Riverbender 🕸

CARLINVILLE, Ill. – Blackburn College has announced its Dean’s List for the Fall 2025 semester. Students named to the Dean’s List must earn a grade point average of 3.6 or higher for the semester. Area students include: Alton, IL Alexis Weber Taylor Weber Brighton, IL Cassidy Gaither Granite City, IL Breann Bailey Jerseyville, IL Molli Bohannon Clayton Brunaugh Ashley DeSherlia Abigail Droege Caroline Gibson Ayden Kanallakan Elizabeth Kemper Shelb

CARLINVILLE – Blackburn College and Lewis and Clark Community College have signed the first in a series of articulation agreements, expanding access to affordable, high-quality bachelor’s degrees through clear transfer pathways. The agreement was signed during a ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 5, at Lewis and Clark Community College’s Godfrey campus. The signing ceremony featured Blackburn College President Larry K. Lee and Lewis and Clark Vice President of Academic Affairs Susan

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Illinois members of the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), who presented him with their Rural Health Legacy Award for his dedication to protecting access to health care in rural communities. During today’s meeting, Durbin spoke with the health care leaders about providing care to Illinoisans after congressional Republicans rammed through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which cut $1 trillion

A holiday built around hearts and romance began with a public execution. That jarring contrast is part of what makes Valentine’s Day so interesting. The familiar symbols—red roses, love notes, chocolate—feel soft and sweet. Yet the roots of the day reach back to a mix of early Christian martyr stories, older Roman festivals, and centuries of changing ideas about love. Valentine’s Day didn’t “start” as one neat tradition. It was stitched together over time

On February 12, 1947, Britain announced it would end its rule in India and transfer power no later than June 1948. The statement, delivered by Prime Minister Clement Attlee to the British Parliament, marked a turning point for one of the world’s largest colonies and for the global system of empires that had shaped politics and trade for centuries. At the time, it mattered because it set a deadline that forced decisions about how power would be handed over, how borders might be drawn, and

This morning starts mostly cloudy with temperatures near 33 degrees. As the day moves along, clouds will break to reveal some afternoon sunshine. Winds will come from the south-southeast at 8 to 17 mph. The high temperature is expected to reach 53 degrees. By evening, the sky will turn mostly cloudy again with temperatures cooling into the 40s. Overnight, it will stay cloudy with lows around 31 degrees and a light southeast breeze at about 7 to 13 mph. Tomorrow looks mostly sunny with a high near

ALTON – It’s official: the Godfrey Timberwolves will have “priority scheduling” at Diamond #8 in Gordon Moore Park for the next five years. At their Feb. 11, 2026 meeting, Alton City Council members unanimously approved an agreement passed earlier this week by the Committee of the Whole for the organization’s use of Diamond #8 until 2031. The agreement grants the Godfrey Timberwolves “priority scheduling” at the baseball diamond, but does not guarantee

ALTON - Aaron Wilson is sharing a personal love story with the community about his wife, Lauren Wilson. Lauren is the Alton City Clerk. Aaron Wilson describes their marriage and what he says sustains their relationship. Wilson said he and Lauren Wilson were married on June 6, 2015, in Alton. He described their relationship as being built on “teamwork and consistently covering each other’s blind spots.” In a shared memory, Wilson wrote to his spouse, “You care deeply

EDWARDSVILLE - An Edwardsville High School student has received national recognition for her art. Zara Omotola, a senior at EHS, has been working for years to compile her portfolio as she applies to fine arts college programs. Her self-portrait, titled “Her and Her Shadow,” received a Scholastic Gold Key, a major accomplishment that encourages the young artist to continue creating. “I was so excited and proud of myself, especially for the Gold Key, because it's a huge

ALTON - A fully engulfed SUV fire on the Clark Bridge drew considerable attention Monday night, Feb. 9, 2026, in Alton, but thankfully, everyone in the vehicle got out safely, according to the Alton Fire Department. When the Alton Fire Department arrived at the scene on Monday, everyone in the vehicle was out of the vehicle, Capt. Michael Shewmaker said. Capt. Shewmaker said the vehicle was “fully engulfed” when firefighters arrived. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, and

GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College’s long-time Dental Hygiene Adjunct Instructor Jackie Cooper has been chosen by her peers to receive the Illinois Community College Trustees Association’s (ICCTA) 2026 Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member Award nomination. The nomination, which was announced during January’s in-service week leading up to the start of the spring semester, recognizes the instructor’s high achievements. Cooper, who began her dental

EDWARDSVILLE – Madison County Associate Judge Vernoica Armouti received the Advocate Award for Excellence in legal advocacy Associate Judge Veronica Armouti received the Advocate Award for Excellence in legal advocacy at the inaugural Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL) Illinois Region Legal Leaders Awards held on January 8th in O’Fallon, Illinois. Beyond the courtroom, Judge Armouti is deeply engaged in the community. She supports local and pro bono organizations,

BETHALTO - Several area military veterans gathered Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Bethalto to raise awareness about veteran suicide, walking about 4 miles as part of an effort they said is aimed at honoring those who served and drawing attention to a daily death toll they want to reduce. Dustin Dixon of Lakeside Warriors of Missouri and Illinois teamed up with Brad Lafield in support of GWOT100, Nick Neidlinger of American Flag Mother Ruckers, and veterans Elliott Ferguson and Jordan Graham. Veteran

GRANITE CITY – Two Granite City men face felony charges after a rifle was allegedly tossed from a vehicle window during a 100 mph police chase. Brandon P. Rogozinsky, 33, and Christopher L. Marcum, 49, both of Granite City, were charged on Feb. 5, 2026 with one count each of unlawful possession of a stolen firearm (both Class 2 felonies) and felon in possession of a weapon (both Class 3 felonies). Rogozinsky was additionally charged with one count of aggravated fleeing or attempting to

GODFREY/WOOD RIVER - Community members have multiple fun opportunities to support the Alton Symphony Orchestra while enjoying live music. From 6–8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, Rustic Roots in Wood River will host ASO’s biggest fundraiser, “Sips and Strings.” Attendees can shop local vendors and enjoy wine tastings while listening to the ASO string quartet. At 3 p.m. on Feb. 28, the full orchestra will perform its spring concert at Hatheway Hall on the Lewis and Clar

RIVERBEND - Marsie Geldert-Murphey wants people to know that she cares about the future of the 56th District. Geldert-Murphey (D) is preparing for the primary election on March 17, 2026, as an Illinois State Senator candidate for the 56th District. She stopped by “Our Daily Show!” with CJ Nasello for a conversation about her platform, which encompasses infrastructure, public education, and healthcare. “I was told by a client I’m a bulldog with class,”

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Joshua M. Divine on Wednesday sentenced a convicted felon to 146 months in prison for attempting to rob a cabdriver at gunpoint after a drunk driving crash and trying to carjack a “good Samaritan” who stopped to help. Judge Divine also fined Cornell Woolfolk $3,000. Woolfolk, 29, pleaded guilty in November in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that early on the morning of Dec

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois motorists, lenders and dealers will soon experience faster title processing, fewer delays and stronger fraud protections as the Secretary of State’s office transitions to mandatory participation in its Electronic Lien and Titling (ELT) program statewide, Secretary Alexi Giannoulias announced. All financial institutions that process five or more liens annually in Illinois will be required to transition to ELT by July 1, 2026. By replacing paper titles with

ALTON - Alton Mayor David Goins provided another update on the Alton sinkhole at the Gordon More Park soccer field on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. He said testing is continuing as the city awaits a report on how to fix the damage. The drone photos by Doug Booten show the progress and the present view of the work on the Alton sinkhole. “The sinkhole is completely drained, and SCI Engineering is still doing tests and analyzing it,” Goins said. Mayor Goins said the winter that began

SPRINGFIELD – As interest in locally grown food and community-based agriculture continues to rise, the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) is inviting individuals and families to take part in the 2026 IDOA Community Garden, a hands-on opportunity to grow fresh produce, build food security, and connect with agriculture in the heart of the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The Community Garden offers 200 individual 10x10 plots, available on a first come, first served basis. With 100 plots