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GRAFTON - Grafton’s famous Music in the Park series will start next week. From 7–9 p.m. every Thursday night starting on Thursday, May 29, and running through Aug. 28, 2025, community members can come to Grove Memorial Park in Grafton for a free concert. Peg Brooks, who organizes Music in the Park, encourages people to stop by and enjoy the experience. “It’s everything you could want for a feel-good night,” Brooks said. On May 29, attendees can enjoy music by Starlifter, U.S. Band of Mid America. Brooks said booking this band was her “biggest goal” for the season, and she is pleased to welcome the band to Grafton to kick off the free concert series. On June 5, Scott Lantham & Karl Holmes Duo will play, followed by HOOKie on June 12. Outlaw Opry brings the country on June 19, and classic rock lovers can enjoy The OWLS on June 26. To celebrate Independence Day, the Gibson Girls will perform gospel and patriotic music on July 3.

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JERSEYVILLE – Jersey Community Middle School has proudly announced their full lists of High Honor Roll and Honor Roll students for the fourth quarter of the 2024-25 school year. HIGH HONOR ROLL 7th Grade Trey N. Alich Wade R. Ball Georgia A. Cazier Makayla M. Chapman Charlie M. Charlton-Stierley Aislynn C. Christen Emersyn J. Cole Lillie M. Cornelius Kaylee M. Cunningham Kyle A. Darr Kadence Dobson Henry D. Dohrn Ayden S. Droege Logan T. Dunham Stella M. Egelhoff Kenna L. Erwin Addison J. Fessler James D. Ford Charles R. Friedel Davis J. Frost Jayden L. Fry Olivia D. Funk Cadence M. Goodey Liam P. Graham Reid K. Graham Bentley W. Grasle Maci E. Gray Fallin M. Green Emmitt M. Grizzle Ruiz Aubrey A. Hargrave Izabella R. Hernandez Sophia M. Herter Harper L. Hill Charlotte F. Hinkson Brody A. Hoyt Austin Huang Evelyn M. Hughes Sullivan E. Hutchens Harmony M. Jantzen Blake J. Jones Paige M. Jones Cullan J. Kinser Connor J. Kirkendoll

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GRANITE CITY - Christina Koontz is organizing a fundraiser to assist a family whose home was destroyed by a tornado in Granite City on May 16, 2025. The family reported that a tree on the property, which they had repeatedly requested management to remove, fell on their home during the storm. "Management has declined to repair the damage, citing the tornado as an act of God, and has given the family 30 days to make repairs," Koontz said. The destruction has left the family seeking a safe place for their children to stay. Koontz's fundraiser aims to provide financial support for the necessary repairs and help the family recover from the damage caused by the tornado. Click here for the GoFundMe for Christina Koontz's family: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-a-family-displaced-by-tornado

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PONTOON BEACH – There’s still time to donate! Madison County Transit (MCT) and local libraries across Madison County are continuing to collect bicycles throughout the month of May in celebration of National Bike Month. So far, MCT has collected more than 120 donated bicycles—and there’s still time to add to that number! All bikes will go to St. Louis BWorks, a nonprofit organization that empowers local youth through its “Earn-A-Bike” program. The program teaches students bicycle safety, maintenance, and teamwork. Upon completion, participants earn a free bike, helmet, and lock. Drop-Off Locations (During Regular Business Hours) MCT Administration Building – 1 Transit Way, Pontoon Beach Collinsville Memorial Library – 408 W. Main St., Collinsville Edwardsville Public Library – 112 S. Kansas St., Edwardsville Hayner Public Library (Downtown Alton Branch) – 326 Belle St., Alton Maryville Community Library – 15 Professiona

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GLEN CARBON – Panda Express will open its first-ever Glen Carbon location on Friday, May 23, 2025. At 10 a.m., the well-known American Chinese eatery will open its doors at 2337 Troy Road in Glen Carbon. Lucky customers will be surprised throughout the day with Panda Express giveaways, including T-shirts and other Panda Express merchandise. Panda Express Spokesperson Brittany Rouse said the Glen Carbon location features the new “Panda Home” restaurant design, which she described as “distinctly American Chinese.” “Just like Panda Express, design elements bridge the East and the West,” she said. “Inside, you’ll find nods to traditional Chinese architecture like red lanterns, a moon gate portal and vibrant Chinatown signs. Outside, customers will enjoy a convenient drive-through.” The Glen Carbon Village Board approved a site plan for the new restaurant in April of 2024, as previously reported on Riverbender.com . Panda Expres

