Riverbender 🕸

EDWARDSVILLE - Members of the Edwardsville High School Orchestra and Orchestra Director Victoria Voumard provided a memorable performance at the Edwardsville City Business Forecast Breakfast at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville on Tuesday morning, March 10, 2026. The following students performed with the EHS Chamber orchestra at the event: Paige Muskopf, violin. Elise Larrew, violin. Elisabeth Preston, violin. Jonah Tinge, violin. Ian Kim, viola. Lily Reynolds, cello. Jayla

ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police are investigating the death of an adult female pedestrian who was struck by a vehicle Friday afternoon in the 1700 block of Lemay Ferry Road, authorities said. The crash happened just before 2:30 p.m. on March 13, 2026, when officers from the St. Louis County Police South County Precinct responded to a motor vehicle crash on Lemay Ferry Road, police said. When officers arrived, they found the pedestrian had been hit by a vehicle. She was taken to a

GRANITE CITY - At 1:30 a.m. on March 14, 2026, officers from the Granite City Police Department were dispatched to a residence in the 2100 Block of Monroe Street, Granite City, in reference to a female being attacked in the backyard by two dogs. Granite City Police said officers arrived on scene and had to use lethal force against the aggressive dogs to render medical aid to the victim safely. "While rendering medical aid to the adult victim, a juvenile victim was also discovered nearby," Granit

ALTON — Alton High School sophomore Baylee Dunse has been selected as the Art Fahrner–Edward Jones Remarkable Redbird of the Month , recognized for her dedication to student journalism and her growing influence on the school’s award-winning Tatler yearbook staff. Baylee is one of more than 30 students contributing to the upcoming 2025–2026 Tatler . She recently earned notable recognition for a feature story she wrote on the Alton High girls’ tennis team —

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined her Senate Democratic colleagues in demanding Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. take immediate action to protect Americans’ uninterrupted access to comprehensive family planning and services by awarding a one-year full funding extension for all current Title X grantees. The Senators’ letter, led by Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Angus King (I-ME), comes after the Trump Administratio

GODFREY – For Lewis and Clark Community College Alumna Destini Lednicky, making the decision to attend L&C was a turning point. What began as a local and affordable option quickly became the place where she built the confidence and support system that has been an integral part of getting her to where she is today in her career. “I just really appreciated Lewis and Clark for giving me the confidence to be able to go on to a four-year university,” Lednicky said. “I

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today hosted a celebration to commemorate Women’s History Month and pay tribute to the enduring impact of women in shaping history and benefitting society. The event, held in the Illinois Room at 555 W. Monroe St. in Chicago, was an opportunity to reflect on the great achievements and ongoing contributions of women leaders in Illinois. The eight honorees included a senior vice president at Old National Bank, the CEO of Feeding America,

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As “AI toys” become more and more common, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) are urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to launch an investigation into whether Mattel and other toy companies are unfairly and deceptively marketing age-inappropriate toys to parents and putting our youngest children at risk. Earlier this year, artificial intelligence powerhouse Open AI put out an explicit warning that ChatGPT is not meant for

EDWARDSVILLE - The Lincoln Middle School Math Team took first place this week at a regional competition, outpacing dozens of other teams in Madison County. Theo L., Sam P., Grayson W., and Will C. earned first place at the Madison County ROE 41 Jr. Olympiad on Tuesday, according to Edwardsville School District #7. The Lincoln Middle School team competed against 41 teams from across the region. “It was impressive to watch the team jump out to an early lead and then maintain

COLLINSVILLE — Illinois State Police K9 Zeus has received a bullet- and stab-protective vest through a charitable donation from Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides protective gear and other assistance to law enforcement dogs across the United States. The vest for K9 Zeus was sponsored by Vested Interest in K9s and embroidered with the sentiment “Born to Love - Trained to Serve - Loyal Always.” Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., established i

