Riverbender 🕸

On February 3, 1959, a small plane crashed in a snowy Iowa field, killing three rising American rock-and-roll stars—Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson—along with their pilot. The tragedy mattered immediately because it cut short careers that were shaping a fast-changing popular music scene. It still matters because it became a lasting reference point for how modern celebrity, touring, and mass media can turn a single accident into a shared

This morning starts with a few snow flurries and cloudy skies. Temperatures early are chilly, around 17 degrees, with a wind from the north at 10 mph gusting to 20 mph, so it might feel a bit colder. By afternoon, clouds will linger with a high near 34. There is a chance of some freezing drizzle, so watch your step. As evening arrives, the temperature will drop toward the low 20s with mostly cloudy skies remaining. Overnight, expect mostly cloudy and cold conditions with lows near 17 degrees and

WOOD RIVER – Wood River Police Chief Brad Wells recently honored multiple officers and telecommunications for their outstanding service throughout 2025. Wells joined Mayor Tom Stalcup in presenting the Officer of the Year Award for 2025 to Brendan Wright at the Feb. 2, 2026 Wood River City Council meeting . Wells said Wright fielded the most calls of any officer in the department last year, totaling 2,706 calls in 2025. “In 2025, Officer Wright handled the most complaints in

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) and 14 of her colleagues in opposing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)’s new Waters of the United States (WOTUS) proposed rule which threatens to undo significant progress made to restore the quality of our nation’s waters. The new rule limits the definition of waters, including removing coverage for waters that are not wet fo

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement on today’s vote in the Senate: “Trump’s lawless agents are out of control. The American people are crying out for accountability after watching Border Patrol and ICE terrorize our streets, snatch up and detain kids, rip families apart and even publicly execute two U.S. citizens in broad daylight—with zero consequences. Congress cannot let this reign of terror continue. “It

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after voting for the five bipartisan government funding bills and a two-week stop gap funding measure for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) while negotiations around reforms to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continue: “Senate Democrats were successful in separating

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced an amendment to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Act today that would empower the families of U.S. citizens who were wrongfully killed by Trump’s lawless agents, as well as each citizen who was wrongfully detained and then released by Trump’s reckless agents, to sue the federal government for at least $500,000. Duckworth’s Citizens Are As Important As Senators amendment is modeled

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative James Walkinshaw (D-VA-11) called on Donald Trump—who has repeatedly failed to deliver on his promise to provide free IVF for all Americans—to prove his self-proclaimed support for IVF by expanding coverage for the millions of hardworking Americans in our federal workforce. In their letter, the lawmakers called on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to require all Federal Employees Health Benefits

FERGUSON, Mo. — Shannon O’Brien, 28, of St. Louis, was identified as the victim in a fatal shooting that occurred Friday afternoon, Jan. 30, 2026, in Ferguson, Missouri, authorities said. Just before 4 p.m. on Jan. 30, 2026, Ferguson Police Department officers responded to reports of shots fired in the 1700 block of Windward Court. Upon arrival, officers found O’Brien suffering from at least one apparent gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The Ferguson Police

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General (IG) Joseph Cuffari to discuss the urgent need to conduct an independent investigation into the egregious public execution of Alex Pretti and pattern of brutality from Trump’s lawless agents. The meeting comes after Duckworth repeatedly called on DHS and the Department of Justice IGs to establish a joint task force to investigate these abuses. Shamefully,

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined a multistate coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief opposing the Trump administration’s efforts to terminate the Flores Settlement Agreement. The Flores Settlement Agreement, which has been in place since 1997, provides crucial protections against the inappropriate detention of children and ensures the children in immigration custody are held in facilities licensed in and subject to oversight by the states where the

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Elijah Treat, 24, of Florissant, Missouri, died after being struck by a vehicle on January 31, 2026, in the 4100 block of North Highway 67 near Old Halls Ferry Road, according to the St. Louis County Police Department. The crash occurred at approximately 9:33 p.m. when officers from the North County Precinct responded to a motor vehicle crash call. Treat was found in the roadway and transported to a nearby hospital for life-saving treatment but later succumbed

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Mary Miller (IL-15) led a letter with Congressman Mike Bost (IL-12) and Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-16) to the Illinois State Board of Elections requesting answers regarding the accuracy of the state’s voter rolls and its compliance with federal election law. As Illinois prepares to begin early voting on February 5, the letter raised serious concerns about the state’s compliance with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and

ALTON – Two incidents of battery in public and one against an elderly victim have yielded felony charges against three local residents. Flynn M. Shaffner, 44, of Alton, was charged on Jan. 28, 2026 with a Class 3 felony count of aggravated battery. Shaffner allegedly pushed a victim who was 60 years of age or older out of their wheelchair on Nov. 17, 2025, knowingly causing bodily harm without legal justification. In a separate case, 37-year-old Donald L. Berry Jr. of Wood River also

ST. LOUIS, MO. – United Way of Greater St. Louis is providing free tax preparation services to local families with a household income of $69,000 or less in 2025. Through the 211 referral system and in partnership with local tax coalitions, over 600 certified volunteers will seek to help working families file taxes and maximize returns. Most tax site locations require appointments, which can be scheduled online or by phone. Local residents can dial 211 or visit 211helps.org to find their

SPRINGFIELD – The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and Camp I Am Me by Illinois Fire Safety Alliance are partnering to raise awareness about the importance for burn prevention during Burn Awareness Week February 1-7, 2026. This year’s theme, “Burn Prevention Where You Live, Work, and Play – Preventing Burns in the Workplace,” highlights how small, proactive safety steps can prevent serious injuries. Burn injuries continue to be a significant public

ROXANA/WOOD RIVER - Rusty Wheat wants the community to know that the trash along county roads is “worse than it ever was,” but he’s not stopping his efforts to clean up anytime soon. In a recent interview on “Our Daily Show!” with CJ Nasello , Wheat explained that he picks up trash along nine miles of roads in Madison County. He is usually out once a week on Highway 143, cleaning up exits off Interstate 255 and county roads like Moreland and Wanda Roads.

ST. LOUIS — Dametria McDile, 32, died Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, after being found unresponsive in her cell at the St. Louis City Justice Center, authorities said. McDile was discovered at approximately 4:45 p.m. Jan. 31, 2026, and medical personnel responded immediately, performing life-saving measures before transporting her to a St. Louis hospital. She was pronounced dead at a St. Louis hospital shortly after 6 p.m. on Saturday. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is investigating

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS — The Fairview Heights Police Department welcomed two new K9 teams, adding K9 Coppo with Officer Lauren Reid and K9 Goose with Officer Shayne Korte to its ranks. K9 Coppo brings several years of experience to the department, while K9 Goose, who arrived from Belgium, is nearing the completion of training alongside Officer Korte. The addition of these teams aims to enhance the department’s capabilities in law enforcement and community safety. Officer Korte and Goose

ALTON — The Alton Police Department has released its 2025 Annual Report, detailing the department’s activities, accomplishments, and staffing changes over the past year. The report aims to increase transparency and keep the community informed about police operations and partnerships. In 2025, the department responded to 28,555 incidents, including 3,820 traffic stops and 691 felony charges. Officers filed 1,006 misdemeanor charges and 109 juvenile petitions, with 77 juveniles charged.