GODFREY – Director of Financial Aid Angela Weaver is the 2025-2026 recipient of Lewis and Clark Community College’s highest honor, the Pantone 286 Award. The award, named for the Pantone Color System identifier for Lewis and Clark’s “Trailblazer blue,” is given annually to team members who go above and beyond to serve the Trailblazer community. “I am really surprised,” Weaver said. “I’m very humbled to even be recognized or be talked
Prisoner Review Board Corinne Briscoe will serve as a Member of the Prisoner Review Board.* Briscoe currently serves as Director of Probation and Court Services with Macoupin/Greene/Scott Probation District, where she is responsible for financial and strategic planning decisions for adult and juvenile probation. Previously, Briscoe served as Chief Probation Officer for Greene County. Briscoe earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and her Master of Business Administration from University
SPRINGFIELD – Legislation spearheaded by Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza to strengthen regulatory oversight of crematories passed the Illinois Senate today, following its passage by the House in April. HB 4695 , sponsored by Representative Anthony DeLuca (D-Chicago Heights) and chief co-sponsor Representative Diane Blair-Sherlock (D-Villa Park) in the House and Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) in the Senate, increases the Comptroller’s regulatory powers, codifies and clarifies
SPRINGFIELD - Governor JB Pritzker released the following statement following the passage of legislation that will ban junks fees (HB228), a legislative initiative laid out in the Governor's 2026 State of the State Address: “Illinois consumers have been nickel-and-dimed out of thousands of dollars per year by unnecessary and deceptive junk fees. I am proud that the Illinois General Assembly has passed the Junk Fee Ban Act to put money back in the pockets of families and establish fair,
GODFREY – Plans for a new business offering liquor, tobacco, and video gaming in Godfrey are on hold as trustees await more detailed information, including its exact distance from a nearby school. Village Board members considered a business plan, liquor license, and gaming license for Sita Raman Inc. at their May 19, 2026, meeting. Still, they ultimately voted to table the items until their next meeting. Trustee Mike Fisher said the Village Board received no copy of the business’s
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s (Illinois EPA) Director James Jennings issued a statement following the U.S. EPA’s announcement to roll back protective national drinking water standards for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in community water supplies (CWS). “Illinois EPA has been working to address PFAS contamination in Illinois community water supplies since 2020,” said Director Jennings. “These efforts have included comprehensive
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – For everyone looking for free summer fun for all ages, there’s a packed lineup of concerts and events happening in City Park in downtown Edwardsville this spring and summer. On tap are ongoing performances by the Edwardsville Symphony and the Edwardsville Municipal Band, an evening with Opera Edwardsville, a fun mix of rock, pop, Motown and other sounds for the Friday night concerts, movies, children’s crafts and more. And it all kicks off this Memorial
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned judicial nominees during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Durbin first questioned Benjamin Flowers, nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, about the 2020 presidential election. During Mr. Flowers’s time in the Ohio Attorney General’s office, he responded to an email from then-Missouri Solicitor General John Sauer about joinin
ALTON - The City of Alton has announced C. E. Mahoney will begin resurfacing Fosterburg Road on Tuesday, May 26, through Friday, June 5, 2026, during daytime work hours. According to the city, the work will take place on Fosterburg Road at IL-255 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., weather permitting. The project is expected to last two weeks. The city said the purpose of the closure is street repair and resurfacing by Mahoney. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, remain alert for changing
ALTON - The City of Alton has announced C. E. Mahoney will begin resurfacing Fosterburg Road on Tuesday, May 26, through Friday, June 5, 2026, during daytime work hours. According to the city, the work will take place on Fosterburg Road at IL-255 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., weather permitting. The project is expected to last two weeks. The city said the purpose of the closure is street repair and resurfacing by Mahoney. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, remain alert for changing
