Riverbender 🕸

ALTON – Six months after a burglary and theft at Funky Cards & Collectibles and Alton , felony charges have been filed against a man from Bethalto. Alexander C. Brooks, 32, of Bethalto, was charged on Sept. 11, 2025 with one count each of burglary (a Class 2 felony) and a violation of the Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registration Act (a Class 3 felony). Brooks allegedly unlawfully entered Funky Cards & Collectibles at 104 W. 3rd St. in downtown Alton without legal authority and with the intent to commit a theft on March 11, 2025. As a Violent Offender Against Youth, he was additionally accused of failing to register his new address with the Bethalto Chief of Police within five days of establishing a new Bethalto address. According to the Illinois State Police Offender Registry , Brooks was previously convicted of aggravated battery of a child under 13 years of age, causing permanent disability to the victim, while Brooks was 19 at the time of the offense.

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EDWARDSVILLE – Here are nine things to know this week about Southern Illinois University Edwardsville: Homecoming & Family Weekend Register for the 10th Annual Cougars Unleashed Homecoming Run & Pancake Breakfast, kicking off Homecoming & Family Weekend. Participants can choose from a 10K, 5K, or Fun Run—whether running competitively or simply showing up for pancakes, there’s something for everyone. SIUE alumni receive a $5 registration discount, and current students enjoy special pricing. The event is open to alumni, students, faculty, staff, and community members, with proceeds supporting the SIUE Alumni Association Scholarship and Programs, which provide more than $20,000 annually in scholarships and alumni programming. After crossing the finish line, participants are invited to enjoy a complimentary pancake breakfast from Chris Cakes and—for those 21 and older—a post-run beer from GlobalBrew. Special Appearance SIUE Vice Chancellor

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Arts Center will host their annual Edwardsville Art Fair complete with vendors, kids’ activities, live music and over 100 artists. Community members can enjoy the fair from 5–9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 26, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sept. 27, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 28, 2025, at City Park in Edwardsville. Programming Director Carolyn Tidball expressed her excitement to share the festival with the community. “So much about the Art Fair is about community togetherness and people from all walks of life coming together with a shared appreciation for art and activities,” Tidball said. “Community is a huge part of this. This has been really good for Edwardsville as a community. It’s definitely one of the most anticipated events.” Attendees are invited to visit the artists’ booths to view and purchase their art. You can talk with the artists to learn more about their process and their work. There will

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JERSEYVILLE – The City of Jerseyville’s Planning and Zoning Board will look slightly different after a series of staff changes were approved at this week’s City Council meeting. On Sept. 16, 2025, council members unanimously approved the resignations of Derek Russell and Jennifer Graklanoff from the Planning and Zoning Board. Russell is resigning from his position on the board to become the city’s new Director of Building and Zoning/Code Enforcement. His appointment was made official in June, and he replaces former Director Jeff Soer. Graklanoff’s resignation follows her being sworn in on Sept. 2, 2025 as the city’s newest City Council member and Commissioner of Public Property. She replaces former Public Property Commissioner Zach Crawford, who made his resignation official on the same night. Also approved this week was the appointment of Sue Cutright to the Planning and Zoning Board. As a newcomer to the board, Mayor Kevin Stork said

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Glen-Ed Pantry has received a $50,000 donation from First Presbyterian Church, and the community is invited to match the donation. On Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, members of First Presbyterian Church presented Glen-Ed Pantry Executive Director Jane Ahasay with a check for $50,126.08. This money will go toward the pantry’s $3 million capital campaign as they prepare to break ground on a new building. Ahasay noted that the donation will make a major impact on their ability to serve the District #7 community. “We are supported by the community,” she said. “We don’t run on state grants. We don’t run on federal grants. We’re community-based. It is neighbors feeding neighbors. It’s a beautiful, wonderful, generous community, and we are grateful for all the support that they provide us to feed the hungry. First Presbyterian Church has collaborated with the Glen-Ed Pantry for decades. Many of their members regularly volunteer

