Riverbender 🕸

EDWARDSVILLE — The Edwardsville Fire Department responded to a warehouse fire in the 100 block of First Avenue Saturday evening, officials said. The call came in just after 6 p.m. on Saturday, reporting a single-story warehouse on fire. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered heavy smoke and flames coming through the roof. A box alarm was requested, bringing additional support from Wood River, Glen Carbon, and Troy fire departments. Madison County Emergency Management also arrived on

GODFREY — The Godfrey Fire Department responded to a structure fire Saturday morning, Jan. 31, 2026, in the 5000 block of Staten Drive that trapped an elderly woman inside the home, officials said. The department received a 911 call at 9:41 a.m. Saturday, reporting the fire and the woman trapped inside. Three other residents inside the house managed to rescue the woman and move her across the street. During the rescue, a man suffered serious burns and was transported to a hospital in St

GODFREY — Firefighters from the Godfrey Fire Protection District and several other departments responded to a serious fire Saturday morning in the 5000 block of Staten in Godfrey. The incident occurred on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, amid challenging weather conditions, with temperatures around 8 degrees. The Godfrey Fire Protection District deployed its ladder truck to assist in firefighting efforts. Godfrey Fire Chief Eric Cranmer said an elderly woman was inside the house at the time o

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, released the following statement after the Committee advanced cryptocurrency market structure legislation along party lines. Republicans also voted to reject two amendments that Durbin offered in order to strengthen the bill. Durbin’s amendments attempted to crack down on crypto ATM fraud and ban some crypto intermediaries from receiving a federal bailout. “The 2008 financial

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announced plans to distribute $3.6 million in fiscal year 2026 at the Everything Local conference in Springfield on Wednesday. The funds, which were appropriated in the FY26 state budget, will be used to support local food processing, aggregation, and distribution. Grants will be available for collaborative projects from $1,000 to $250,000 and for individual projects from $1,000 to $75,000. “Strong agriculture depends on

QUINCY - Quincy University released its Dean's List for the Fall 2025 semester. Honorees must earn a semester grade point average of at least 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) to be included in the biannual Dean's List. In total, 379 students received the honor during the Fall 2025 semester. Carrollton, Glen Carbon, and Jerseyville students were named to the list. The students are listed below. HOMETOWN, STATE; NAME Carrollton, IL Hannah Uhles Glen Carbon, IL Patrick Chism Jerseyville, IL

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is proud to recognize the outstanding academic achievements of the Blugolds who have earned a place on the Dean’s List. Their commitment to excellence exemplifies the highest standards of scholarship at UW-Eau Claire. Congratulations on this remarkable accomplishment. Edwardsville's Sam Wittek was named to the Dean's List at UW-Eau Claire. He is enrolled in the College of Business. To be eligible, a student must: - be in good

ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Downtown Airport (KCPS), a premier general aviation airport located just minutes from the Gateway Arch in St. Clair County, Illinois, grew in its role as a regional economic engine in 2025. Throughout the year, KCPS experienced significant tenant investments and improvements in airport infrastructure, while continuing to be an active regional player in workforce development and industry attraction. In 2025, the airport welcomed investments by tenants that augmented

WOOD RIVER - As Wood River prepares for the year ahead, Mayor Tom Stalcup and City Manager Steve Palen promise a few updates regarding Hollywood River Studios. In June 2025, Wood River received a $500,000 bid from Wood River Farm Investments LLC to purchase and develop a 105-acre site, formerly known as the EnviroTech Business Park or the Wood River Business Park, into Hollywood River Studios. The City Council approved a final $1 million offer from Wood River Farm Investments LLC

Chamber Project Saint Louis Presents “DANCE BREAK: Fancy Footwork” EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s presentation of “DANCE BREAK: Fancy Footwork” on Wednesday, Jan. 28, was a collaboration between University Dance Company and Chamber Project Saint Louis. The vibrant stage show celebrated the powerful partnership between live music and dance. Inviting audiences to “shake your tail feathers,” the evening offered a global journey

