Riverbender 🕸

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today led a coalition of 19 state attorneys general in support of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which is being targeted by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over recommendations that run counter to the Trump administration’s preferred policies. The coalition filed an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit filed by the Illinois-based AAP challenging the FTC’s improperly motivated demands that the organization turn over extensive

EDWARDSVILLE – Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7 will host a Senior Breakfast on Friday, April 17 from 8:00-9:30 a.m. at Edwardsville High School for senior members of the District 7 community. The new event is designed to strengthen relationships with senior residents while providing an opportunity to hear district updates, meet administrators, ask questions, and engage in conversation about District 7 schools. Guests will also enjoy a special performance by the Edwardsville

SPRINGFIELD — On Monday, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) convened local park district leaders from Springfield, Champaign, and Grandview to celebrate the successful award of state funding that her office helped them secure. In recent months, Congresswoman Budzinski’s office has held a series of workshops to assist local organizations and municipalities with identifying and applying for grants – specifically Illinois’ Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD

ALTON – OSF Medical Group’s diabetes and endocrinology program has been recognized by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) for Quality Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support. This recognition affirms that OSF Medical Group consistently meets the ADA’s national standards for high-quality diabetes care, providing patients with effective self-management education and support. “This recognition from the American Diabetes Association is an important validation o

ALTON - Senior Services Plus offers a Rock Steady Boxing program for individuals with Parkinson’s, and the community can come together to celebrate the boxers and learn more about local resources at an upcoming event. From 4–6 p.m. on Friday, April 10, 2026, Senior Services Plus will offer their “Raise a Glove” event. The evening starts with a health fair from 4–5 p.m. featuring informational booths from local organizations to help people with Parkinson’s

CHICAGO — On Sunday, March 8, Governor JB Pritzker visited Selma, Alabama to join leaders across the nation in commemorating the heroes of the Civil Rights Movement. He gave remarks on the Edmund Pettus bridge at the annual Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee. “”So, let's march forward today with the knowledge that we are the inheritors of the faith that brought marchers to the bridge 61 years ago,” said Gov. Pritzker. “It's now on us to bend the arc of the moral universe

ALTON – A Godfrey man with multiple open cases remains in custody after an alleged assault of an Alton resident with an illegally possessed firearm. Nathaniel W. Phipps, 21, of Godfrey, was charged on March 4, 2026 with one count each of aggravated unlawful possession of weapons (a Class 4 felony), violation of an Order of Protection, and aggravated assault (both Class A misdemeanors). Phipps allegedly carried a Taurus GX4 XL 9mm handgun on his person and in his vehicle on Dec. 22,

ALTON - The McPike Mansion is a beloved landmark in Alton, and its owners are asking for the Riverbend’s help to keep it operational. The mansion, which is known as one of Alton’s most haunted spots, has been in need of a new roof for several years. Owner Sharyn Luedke is hoping to raise $40,000 to replace the roof. It’s a big goal, but she has faith that the community will come together to save such a historic site. “I really believe that love is going to save thi

ALTON - Community members can join the Irish fun this weekend during Alton’s St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl. From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, 2026, you can enjoy food and drink specials at over a dozen local bars and restaurants in downtown Alton. There will be a free shuttle with several stops available. Cory Jobe, director of Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau, invites the community to join the fun. “We want people to come to downtown Alton to celebrate

WOOD RIVER – A residential burglary in Alton reportedly involving stolen body armor has resulted in a felony charge against a Wood River resident. Clayton W. Sitzes, 33, of Wood River, was charged on March 4, 2026 with a Class 1 felony count of residential burglary. Sitzes allegedly knowingly entered a home on Glenwood Avenue in Alton without authority and with the intent to commit a theft on Dec. 31, 2025. A petition to keep Sitzes detained pending trial was filed The Madison County

A funny thing happens when something improves: people often tense up instead of relaxing. The new job offer is better, but you hesitate. The healthier routine works, but you miss your old habits. Even good change can feel like stepping onto a moving escalator—your brain knows it’s safe, but your body still braces. Change is not just a practical event. It’s an emotional one. It asks you to let go of what you know, even if what you know isn’t great. That’s why peopl

BETHALTO - The Bethalto Police Department is reminding residents that Illinois state law governs the use of electric bicycles and electric scooters in the village, after the department received calls about the rules as warmer weather approaches. The Village of Bethalto “has no ordinance regulating the use of electric bicycles or electric scooters; therefore, the law would revert to the Illinois State Statute,” according to information shared by Bethalto Village. Bethalto Police

ST. CLAIR COUNTY - Substantial damage was reported on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, after a storm moved through southeastern St. Clair County, and the National Weather Service in St. Louis planned to send a damage assessment team later in the day to determine whether a tornado touched down. The St. Clair Emergency Management Agency reported damage from the early Wednesday morning storm on March 11, 2026, in rural Marissa, Lenzburg, and St. Libory. National Weather Service in St. Louis Lead Meteorologist

GRAFTON — Wind damage heavily impacted Drifters Bar and Grill and a nearby guest house early in the morning on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Grafton, with the National Weather Service in St. Louis considering whether a tornado may have been involved, officials said. Mayor Mike Morrow said Drifters Bar and Grill at 1505 W. Main St. was “pretty much destroyed" by the winds, with the roof taken off and water damage throughout the interior. He said debris also damaged nearby properties,

MORO, Ill. — National Weather Service in St. Louis officials are sending a survey team to Moro on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, after storm damage in the area left a home on Field Drive with its roof completely removed, snapped large trees at their bases, and flattened a grain silo about a half mile southwest of the home. The tornado was confirmed to be an EF1 tornado, with 86 mph to 110 mph winds. Brad Charboneau, lead meteorologist for the National Weather Service in St. Louis, said the

On March 11, 2011, a massive undersea earthquake off Japan’s northeast coast triggered a tsunami that devastated coastal communities and set off the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. The quake measured magnitude 9.0, one of the strongest ever recorded, and the tsunami that followed overwhelmed sea walls and emergency systems. In the days and weeks that followed, the loss of life, the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, and the long cleanup shaped Japan’s modern history.

GLEN CARBON – The Village of Glen Carbon is one step closer to building its own water treatment plant. Village Board members unanimously approved a resolution on March 10, 2026 authorizing the Notice of Intent to award the bid for the water treatment plant to Korte Lutijohan Contractors, Inc., pending approval from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). “This is the next step in us proceeding to build our own water plant,” Village Administrator Jamie Bowden said

ALTON - The Alton Police Department responded on Tuesday afternoon, March 10, 2026, after receiving an emergency call from a student on a school bus traveling within the city, police said. Police officers located the bus near State Street and Fourth Street in Alton and spoke with the student who placed the call, according to a statement from Alton Police Chief Jarrett M. Ford. After an investigation, officers determined there was no actual emergency as initially reported by the student, Chief

EAST ALTON/WOOD RIVER - Community members have the opportunity to support a local Student Council. The East Alton-Wood River High School Student Council will host their first annual Spring Craft Fair on March 28 and 29, 2026. Riverbend residents are encouraged to stop by EAWR High School to shop at over 80 booths. Donations and proceeds from the fair will help fund the school’s Student Council projects. “That’ll just help out with our projects throughout the year,”

ALTON - Alton High School art students have two major opportunities to exhibit their work. The 2026 Annual High School Art Exhibition, hosted by the Art & Design Department at SIUE, will feature seven Alton students’ pieces, with a closing reception and awards ceremony planned for 5–7 p.m. on March 26, 2026. A few student artworks are also displayed at Jacoby Art Center in Alton starting March 14 through April 18, 2026. Bridget Heck, chair of the art department at Alton High