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MARYVILLE — Maryville's Taylor Hollenback is seeking assistance after a collision with a deer left her car severely damaged and she was seriously injured. Now it has complicated her ability to get to work. Hollenback recounted the incident, saying, “I was driving home, and out of nowhere, a deer darted right in front of my car. I slammed on the brakes, but there was just no avoiding it so I ended up sliding on all gravel. The car’s pretty banged up, like, totally banged up.” The accident has left Hollenback without reliable transportation, prompting her to reach out for financial support. “If you’re able to chip in, even a little bit it would mean the world to me and get me back on the road,” she said. She also expressed willingness to work in exchange for help, and said, “I’ll do anything to work for a new car or anything that helps.” Hollenback can be contacted through her Facebook profile under her name, Taylor

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SPRINGFIELD – Country music hitmaker Jake Owen will headline the Illinois State Fair Grandstand on Friday, August 8, 2025. With 10 No. 1 singles and more than 2.5 billion U.S. on-demand streams, Owen is a standout performer in the country music scene. His laid-back style and chart-topping songs like “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” “Beachin’,” and “The One That Got Away” have made him a household name. “August 8 is Agriculture Day at the Illinois State Fair, and this is the perfect way to celebrate,” said Jerry Costello II, Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. “Country artists are a crowd favorite in central Illinois, and we are excited to bring Jake Owen to the Grandstand.” The gold and platinum-selling recording artist, and ACM award winner, has released nine studio albums. He also appeared in the film Our Friend (2019). Jake is currently in the recording studio preparing to release two new projects

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ST. LOUIS – Susan G. Komen® , the world’s leading breast cancer organization, today announced it will host a MORE THAN PINK Walk this spring. The 2025 Komen Greater St. Louis MORE THAN PINK Walk will take place on Saturday, June 7, 2025 uniting survivors, families and advocates in a powerful movement to fund research, provide patient support and drive meaningful change for those impacted by breast cancer. Every 12 minutes, a woman in the U.S. dies from breast cancer, and new data reveals a troubling increase in diagnoses among younger women. In 2025 alone, an estimated over 6,000 women in Missouri will be diagnosed with breast cancer and over 1,000 will lose their lives to the disease. While we've made tremendous progress—the breast cancer death rate has dropped 44% since 1989 —far too many lives are still being lost. In fact, experts estimate that one-third of breast cancer deaths could be prevented if every patient had access to timely, high-quality care

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - On Thursday, May 22, 2025, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued?charges?on suspect Jack Roper, 56 years of age, of the 800 block of Woodland Avenue, Festus, MO., 63028, for two counts of Assault – 2nd Degree – Special Victim, and Aggravated Fleeing a Stop or Detention, and Kidnapping – 2nd Degree. A booking photo of Roper is not available. Roper is being held on a $500,000 cash only, no 10% bond. ? Please note,?charges?are merely an accusation, and Defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.? ? The probable cause statement?for Roper reads:? Officer attempted to stop a Chevy pickup truck bearing plates for an Audi. The officer then activated his lights and siren attempting to pull over the defendant's vehicle, the defendant failed to pull over and the officer gave pursuit, calling in for additional support. During the pursuit, the defendant swerved at an officer vehicle, containing

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SAUGET - Centerstone will commemorate Mental Health Awareness Month with a tailgate at an upcoming Gateway Grizzlies game. On Wednesday, May 28, 2025, community members are invited to the Grizzlies Ballpark in Sauget for the pre-game tailgate at 4:30 p.m. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and the game starts at 6:30 p.m. Centerstone’s Jennifer Schulz explained that the organization looks forward to welcoming the community for a mini resource fair and fun at the ballpark. “We are super excited about this,” Schulz said. “It’s the first time that we’ve done a partnership of this kind. It’s going to be a really exciting day.” Local mental health resources and providers will be at the tailgate to provide more information about their services. Centerstone will also be on hand with a table detailing their work to combat mental health and substance use disorders. Schulz emphasized that Centerstone is eager to collaborate with other organizations