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Did you know that International Talk Like a Pirate Day, celebrated annually on September 19th, has grown from a playful inside joke between two friends in 1995 to a worldwide phenomenon embraced by millions? What began as a quirky idea quickly caught the imaginations of pirate enthusiasts, language lovers, and pop culture aficionados alike. But how can you truly make the most of this whimsical day beyond the standard “Ahoy!” and “Shiver me timbers!”? Here are some innovative ways to dive into the spirit of piracy with creativity and flair. Dive Into Pirate Language: Beyond the Basics Many people associate International Talk Like a Pirate Day with adopting a few stereotypical phrases. However, the pirate lexicon is surprisingly rich and offers a fascinating glimpse into seafaring culture and nautical slang from the Golden Age of Piracy. Explore Pirate Linguistics Challenge yourself or your group to learn and use authentic pirate terms such as “crows

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September 19 has long been a date marked by events that have shaped the course of history across the globe. Moving back in time, on September 19, 1893, New Zealand became the first country to grant women the right to vote in national elections. This groundbreaking achievement was a major milestone in the global suffrage movement and paved the way for women's political empowerment worldwide. The success in New Zealand inspired activists in other nations to intensify their campaigns for equal voting rights, marking the day as a symbol of progress in gender equality. The battlefield has also seen significant events on this date. During the American Civil War, the Battle of Chickamauga commenced on September 19, 1863. This battle was one of the bloodiest in the conflict and resulted in a Confederate victory, influencing the momentum of the war in the southern states. The intensity and scale of this clash underscored the profound divisions within the United States at the time and the immens

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) has awarded nearly $1 million in grants to support 15 stewardship programs managed by land trusts on land protected by the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission (INPC). The grants are part of the Illinois Natural Areas Stewardship Grant program , which aims to increase the delivery of much-needed land and water stewardship activities to natural areas permanently protected within the INPC system. Given the growing stewardship needs of natural areas throughout Illinois, this grant program funds projects that help land trusts expand staff and purchase equipment for these activities. The following grants were awarded for fiscal year 2025: The Nature Institute | Madison County $80,680.95 Enlist staff and contractual support for oak and hickory woodland restoration. Ballard Nature Center | Effingham County $65,458.50 Purchase supplies and equipment to expand volunteer stewardship including protective equipment

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA-5) today reintroduced legislation to help increase access to on-campus child care for the more than 3 million parenting students currently enrolled in postsecondary education programs. Despite the latest cuts from the Trump Administration, the Child Care Access Means Parents in Schools (CCAMPIS) Reauthorization Act would reauthorize and increase funding for the only federal program that exclusively supports on-campus child care services and ensure the U.S. Department of Education is meeting the needs of parenting students. “Whether by illegally withholding CCAMPIS funding or repeatedly calling to eliminate the program altogether, it’s deeply cruel that Donald Trump is working to rip yet another lifeline away from student parents across the country,” said Senator Duckworth. “No parent should be forced to drop out of college or take on even more

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ROXANA — Hundreds gathered Thursday evening along the parade route to celebrate the Roxana Homecoming Parade, where large amounts of candy were distributed to the crowd. The parade’s grand marshal was Mark Scroggins, a 1971 graduate of Roxana High School who has dedicated more than 30 years to the Roxana School District as a teacher, coach, and athletic director. Scroggins, often referred to as “Mr. Roxana,” served 10 seasons as the head boys basketball coach, led the golf program for 13 years, and guided the boys soccer team to the only Regional Championship in school history. Numerous Roxana sports teams, clubs, and the school band took part in the parade. The homecoming court included Tatum Shaw, Haley Eades, Ava Cherry, Kylee Slayden, Lilli Ray, and Daisy Daughtery, along with Keelan Crawford, Troy Rahn, Sean Maberry, Max Autery, Mason Crump, and Trenton Hollaway. Fire trucks from Roxana, South Roxana, Wood River, Rosewood Heights, and the Phillips 66

