Riverbender 🕸

ALTON - Old Bakery Beer Company has several vendor markets and specials planned for the next few weeks. From 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every Saturday starting on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, until Christmas, you can stop by Old Bakery Beer Company to browse vendors at the Holiday Cheers Market. These markets will host nearly 25 new vendors every week. “The vendors rotate throughout the season, so we represent almost 100 vendors throughout the season,” said Lauren, OBB owner. “Th

JERSEYVILLE - Jerseyville’s Downtown Country Christmas Festival has been canceled due to forecasted severe weather. The festival, scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, was canceled among forecasts of snow and ice . "In the end, we decided that we have about 250 volunteers, and it's just not worth risking anyone's life for an event, as much as we love this one," said chair Beth McGlasson. Organizers noted that while the festival will not go on, Jerseyville’s light displays

ALTON — The Great River Road Run, sponsored by the Alton Road Runners, has been canceled due to anticipated severe weather conditions, Race Director Russ Colona announced Wednesday afternoon. The run features 10-mile and 5K races. The race, originally scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, will not take place as forecasted snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches and north winds gusting up to 20 mph pose safety risks for participants and volunteers. “We are going to cancel for safety reasons

ALTON - Just in time for Christmas, Hayner Library will host its fourth annual Local Author Book Fair, where you can meet twenty-five local authors, buy their books, and have them signed. The event will be held Saturday, December 6, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. in the courtyard outside of Hayner Library at Alton Square Mall (between the library and JC Penney). Patrons are also encouraged to visit the library and check out the Library of Things, register for a library card, and chec

BELLEVILLE — The Belleville Police Department has completed clearing Althoff Catholic High School following a burglary reported earlier in the week, authorities said Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2025. Althoff Catholic School was closed on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2025, and students, faculty, and other workers started the Thanksgiving break early. Belleville Police officers conducted a thorough search of the building out of an abundance of caution on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2025, as it was not immediately clear

ST. LOUIS — Precipitation is expected to move into the St. Louis metropolitan area after midnight early Saturday morning, Nov. 29, 2025, with snow likely between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m., according to Ben Herzog, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in St. Louis. Temperatures are forecast to be just below or at freezing as the sun rises on Saturday. Herzog said with the present weather model, there is a 60 to 80 percent chance that snowfall will accumulate more than 2 inches in the Alto

ALTON - Community Christian Church aims to bring people together to serve. Located at 2345 Union School Road in Alton, the church offers services at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. every Sunday. Pastor Dave Burger emphasized that their goal is to spread the word of God in everything they do. “It’s not just about Sunday mornings,” Burger said. “It’s not about sitting in a row on Sunday mornings. It’s about being a church in the everyday stuff of life and really

EAST ALTON – A man from East Alton has been released from custody pending a domestic battery charge in his latest Madison County felony case. Justin C. Littleton, 40, of East Alton, was charged on Nov. 19, 2025, with his second or subsequent offense of domestic battery, a Class 4 felony. On Nov. 18, 2025, Littleton allegedly struck a family or household member about the face and head with his hands. Charging documents state Littleton had previously been convicted of unlawful restraint

ALTON – Alton City Council members voted 5-1 on Tuesday to stop the owners of the State Street Trails from using their property as a BMX facility after three decades of the trails reportedly operating without issue. Two related resolutions appeared on this week’s City Council agenda: one to consider adding “BMX Riding Trail” as a Special Use within R-1 Single-Family Residential zoning districts, and another to consider a Special Use Permit for a BMX Riding Trail a

GODFREY - Godfrey officials have announced the cancellation of the scheduled yard waste drop-off event for Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, due to anticipated severe weather conditions. Snow is forecasted to affect the Riverbend region on that day, prompting the decision to prioritize public safety. Chris Logan, director of Parks and Recreation, informed residents in an email about the cancellation and emphasized the importance of notifying the community in advance. “It looks like we are going

