Riverbender 🕸

EDWARDSVILLE – An Alton man faces a felony for his latest DUI offense after he reportedly drove under the influence of drugs and alcohol in Edwardsville. Shawn O. Bell, 42, of Alton, was charged with a Class 4 felony count of aggravated driving under the influence and a Class A misdemeanor count of driving while license is revoked. Bell allegedly drove a Hyundai Tiburon on New Poag Road in Edwardsville while under the combined influence of alcohol and or other drugs or intoxicating compounds

ALTON - The 36th annual ABOB Olde Alton Arts and Craft Fair invites the community to shop and support music students in Alton Community Unit School District #11. On Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, and Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, The Alton Band and Orchestra Builders (ABOB) will host the fair at Alton High School. Shoppers can enjoy handmade items and gifts from vendors across the Midwest, and proceeds from the fair will benefit the district’s music program. “It’s just an incredible

WOOD RIVER — On Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, the Wood River Police Department’s Telecommunications Center faced a challenging day managing multiple critical incidents simultaneously, including a serious morning crash on Illinois 143 and a major house fire in Roxana . The dispatch center, which serves the communities of Bethalto, Roxana, South Roxana, Hartford, Wood River, and East Alton, is staffed by 10 individuals and led by Joe Petrokovich. Police Chief Brad Wells praised the telecommunication

SPRINGFIELD – With the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) new $45 penalty set to catch travelers off guard starting February 1, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is taking action to reduce the Time Tax by making it easier than ever for Illinois residents to get their REAL ID. “With costs rising across the board, Illinoisans shouldn’t have to pay a $45 penalty just to get on a plane, especially when that fee is higher than some flights themselves,”

MARYVILLE - Maryville Christmas School is spearheading a series of holiday giving projects aimed at supporting children in need this season. The efforts include preparing Samaritan’s Purse Christmas Shoeboxes, collecting toys and warm clothing, and organizing a fundraising event through the school’s “Christmas Cottage.” Linzi Foreman, a representative from Maryville Christmas School, shared details about the initiative, which is currently underway. The Samaritan’s

CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced an additional $10 million in funding for the Job Training and Economic Development (JTED) Program for workforce training and wrap-around services that will bolster equitable workforce recovery for Illinoisans struggling to gain meaningful employment. As part of Illinois’ workforce recovery efforts, JTED grants focus on helping increase employment among workers and

CHICAGO – The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) are thrilled to announce the second cohort to complete the Next Generation Capacity Building Initiative (Next Gen), a program designed to strengthen the pipeline of emerging affordable housing developers in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) industry across Illinois. “Everyone in Illinois deserves access to affordable housing, and our Next Gen program is providing

ALTON – The Alton Educational Foundation recently awarded eight grants to Alton School District teachers and staff as a part of their Fall 2025 Grant Application Cycle. The programs and projects proposed and awarded will serve over 3,100 students across six schools. Each year, the Foundation raises funding through their Guardians of Education Program which is specifically targeted to provide staff grants designed to expand innovative programs and projects for Alton students. To date,

WOOD RIVER — A two-vehicle crash on Illinois Route 143 near Enviroway left one critically injured Wednesday morning, Dec. 3, 2025, Wood River Police Chief Brad Wells said. The accident occurred shortly before 8:48 a.m. on Wednesday when a small passenger vehicle, driven by a woman, attempted to turn left onto Enviroway from eastbound Route 143. The vehicle collided with a white pickup truck traveling westbound in the slow lane, also driven by a woman. Chief Wells said the driver in the

EDWARDSVILLE – The Edwardsville Police Department participated in the statewide “Click It or Ticket” and “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” mobilization over the Thanksgiving holiday period to reduce crashes and save lives. Enforcement focused on seat-belt use, speeding, distraction, and alcohol- and drug-impaired driving, including cannabis. During a seven-hour enforcement detail, officers made five traffic stops for various traffic violations, resulting in two arrests

CARROLLTON — The Greene County Health Department is proud to announce that Molly Peters, their Public Health Administrator, has been appointed by Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Sameer Vohra MD, JD, MA as Co-Chair of the SHA/SHIP Partnership—the statewide team guiding the development and implementation of Illinois’s five-year statewide public health blueprint under the “Healthy Illinois 2028” initiative. In her role, Ms. Peters will help steer

CARROLLTON – The Greene County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan, outlining projects and activities to reduce damages caused by severe weather and other natural hazards, will be available for public review and comment starting Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. A public forum will be held at the Greene County Health Department, 310 5th Street in Carrollton, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10. Individuals can come and review the Plan at any time during the forum. Those unable to attend can

PIASA — A group of education pathway students from Southwestern High School spent Tuesday exploring the teaching profession during Future Teacher Day at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). The event, held Nov. 18, 2025, gathered aspiring educators from across the region for a day of inspiration, hands-on learning, and professional development. The day began with a keynote address by Dr. Victor Gomez, Illinois Teacher of the Year, who shared his personal journey and encouraged

ALTON - The Hayner Public Library District’s Genealogy & Local History Library will be transformed into a Victorian-inspired holiday wonderland when the library hosts its annual Holiday Open House on Saturday, December 6, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. “This is always a fantastic event,” said Executive Director Mary Cordes. “The Genealogy and Local History Library is one of the most beautiful buildings in our District (which covers Alton, Godfrey, and Foster Township), and

CHICAGO — Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined members of the Illinois America 250 Commission at Navy Pier’s iconic Centennial Wheel on Lake Michigan to announce a series of statewide initiatives to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. Celebrations marking the nation’s birth in 1776 with the signing of the Declaration will take place across the country in 2026, culminating on July 4. “The story of Illinois has always been the story

ST. LOUIS – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is intensifying its fight against the deadly threat of synthetic opioids with the launch of Fentanyl Free America, a comprehensive enforcement initiative and public awareness campaign aimed at reducing both the supply and demand for fentanyl. Through intensified enforcement operations and heightened intelligence, DEA is applying unprecedented pressure on the global fentanyl supply chain, forcing narco-terrorists, like the

WASHINGTON, D.C. – After the Trump Administration cruelly provided only four percent of the air traffic controller (ATC) and technician workforce with $10,000 bonuses, despite all of them working without pay during the Republican-led government shutdown, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation, Space and Innovation—demanded U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy award those bonuses to every single ATC and technician. In

MARYVILLE – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that the intersection of Illinois 162 and Keebler Road will be closed to all traffic for one day starting at 8 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, weather permitting, to allow crews to replace two crossroad culverts. The intersection is expected to reopen by 6 p.m. the same evening. During this closure, no through traffic will be permitted, and motorists will encounter limited opportunities to turn around at the intersection. Motorists

ALTON - A new downtown Alton shop has quickly become a local favorite. Persnickety by Jen Farley offers a wide variety of antique, vintage and new items, from lamps and furniture to home decor and jewelry, as well as a fresh flower bar. As the holidays approach, Farley shares that she hopes to help Riverbend residents find the perfect gifts and items to keep them happy all season long. “I never know what I’m going to find. I like to say that my items find me so I can help

ALTON – OSF HealthCare Rehabilitation Services in Alton will be holding its monthly lymphedema education meeting on Thursday, December 4, which will serve as a Christmas party with a Lymphedema and Christmas trivia game for attendees. Riverbend region residents are invited to join the OSF Lymphedema Therapy Team for this free educational session about Lymphedema and meet other people with lymphedema. The December lymphedema education meeting will be held: Thursday, December