, explained that imaging encompasses x-rays, MRIs, CT scans, mammography, ultrasounds, nuclear medicine, stress tests, and much more. They noted that St. Anthony’s has cutting-edge technology, and they’re always
ALTON – Two local residents face their latest felony charges after separate but similar cases of attempting to flee from police. Erin R. Hardimon, 35, of Alton, was charged on Nov. 12, 2025 with two Class 3 felony counts of aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer, as well as a Class A misdemeanor count of driving while license is revoked. On Nov. 11, 2025, Hardimon allegedly knowingly failed to obey and attempted to elude an Alton Police officer after being given a visua
GODFREY - In 1998, Scooter’s Coffee was born. Co-founders Don and Linda Eckles began an amazing journey when they opened their first drive-thru coffeehouse in Bellevue, Nebraska. Their keys to success: find a great location and stay committed to high-quality drinks, speed of service, and a BIG smile. Scooter’s Coffee is fortunate to have over two decades of success due to its commitment to the original business principles and company core values: Where Great Coffee Meets Even Greater
EAST ST. LOUIS — State Representative Kevin Schmidt visited East St. Louis recently to honor Personal Touch Boutique as the November Business of the Month. The men’s clothing store, owned by Bernita and Derrick Maxwell, has served the community from its location at 1958 State Street since 1994. Personal Touch Boutique is located at 1958 State St, East St Louis, IL. 62205. Derrick Maxwell began his retail career in 1988 by selling merchandise from the trunk of his car. Six years later,
ALTON - The halls of the old Saint Peter and Paul school are decked out and classrooms are filled with items donated by parishioners and ready for resale at the Christmas Bazaar Granny’s Attic sale. Plans are currently underway for the 26th annual Christmas Bazaar to be held at Saints Peter and Paul Church in Alton on Saturday, November 22nd from 9am to 6 pm. With the exception of the Covid year, this will be the 26th consecutive year for the Bazaar. The Bazaar is mostly held in the gymnasium
MARYVILLE — A large house fire on Oxborough Court on Monday night, Nov. 17, 2025, prompted a multi-department response , but thankfully no injuries were reported, Maryville Fire Chief Doug Dankenbring said. The Maryville Fire Department was dispatched at 8:28 p.m. Nov. 17, 2025, to the blaze, which Dankenbring described as one of the worst in the community in recent years. The homeowner was able to escape safely, and firefighters from Maryville and neighboring departments worked
MARYVILLE — A fire that broke out Monday evening, Nov. 17, 2025 , in the 6700 block of Oxborough Court in Maryville has left a home likely a total loss , Maryville Fire Chief Doug Dankenbring said. The Maryville Fire Department responded to the structure fire at 8:28 p.m. Nov. 17, 2025, with automatic mutual aid from neighboring departments in Troy, Glen Carbon, Edwardsville, and Collinsville. The blaze was reported during a storm with significant lightning in the area. The sole occupant
CHICAGO – Today, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) announced that public universities in Illinois achieved the highest enrollment level in 10 years, with nearly 190,000 students enrolled during the fall semester of the 2025-26 academic year. Total enrollment at Illinois public universities increased for the second consecutive year and is the highest in 10 years according to IBHE’s annual First Look Fall Enrollment report. “Illinois has made
November 18th has been a date marked by remarkable events that have shaped the course of history around the world. Moving back in time, November 18, 1493, marked a key moment during Christopher Columbus’s voyages when he first sighted the island of Puerto Rico. This discovery was part of the broader European exploration and colonization of the Americas, which had profound and lasting effects on indigenous populations, global trade, and cultural exchanges. Columbus’s expeditions opene
FIELDON - Community members can join a community Thanksgiving meal in Fieldon. At 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, at Fieldon United Church of Christ, the Fanning family will serve a Thanksgiving dinner to everyone in attendance. No RSVPs are required, but Niki Egelhoff, who helps organize the event, encourages people to call by Nov. 19 if they would like a carry-out or delivered meal. Everyone is welcome to attend. “It looks just like Thanksgiving has looked at our house for a
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