ROXANA - The Roxana School Board has selected Courtney Costelli as its next superintendent, voting 3-2 in favor of her appointment. Costelli currently serves as the superintendent of the Smithton School District in Smithton, Mo., with an enrollment of 535 students. Costelli will succeed Debra Kreutztrager, who is retiring at the end of the current school year. The board considered five candidates for the position, including Roxana Principal Jason Dandurand, who had notable support within th

An American Cancer Society film, titled “Breast Self-Examination,” premiered locally on December 2, 1950, at the Stratford Hotel’s Alton Room. The Madison County Chapter of the American Cancer Society hosted the showing and invited leaders of Alton area women’s organizations. The film taught women how to examine their own breasts for cancer in a simple, four-step method modeled after that which doctors use. At the time, 50,000 American women annually developed breast

EDWARDSVILLE - During their regular meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, the Madison County Board voted unanimously to extend the deadline for the Salvation Army to complete their application to potentially build a homeless shelter. The Madison County Community Development Department (MCCD) received $2.5 million in HOME-ARP funds from the Office of Housing and Urban Development, to be used to develop a non-congregate shelter. In June 2024, MCCD published a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Did you know that the average American spends over $50 on Thanksgiving dinner per person? Hosting a large gathering can quickly escalate costs, leaving many feeling pressured to splurge on extravagant meals and décor. But what if you could create a memorable, delicious Thanksgiving feast without breaking the bank? Hosting a budget-friendly Thanksgiving dinner is entirely possible with thoughtful planning, smart shopping, and a few creative strategies. Plan Ahead: The Foundation of Budget-Friendly

November 26 has always been a day marked by significant events across the globe. Back in 1789, the United States Congress passed the first Thanksgiving Proclamation, setting a precedent for a national day of gratitude. This proclamation, initiated by President George Washington, encouraged Americans to set aside a day to give thanks for the nation’s blessings. The tradition has since evolved into the Thanksgiving holiday celebrated every November, marked by family gatherings and expressions

SPRINGFIELD – With one of the busiest travel periods of the year arriving this week with Thanksgiving, the Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police and law enforcement agencies throughout the state are ramping up patrols and reminding the public to buckle up and drive sober. Hundreds of enforcement zones and other patrols will be looking for seat belt-law violators and impaired drivers through Dec. 2. “Illinois law is clear: Driving under the influence –

Today expect a sunny but brisk day with a high of 44 degrees and a low near 27. Winds out of the west-northwest will be strong, reaching 20 mph and gusting up to 40 mph. This morning starts out cold and clear with temperatures in the upper 20s. By afternoon, the sun will shine brightly under a mostly clear sky, but those gusty winds will keep the air feeling chilly — around 32 degrees feels like. Evening will remain mostly clear and cold, with the low dropping to the upper 20s. Overnight,

GRAFTON - At the regular City Council meeting on November 18, 2025, on behalf of the City Council, Mayor Morrow presented Grafton Police Officer Daniel P. Meredith with certificates recognizing his achievement as a certified instructor in both Basic Firearm Training and High-Risk Vehicle Stops. “Officer Meredith is doing a great job and with this new instructor status, he is now able to train and certify our officers and others as well,” said Grafton police chief Dave Womack. Mayor

BETHALTO — Civic Memorial High School recently saluted its senior cheerleaders for their contributions during the football season. The acknowledgement took place as the team transitioned to supporting the basketball Eagles. The girls are the Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Female Athletes of the Month for CM. The senior cheerleaders — Parker Wulf, Makenna Wehmeier, Emma Wade, Nicole Cooper, Keagan Thomas, Morgan Zimmerman, Kaylee Shields and Averie Huebner — are known for providing

JERSEYVILLE — Four players from Jersey’s girls volleyball team were recently named to the Mississippi Valley All-Conference squad, recognizing their standout performances during the 2025 season. The honorees — Adrian Blasa, Meredith Gray, Hope Buttry, and Grace Russell — were also named Sparklight Female Athletes of the Month for Jersey. Blasa and Gray earned first-team all-conference honors, while Buttry and Russell received honorable mention selections. The players