ALTON – The mother of an Alton Middle School student faces felony charges after threatening to blow up and burn down the school and physically harm students. The 32-year-old Alton woman was charged on May 21, 2026 with a Class 4 felony count of disorderly conduct and a Class A misdemeanor count of aggravated assault. The woman allegedly knowingly threatened an Alton Middle School employee by “threatening to blow up and burn the school to the ground” on April 16, 2026, according
CHARLESTON - Sarah Rider of Civic Memorial High School said competing in the 100-meter hurdles at state was an overwhelming but rewarding experience after qualifying with a personal record at the Triad Sectional and finishing 29th in the preliminaries. Rider, a junior at CM, ran 16.27 in the 100 hurdles prelims. She qualified for state by placing sixth at the Springfield Southeast Sectional in 16.14 after chasing a state berth throughout the season. Sarah is a Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Femal
CHARLESTON - Sarah Rider of Civic Memorial High School said competing in the 100-meter hurdles at state was an overwhelming but rewarding experience after qualifying with a personal record at the Triad Sectional and finishing 29th in the preliminaries. Rider, a junior at CM, ran 16.27 in the 100 hurdles prelims. She qualified for state by placing sixth at the Springfield Southeast Sectional in 16.14 after chasing a state berth throughout the season. Sarah is a Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Femal
CHARLESTON - Kaylee Shields returned to the IHSA 2A state track and field meet and tied for 13th in the preliminaries Friday, May 22, 2026, clearing 3.20 meters after missing the previous year, as the Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Female Athlete of the Month said she was focused on reaching the finals. “I am happy to be able to come to the state meet," she said. "I wanted to make it to state finals." Shields said returning to the meet after time away carried added significance. She als
ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County prosecutors have charged two St. Louis men with first-degree murder and other felonies in the April 19 fatal shooting of a man closing his food truck in St. Louis County, authorities said Thursday. The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said charges were issued May 21, 2026, against Daion Heartfield, 25, of the 1800 block of Exuma Drive in St. Louis, and Todd Weems, 32, of the 4200 block of Chippewa Street in St. Louis. Each is charged
ALTON - The City of Alton will host its 159th annual Memorial Day parade, and RiverBender.com will be onsite to stream it. The parade kicks off at 10 a.m. on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, 2026. The route runs up College Avenue and through Upper Alton. RiverBender’s CJ Nasello will host “Our Daily Show!” that morning from the parade route, showcasing the people who have made the parade so impressive since its inception in 1868. With over 70 entries in the parade,
ALTON - The James Killion Beautification & Enhancement Committee is inviting the public to James Killion Day 2026 on Saturday, May 23, 2026, at James Killion Park for a pre-Memorial Day celebration honoring the legacy of James Killion Jr. and highlighting this year’s youth-focused theme, “It’s All About the Children — Invest in Them Now!” The all-day event will feature an afternoon ceremony from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday and an evening community concert from 6 to 8 p.m.,
ALTON - Vintage Voices is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and you are invited to audition to be a part of the tours. Auditions will be held Saturday, June 6, 2026, at YWCA Southwestern Illinois, 304 E 3rd St, Alton, Illinois 62002. Actors interested in auditioning should reserve a time slot in advance. Auditions will take place from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Click here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0549AEA62AA7FCC25-62725093-vintage#/ . The 25th Anniversary tours will feature eight
MARYVILLE - The Village of Maryville will show off its new entertainment pavilion and celebrate America’s 250th anniversary at a Memorial Day event. On Saturday, May 23, 2026, community members from across the region are invited to Firemen’s Park in Maryville for a day of barbecue, games, live music and more. There will also be a ribbon-cutting at 5 p.m. to mark the installation of the new American Legion Entertainment Pavilion. Mayor Wayne White encourages people to come out an
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (IL-12) today applauds the passage of H.R. 1041, the Veterans Second Amendment Protection Act. This legislation introduced by Bost prevents the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from stripping veterans of their Second Amendment rights solely because they require financial assistance in managing their benefits. “Tonight the House passed my Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act. No veteran should lose their Second Amendment rights simply because
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