GLEN CARBON – The Glen Carbon Police Department is getting new vehicles, vests, and an additional dispatcher with the Village Board’s recent approval. Trustees unanimously approved allowing the police department to exceed authorized manning for dispatchers by one position at their Jan. 27, 2026 meeting. Police Chief Todd Link explained that one of the department’s senior telecommunicators will be leaving the agency to move out of state within the next month or two. Given th

EDWARDSVILLE — Several members of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office were honored for their service and bravery at the 33rd annual SILEC/SIPCA Awards Banquet held recently. The event recognized law enforcement personnel for their dedication and professionalism in serving the community. Among the honorees from the Madison County Sheriff's Office were Telecommunicator Katie Ferguson, who received the Telecommunicator Award, and Patrol Deputies Joshua Bogle and Zachary Sellers,

WOOD RIVER/GRANITE CITY – Local authorities have charged two men from Wood River and Granite City in separate felony cases of domestic battery. William K. Kampmann III, 37, of Wood River, was charged on Jan. 23, 2026 with one count each of aggravated domestic battery (a Class 2 felony) and domestic battery (a Class 4 felony). On Jan. 21, 2026, Kampmann allegedly committed an act of domestic battery against a household or family member, knowingly causing the victim bodily harm. Charging

COLLINSVILLE - Renfro Elementary educational assistant Jennifer Cox was recognized today as January 2026 Kahok Educator of the Month. The award was presented by Renfro Principal Dr. Laura Bauer and local Benjamin F. Edwards financial advisor Jason Rehg. In her nomination of Ms. Cox, Dr. Bauer wrote: "Jennifer Cox deserves to be Kahok Educator of the Month because: She is an educational assistant who has the most amazing work ethic. She is a special education assistant who pushes int

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) pressed U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins on his haphazard plans to restructure the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), which comes at a time when the VA is facing a severe staffing shortage as a direct result of the Trump Administration betraying our Veterans and removing 40,000 dedicated civil servants from the agency. During the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC)

CHICAGO, IL — Today, Governor Pritzker joined members of the philanthropic community, reproductive health leaders, and state leaders to announce the creation of the Prairie State Access Fund, a new initiative in partnership with the Michael Reese Health Trust to sustain and strengthen the reproductive health ecosystem across Illinois to ensure continued access for both residents of Illinois and those from across the country seeking abortion care. “The Trump Administration is leading

FERGUSON, Mo. — Detectives from the St. Louis County Police Department’s Bureau of Crimes Against Persons are investigating a homicide that occurred Friday afternoon, Jan. 31, 2026, in the 1700 block of Windward Court in Ferguson. Officers from the Ferguson Police Department responded shortly before 4 p.m. to reports of shots fired. Upon arrival, they found an adult female suffering from at least one apparent gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The Ferguson Police

SPRINGFIELD – The latest homeless morbidity and mortality report from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) shows that persons experiencing homelessness (PEH) face significant health challenges and are much more likely to face emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and premature death than the public at large. The full report can be found here . An executive summary can be found here . The new report examines data from 2017 to 2023, including death certificates, hospital

LENA — Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced that Savencia Cheese USA (Savencia) will expand its existing production facility in Lena, transferring production know-how from France to Illinois. The company plans to add a new production line as part of its capital investment, which will create 50 new full-time jobs while retaining 125 existing jobs. “For decades, Savencia Cheese has been producing and perfecting

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Congressman Jack Bergman (MI-01), and Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) Co-Chairs of the Congressional Postal Service Caucus, led eight Members of Congress in a letter to Postmaster General David P. Steiner, demanding that he reverse a new policy in which a postmark will no longer reflect the date that someone originally mailed a letter. As a result of the Regional Transportation Optimization (RTO) plan, USPS can no longer