ALTON - Alton Community Unit School District #11 students had the opportunity to write their own books. On Wednesday, March 11, 2026, over 100 students and their families gathered at Alton High School for the annual Young Authors banquet. Kids in kindergarten through eighth grade had the chance to enter the Young Authors program, which encouraged them to write and illustrate their stories. Jody Meggos, the district’s Director of Curriculum, expressed her excitement to share this experience

EDWARDSVILLE - The Madison County Sheriff’s Office will join the Illinois State Police and the Illinois Department of Transportation in a stepped-up traffic safety campaign from March 13 through 6 a.m. March 23, 2026, to deter drunk, high, or drug-impaired driving around St. Patrick’s Day in Madison County, Illinois. St. Patrick’s Day celebrations often include “parades, parties, green beer and more” across the state, the sheriff's office's Capt. Matt Werner said

Letter to the Editor: I am running for County Clerk on the March 17, 2026, Republican primary. Why? Because I believe we can do a better job, especially when it comes to #1 property taxes and #2 election management. First, I’m a real Republican and I can prove it. I’m Pro-Life, Pro-Second Amendment and Pro-Constitution. For the last 14 months, I have been Executive Director or Eagle Forum Education and Legal, which was founded by Phyllis Schlafly in Alton, and our office is a

JERSEYVILLE – An employee of the Jerseyville Public Library faces 10 felony counts of child pornography possession after a joint investigation between the Jerseyville Police and Illinois Attorney General’s Office. Adam Hurley, 42, of Jerseyville, was charged with 10 counts of possessing child sexual abuse material, each Class 2 felonies punishable by up to seven years in prison. The charges were issued by the office of Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. Hurley is currently

GODFREY - The YWCA’s 11 Women of Distinction were honored with a gala to celebrate their accomplishments in the community. On Thursday, March 12, 2026, the women, their loved ones, and community members gathered at Lewis and Clark Community College for the event. This year’s honorees included Lynne Burnett , Tomeika Carter , Barb Erwin , Mary Jason , Carol Morris , Debbie Sheary , Dr. Tandra Taylor , Dr. Tracy Webster-Cooley , Kathleen Wilson , Beverly

BETHALTO – A Bethalto resident faces multiple charges after allegedly lying to police officers after a reported domestic battery. Joseph A. Yancey, 37, of Bethalto, was charged on Feb. 27, 2026 with one count each of aggravated domestic battery (a Class 2 felony), obstructing justice (a Class 4 felony), and domestic battery (a Class A misdemeanor). Yancey is accused of knowingly committing an act of domestic battery against a family or household member on Feb. 25, 2026, causing great

EDWARDSVILLE - Brady Bishop’s season at Metro East Lutheran included standout scoring in many games and a recent honor that his athletic director said reflected months of work with his teammates. Bishop, a Metro East Lutheran player, was recently named to the Gateway Metro all-conference boys first-team squad, and Metro East Lutheran High athletic director Jason Batty said that was a tremendous honor. Bishop’s season included a 24-point game against rival Maryville Christian on Feb.

ILLINOIS - As the race to the Illinois primary heats up, comptroller candidate Holly Kim shared more about her philosophy that it’s important to help the working class. The primary is scheduled for March 17, 2026, and Kim (D) is eager to use her background as a village trustee, township trustee, and county treasurer in the comptroller’s role. She explained that she is interested in helping the working class because she has experienced hardship herself, and she encourages Illinois

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today, as part of a coalition of 24 states, asked the U.S. Court of International Trade to rule in the states’ favor and block implementation of President Trump’s latest efforts to impose illegal tariffs on products purchased by American consumers and businesses. Raoul and the coalition filed a lawsuit challenging the tariffs earlier this month. “Despite our clear and decisive Supreme Court win in our first illegal tariffs lawsuit,

GODREY – The scholarship application deadline for the 2026-2027 academic year at Lewis and Clark Community College is fast approaching. “With nearly 250 scholarships totaling about $750,000, Lewis and Clark is committed to ensuring that students have the tools to navigate their educational journey,” said Debby Edelman, Director of Development for the Lewis and Clark Community College Foundation. Nearly half of the awards cover full tuition and fees, removing financial