Riverbender 🕸

Whether you’re dealing with a job loss, financial woes or embroiled in relationship issues, we all suffer from stressful situations from time to time. No matter what the situation, stress is not good for our health in so many ways. It can impact our cardiovascular health, mental health, sleep and even our skin and hair. One of the biggest problems is how stress affects our gut health. Stress can cause diarrhea, constipation, bloating or make conditions such as irritable bowled syndrome o

MONROE COUNTY - Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Freeda’s Bar in Renault, Illinois, early on March 1, 2026, after a report of a large fight, and Sheriff Neal Rohlfing said video surveillance shows a 25-year-old man struck a 49-year-old man without any prior interaction as misinformation about the incident circulated online. Deputies were sent to the bar at 2071 Main Street at about 12:55 a.m. on March 1, 2026, Rohlfing said. The Waterloo Police Department assisted

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Thursday sentenced a woman who secretly took out insurance on her fiancé before having him killed to 225 months in prison. Victoria Rena Williams, 67, pleaded guilty in September to one count each of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, aiding and abetting murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Michael Grady, 70, was convicted by a jury on Monday of the same three counts. Charles Harris III, who worked

MADISON COUNTY – A Chicago-area man accused of sexually abusing someone at a Madison County rest area has been charged and released from custody. Bowala Rakkitha, 49, of Bolingbrook, Ill., was charged on Feb. 18, 2026 with one count each of criminal sexual abuse (a Class 4 felony) and aggravated battery (a Class 3 felony). Rakkitha allegedly committed an act of sexual conduct by touching a 24-year-old victim who was “unable to give knowing consent” on Aug. 18, 2025, according

U.S. Rep. Mary Miller met with Illinois Farm Bureau President Phil Nelson to discuss the agriculture economy, support for producers and the organization’s priorities for 2026, according to a statement attributed to Miller. Miller, a congresswoman, said she met with Nelson, who leads the Illinois Farm Bureau. The statement did not specify when or where the meeting took place. “It was great meeting with my friend Phil Nelson, President of the Illinois Farm Bureau,”

CARLYLE - A fundraiser has been launched to help pay funeral and memorial expenses for Sadie Tull, a 41-year-old Carlyle business owner who was found shot to death on March 4, 2026, inside her home on Fairfax Street, as the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis investigates the killing. Myrna Piehl organized the fundraiser following Tull’s death. Authorities said detectives have followed up on dozens of leads and are asking anyone with information to contact investigators. In the GoFundMe

S WANSEA - KinderCare Learning Center has officially opened its new location in Swansea, and leaders emphasize that they are much more than a daycare. As an early learning center, KinderCare offers childcare and educational programs for infants, toddlers and preschool-age children. Swansea’s Center Director, Tori Siron, explained that the center aims to provide support to the whole family while educating kids and giving them opportunities to grow. “We love welcoming all

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after President Donald Trump fired Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and announced U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) as his preferred replacement: “Kristi Noem was the face of an unpopular, illegal, and outright dangerous mass deportation campaign that claimed the lives of innocent Americans and terrorized many

ALTON - The Alton School District is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Mack Ivory as the new Assistant Principal at Alton High School. Mr. Ivory holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science from Missouri Baptist University, as well as two Master’s degrees from Missouri Baptist University: one in the Art of Teaching and the other in Educational Administration. Mr. Ivory began his educational career in January 2020 as a Student Support Specialist in the Rockwood School

ALTON - The Alton School District Board of Education unanimously approved the appointment of Amanda Beiser as Assistant Principal at Alton Middle School for the 2026-2027 school year. Mrs. Beiser is a proud graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Learning Behavioral Specialist, as well as a Master’s degree in Educational Administration and Leadership. She began her teaching career in the Alton School District

EDWARDSVILLE – When water flows cleanly from a tap, it carries with it the expertise of professionals trained for a job most people never see but upon which everyone depends. Illinois policymakers had the opportunity to see that infrastructure in action while touring Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Environmental Resources Training Center (ERTC). ERTC welcomed Illinois State Representative Katie Stuart on Feb. 20 and Illinois State Senator Erica Harriss on March 2 for

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted against Senator Tim Kaine’s (D-VA) war powers resolution that would have blocked President Trump from ordering further strikes on Iran unless authorized by Congress. Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution states that the power to declare war is an explicit power of Congress and Congress overwhelmingly reaffirmed this constitutional provision when it passe

CHICAGO — Today, Governor JB Pritzker pressed the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar to take immediate federal action to protect Americans stranded in the Middle East following recent U.S. military strikes and responses. In a letter to Secretary Rubio, Governor Pritzker raised alarms over how President Trump admitted yesterday that there is no plan to help evacuate Americans from the region whose safety has been jeopardized by

CHICAGO - Today, in the United States Senate Judiciary Committee, Democrats and Republicans alike pressed Secretary Kristi Noem on her failure to uphold a core responsibility of the the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security: protecting the American people. Following a nearly five-hour-long hearing, here are questions Secretary Noem failed to answer: When Senator Durbin (D-IL) asked if Noem retracts her statements labeling Chicago school teacher Marimar Martinez, Renee Good, and Ale

EAST ALTON/BETHALTO - A man wanted in a murder investigation was arrested Tuesday morning, March 3, 2026, in the parking lot of Eastgate Plaza in East Alton, and local officials said the case was separate from a federal operation last week in Bethalto in which four employees of a Mexican restaurant were taken into custody. East Alton Police Chief Scott Golike said the person arrested at Eastgate Plaza was wanted in a murder investigation by the U.S. Marshals Office and that the arrest was not

ALTON - After carefully considering over twenty applications, the Alton School District is proud to announce the appointment of Mr. Rick Reinhart as our new Head Football Coach. Coach Reinhart brings outstanding head coaching experience from Mascoutah, Fairfield, Civic Memorial and Tuscola. He has a deep knowledge of the game and a passion for developing student athletes both on and off the field. His coaching philosophy is grounded in high expectations, accountability and a steadfast commitment

EDWARDSVILLE - A large MBI tractor-trailer caught fire on Interstate 255 and drove off the road to an exit ramp, briefly closing the ramp before firefighters extinguished the blaze, officials said on Thursday morning, March 5, 2026. The fire involved an MBI tractor-trailer that pulled over on a ramp in Edwardsville, according to Edwardsville Deputy Fire Chief Robert Morgan. The ramp “did close ... for a short period of time” and “should have since reopened,” Cathy Hensley,

EDWARDSVILLE - A late-night fire at a Captain D’s restaurant in Edwardsville rapidly drew multiple fire departments to the scene, and the fire was contained quickly by those efforts. However, the fire and smoke left the building too damaged to reopen immediately, according to the Edwardsville Fire Department. The call came in at 11:26 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, 2026, from a nearby resident reporting a fire at the Captain D's restaurant in the 1900 block of Troy Road, the department said Thursda

WOOD RIVER – A new park with a stage, pavilion, and more may be coming to downtown Wood River. City Manager Steve Palen announced plans for a future “City Center Park” at the March 2, 2026 Wood River City Council meeting . Palen said the park would be built on the former site of the Brown Tire & Automotive Center at the intersection of Ferguson Avenue and 1st Street. He said the park design features several amenities, including a stage, pavilion, an open greenspace area,

A bright room can make you feel lighter even before anything in your life has changed. No new text message. No good news. Just light—hitting your eyes—and your mood shifts. That tiny, almost automatic reaction is a clue: daylight doesn’t just help you see. It helps your brain decide how to feel. Daylight is more than “good vibes” People often talk about sunlight as if it’s only psychological—like a pleasant backdrop that makes life seem nicer. But dayligh