Riverbender 🕸

TROY - The Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce, the City of Troy, Jarvis Township and Ramert Insurance will host the second annual National Night Out from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, at Tri-Township Park in Troy, organizers announced. The event is intended to honor local first responders and bring the community together for what organizers described as a fun, family-friendly evening. Attendees will be able to meet local first responders, tour emergency vehicles and other specialty

TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)—traveled to Taiwan, the first Senator to do so after the disastrous Trump-Xi summit. After Donald Trump kowtowed to President of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Xi Jinping and waffled on delivering a critical bipartisan arms package to Taiwan, the Senator plans to meet with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim and

ALTON - The Alton Municipal Band has reached the halfway point of its summer season, after concluding a successful run of patriotic concerts celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The band, which performs every Thursday and Sunday in June and July, will perform three more weeks of concerts in the parks this summer. On Thursday, July 9th and Sunday, July 12th, Riverbend favorites The Warehouse Project will perform alongside the municipal band at Riverview

BETHALTO - The Bethalto Floor Store has received the RiverBend Growth Association’s Small Business Excellence Award for July. Owned by Kaylee Weber, The Bethalto Floor Store offers a variety of hardwood, tile, luxury vinyl, carpet and laminate products and installation services. Weber never anticipated that she would one day own the store, but she loves working with her community and giving back to the people who raised her. “I’m a born-and-raised Bethalto girl. I love being

SHILOH - The Shiloh Police Department is asking for the public’s help identifying a person shown in surveillance photos who detectives believe may have information about a burglary reported Thursday, July 2, 2026, in the 1300 block of Hartman Lane in Shiloh. In a public notice, the department said the burglary occurred at about 5:30 a.m. on July 2. Detectives are seeking information from anyone who recognizes the individual or who was in the area between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. and saw

ST. LOUIS - A modified overnight curfew for juveniles in St. Louis’ Downtown and Downtown West neighborhoods was in effect this past weekend, with 40 juveniles detained for violations, according to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. City officials said the measure is intended to address unsafe late-night gatherings during the July 4 weekend and the rest of the summer. The curfew applies nightly from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. to people 17 and younger. It began the evening of July 3 and

ST. LOUIS - A 17-year-old St. Louis boy was killed and two 16-year-old boys were wounded in a shooting just after midnight on Sunday, July 5, 2026, near North 21st Street and East Linton Avenue in the College Hill neighborhood, according to police. St. Louis Metropolitan Police District 6 officers were called to the intersection shortly after midnight for a reported shooting. When officers arrived, they found a 17-year-old male who had been shot and was unconscious and not breathing, police said

ST. LOUIS COUNTY - Two men were killed and two other people were injured after a robbery led to a fight and gunfire late Sunday, July 5, 2026, in the 4300 block of North Hanley Road in St. Louis County, police said. Officers from the St. Louis County Police Department Bureau of Transit Police responded at 11:55 p.m. Sunday, July 5, to a call for a shooting and found three adult males with apparent gunshot injuries, according to a Monday, July 6, 2026, update from the St. Louis County Police

WOOD RIVER - The City of Wood River and the Wood River Business Alliance said their first Fourth of July celebration drew a strong turnout Friday, July 3, 2026, at Belk Park, where residents and visitors gathered for live music, food, activities and a drone show marking America’s 250th. “What a celebration,” the Wood River Business Alliance's Executive Director Kristen Burns said following the event, describing a day “filled with laughter, memories, and hometown

EDWARDSVILLE - An Alton man described by prosecutors as the “shot-caller” in the 2024 fatal shooting of 13-year-old Ra’Niya Steward was sentenced Monday to 50 years in prison in Madison County Circuit Court in Edwardsville. Keith A. Sanders, 26, was sentenced by Associate Judge Neil Schroeder after a January trial in which he was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder and two counts of contributing to the criminal delinquency of a minor. Before the sentence hearing

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS/CASEYVILLE - At approximately 1:10 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, 2026, the Fairview Fire Department responded to a report of smoke coming from the attic of a residence in the 9600 block of Ridge Heights Road, where firefighters found flames near the roofline and quickly contained the fire to the roof and attic, according to the Fairview Caseyville Township Fire Protection District. The first emergency unit arrived within four minutes of dispatch and discovered active

ALTON - Alton Mayor David Goins said feedback from the city’s Friday night, July 3, 2026, fireworks display in Alton has described it as “one of the best in many years.” The mayor said the city placed extra emphasis on the event because of America’s 250th anniversary. Mayor Goins said the display was “a spectacular display” and that he received “a lot of compliments” afterward. He said that when he went to the grocery store Saturday, July 4,

CHICAGO — Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed SB 315, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety Measures Act, a landmark legislation establishing the nation's strongest framework for AI safety, transparency, and accountability. The bipartisan law positions Illinois as the national leader by requiring the largest AI developers to identify, disclose, and mitigate risks while providing independent oversight and protections for workers who report safety concerns. The law earned widespread

EDWARDSVILLE – The Edwardsville Police Department is joining the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Police, and more than 200 local law enforcement agencies across Illinois in a statewide effort to encourage safer driving and reduce speeding. From July 7 through July 31, 2026, residents and visitors may notice additional traffic patrols throughout Edwardsville. Officers will focus on speeding and other behaviors that can increase the risk of crashes. "Our goal i

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 24 attorneys general, took action to oppose the U.S. Postal Service’s attempt to aid the president’s efforts to seize control of elections and restrict mail-in voting through a proposed rule. The coalition is calling on the Postal Service to withdraw the proposed rule, which the attorneys general argue would violate a recent court order. “In recent weeks, courts have affirmed that Congress and individual

CHICAGO — Today, Governor JB Pritzker led a coalition of nine state governors in urging the U.S. Postmaster General to unequivocally reject Trump’s proposed amendment to the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service (USPS), which would put an end to mail-in and absentee voting methods. In a joint comment issued by the governors of California, Connecticut, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin, Gov. Pritzker denounced this

URBANA, IL – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today celebrated the naturalization of 60 new citizens from 25 countries at a ceremony presided over by the Honorable Eric I. Long, United States Magistrate Judge for the Central District of Illinois. Durbin was joined by Urbana Mayor DeShawn Williams. “Today, 60 new Americans from 25 countries took an oath that binds us all—not by birth, but by shared belief in our

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced his office reached an approximately $95,000 settlement with GigSmart Inc. (GigSmart), resolving allegations the company misclassified workers who were placed in temporary labor positions via the company’s online platform. “Day and temporary workers are especially vulnerable to illegal labor practices that rob workers of workplace protections and pay,” Raoul said. “Every worker – regardless of the industr

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Patty Murray (D-WA) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) along with the entire Senate Democratic caucus in demanding Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought immediately rescind OMB’s proposed regulation on federal financial assistance. The Senators warned the proposal exceeds OMB’s statutory

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced lane closures on Illinois 159 at Interstate 64 in St. Clair County as part of ongoing improvements in the corridor. Beginning at 7 a.m. Monday, July 6, 2026, traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction between Ludwig Drive to Market Place to allow for bridge construction. The lane restrictions will be in place through early fall 2026. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on the social media platform