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GRAFTON - At the Grafton City Council Meeting on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, Mayor Morrow presented five Certificates of Appreciation on behalf of the Council, the city and the Grafton Chamber of Commerce. Mayor Morrow said, “When the city’s grant applications to beautify and improve Main Street were unsuccessful, Cyndi and Alderman David Hand started Streetscape, a privately funded organization to purchase and plant the large flowerpots that have made Main Street so spectacular all summer. They have been such a hit that Streetscape has earned a place in the city budget for next year.” With the help of Anne Hettinger, Cyndi has purchased, placed, planted and faithfully watered the colorful, giant “flowerpot gardens” that delight everyone who sees them. A city truck and water tank were vital to fill the pot reservoirs and make it through the hottest days this summer. “Thank you to everyone in the community, both businesses and individuals, who

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ALTON - Lily Waltz of Alton High School was honored as Student of the month for September 2025 at a regular meeting of the Rotary Club of Alton-Godfrey at Gentelin’s on Broadway Restaurant. Waltz is a senior at Alton High School. She would like to take the time to thank the Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club for this opportunity, her teachers, peers, and more importantly, her parents. She would not be where she is today without them, and the guidance and wisdom that has been shown her way. During her four years at Alton High, she has had many accomplishments and achievements. She has a 4.4 GPA, and has taken a total of 17 honors classes, 5 AP classes, and 6 Dual Credit classes. Last year, she was awarded the Hayner Public Library District Student of the Month award. Inside of school, she is involved in many different clubs and activities. She is currently the Features Editor for the Redbird Word, and even attended the Southern Illinois Student Press Association last year, winning three

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ALTON - Joseph Ventimiglia was honored as a Student of the Month for September 2025 at a regular meeting of the Rotary Club of Alton-Godfrey at Gentelin’s on Broadway Restaurant. Ventimiglia is a CEO Member and an Alton High School senior. Ventimiglia is a dedicated and accomplished student at Alton High School, honored as Rotary Student of the Month. Maintaining a 4.0 GPA throughout high school, Joseph has demonstrated exceptional academic commitment, earning membership in the National Honor Society and consistently making the high honor roll. He has challenged himself by completing 13 honors classes, 6 dual credit courses, and 3 accelerated classes, accumulating 28 college credit hours through LCCC, SLU, and Missouri S&T. Joseph’s leadership skills and entrepreneurial spirit were further developed through his participation in the CEO Program (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities). Beyond academics, he is actively involved in numerous extracurricular activities, including

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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, in partnership with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and a bipartisan group of state attorneys general, filed a lawsuit today against Live Nation Entertainment Inc. (Live Nation), and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Ticketmaster LLC (Ticketmaster), over the company’s unlawful coordination with ticket brokers that drives up prices for tickets in resale markets. The lawsuit also alleges that Ticketmaster deceptively displays lower ticket prices on its website, only to charge customers substantially more at checkout. “Ticketmaster’s deceptive business tactics have left fans paying steep hidden fees and pushed them into expensive, secondary ticket markets,” said Raoul. “While Ticketmaster claims to limit bulk purchases by brokers, it allows its own rules on purchase limits to be broken. The company then profits when those tickets sell for higher prices — and Ticketmaster can collect another round of fees

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NORMAL - Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced today that OPmobility will establish their first Illinois facility in Normal to assemble bumpers for Rivian's R2, which will be available for consumers in 2026. OPmobility will be the first company to locate in Rivian’s new supplier park , which was announced in May 2025. The company plans to make a significant capital investment with support from DCEO's Reimagining Energy and Vehicles in Illinois (REV Illinois) program, which will enable the company to establish its Illinois-based operations and create 81 new full-time jobs. “OPmobility’s decision to establish its first Illinois facility in Normal is another win for our state, our workers, and the Central Illinois economy,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This investment builds on Illinois’ growing EV ecosystem, and it demonstrates the power of programs like REV Illinois to support

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Edwardsville Police Department officially welcomed five new officers after each were sworn in at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Officers Megan Douglas, Clint Freitag, Nina Funk, Gracie Kimmle, and Zachary Jines were each sworn in at the Sept. 16, 2025 meeting. Four of the department’s latest hires are brand-new to the field of law enforcement, having recently completed their Police Academy training – these include Douglas, Frietag, Funk, and Kimmle. Officer Jines is a lateral hire who joins the Edwardsville Police from his last position with the Mt. Vernon Police Department. “We are very proud of our Police Department, and all of our departments – but our Police Department are really committed to the safety of our residents,” Risavy said. “We are very proud of how professional they are and how well-respected they are in our community.” City Clerk Michelle Boyer administered the oaths for each officer a

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today joined members of the Interparliamentary Taskforce on Human Trafficking (ITHT) to deliver remarks at the Anti-Trafficking in Persons (ATIP) Global Policy Summit and roundtable, where he spoke of federal efforts to combat child exploitation and human trafficking. In his remarks, Durbin urged the passage of his STOP CSAM Act and DEFIANCE Act —two pieces of legislation that would collectively empower survivors to hold Big Tech accountable for its role in facilitating child abuse and sexual violence. The STOP CSAM Act would allow victims to sue online providers and app stores that make available, promote, host or store child sexual abuse material. The bill would also require large tech companies to submit annual reports detailing their efforts to protect children on their platforms. Last week, Durbin delivered a speech on the Senate floor urging his

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BRIGHTON - Madison County Sheriff's Office authorities responded to a serious traffic crash involving a motorcycle and a pickup truck on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 18, 2025, in an unincorporated area with a Brighton address. At approximately 12:55 p.m. Thursday, Madison County Sheriff’s Deputies and the Godfrey Fire Department arrived at the 7600 block of Montclair Avenue (Route 111/267) following reports of a collision with injuries. Madison County Chief Deputy Sheriff Marcos Pulido said preliminary investigations indicate that a motorcycle carrying two people was traveling southbound at a high rate of speed when it collided with the front passenger side of a northbound pickup truck. The truck driver was turning left into a driveway at the time of the crash, he said. "The motorcycle’s operator and passenger sustained life-threatening injuries," Pulido said. "The operator was airlifted to a hospital in the St. Louis area. The passenger was initially taken to a hospital

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BETHALTO – A Bethalto man previously convicted of domestic battery has been released pending trial in his latest domestic battery case after allegedly breaking into a second victim’s home while fleeing from police. John V. Fleming, 30, of Bethalto, was charged on Sept. 8, 2025 with one count each of residential burglary (a Class 1 felony), aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer, domestic battery (second or subsequent offense), and criminal damage to property (each Class 4 felonies). On Sept. 7, 2025, Fleming allegedly ran over a household or family member’s foot, fled from police at over 21 mph over the legal speed limit, damaged the exterior door of a Bethalto residence, and unlawfully entered the same Bethalto residence. Fleming had previously been convicted of domestic battery in 2020, also in Madison County. The Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to deny Fleming’s pretrial release from custody. Accordin

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GRANITE CITY – A Granite City man accused of battering and strangling a domestic battery victim with a piece of rope and more now faces felony charges. Gabriel D. Reyes-Jimenez, 37, of Granite City, was charged on Sept. 11, 2025 with two counts each of aggravated domestic battery (both Class 2 felonies) and domestic battery (both Class A misdemeanors). On Sept. 9, 2025, Reyes-Jimenez allegedly caused great bodily harm to a household or family member by striking them about the head and body with a closed fist, striking them in the face and causing a nasal fracture, striking the victim about the body with a rope, and strangling the victim by wrapping a rope around their neck. According to the state’s petition to deny Reyes-Jimenez’s pretrial release from custody, the victim first reported to a witness, and later to police, that Reyes-Jimenez “became angry about her failing to pack him a lunch” before striking and threatening the victim. “Later,

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