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VENICE - The Madison County Board recognized Tyrone Echols for his 42 years of service as the mayor of Venice, Illinois. During the regular Madison County Board meeting on May 21, 2025, Chairman Chris Slusser issued a proclamation to honor Echols for his work. Slusser noted that Echols is the longest-serving mayor in Madison County history, and he commended the former mayor for his leadership and congratulated him on his retirement. “It is with great pleasure that we extend our sincere appreciation to you for your 42 years of outstanding service to the City of Venice as its mayor,” Slusser said. “Your unselfish commitment to your community, as well as your continued sacrifice and leadership, has touched the lives of countless individuals throughout the years, not only as mayor but as a dedicated public servant on various boards and commissions throughout the county and state.” Echols currently serves on the Venice City Council. As he accepted the proclamation,

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CARMI – On May 20, 2025, the Eldorado Police Department requested Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Investigation Zone 8 to investigate Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault against a teacher aide in the Eldorado School District. As a result, the Saline County State’s Attorney’s Office filed charges of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault, Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse, Aggravated Kidnapping, and Kidnapping for 23-year-old Isaac Murray of Eldorado. If you have additional information, please contact ISP Master Sergeant Gwen Basinger at 618-484-7382. ? Guardian Center and the Survivor Empowerment Center offer resources for victims of sexual assault. Due to the nature of this investigation, no additional information is being released at this time. ISP thanks the Eldorado Police Department and the Eldorado School District for their assistance with this investigation. The charges are not evidence against the defendant, and the defendant is presumed innocent

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EDWARDSVILLE – Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start to summer, will include some musical interludes, courtesy of the Edwardsville Symphony and Edwardsville Municipal Band, and serve as a kickoff to months of free symphony and band concerts in City Park in partnership with Edwardsville’s Parks & Recreation Department. The Edwardsville Symphony’s series of free monthly concerts begins Sunday, May 25, on the Cleaon Etzkorn Bandstand in City Park, 101 S. Buchanan Street. The symphony will perform its “Concert of Sight,” part of a musical exploration focused on the senses, at 7 p.m. Select members of the Edwardsville High School Orchestra will join the symphony, while the pre-concert at 6:30 p.m. will feature the Highland Youth Orchestra. On Monday, May 26, the Edwardsville Municipal Band will begin its season, taking part in the annual Woodlawn Cemetery Memorial Day Service beginning at 10 a.m. at the cemetery, 1400 St. Louis Street. That event wil

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MITCHELL - The Mitchell Fire Department assisted the Long Lake Volunteer Fire Department in extinguishing a residential fire early Wednesday morning in Granite City. At approximately 3:01 a.m. on May 21, 2025, Mitchell Fire Rescue was dispatched to the 2100 block of Robert Avenue to provide mutual aid for a structure fire reported by the Long Lake Volunteer Fire Department. Mitchell units, including Engine #1121, Engine #1122, and three chiefs, arrived to find a fully involved residential structure with partial collapse and heavy fire spreading to a neighboring occupied home. Firefighters successfully extinguished the flames at both residences without incident, and no injuries were reported. All units returned to service by 5:33 a.m. the same day.

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ALTON – Beginning May 27, students will have the opportunity to study regional watersheds and ecosystems while also important conducting water tests as part of the new Alton High Summer Watershed Academy. The academy is offered free to students thanks to a grant and will be provided during summer school with bus transportation, lunch and all supplies provided. Students will receive high school elective credit towards graduation for this unique opportunity that will have them exploring various watershed, river and wetland areas such as Deer Creek Watershed, Meramec River, Sugar Fork Watershed, Creve Coeur Creek, Mississippi River and the Watershed Nature Center. Students will also conduct vital water tests assessing for water quality, measuring temperature, pH turbidity, nitrates, phosphates and also checking for the presence of microorganisms and bacteria. Guest speakers from the field and visits to St. Louis bio testing labs will also highlight the program’s activities.

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GRANITE CITY - Granite City resident Karen Smith is organizing a fundraiser to support her family after a tornado severely damaged their home on Friday, May 16, 2025. The storm ripped the roof off the trailer where Smith lives with her six children in Granite City. Smith said they have not received assistance from the Red Cross, and FEMA informed them they would only be eligible for aid if the president declared the area a national disaster. Without insurance coverage, Smith expressed uncertainty about how to recover from the damage. “We unfortunately didn’t have insurance, and I just am at a loss for words on how to move forward next,” Smith said. The fundraiser aims to gather resources and support for the family as they navigate the aftermath of the tornado. Click here to contribute to the GoFundMe.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today participated in a spotlight hearing on the Trump Administration’s drastic cuts to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The forum, which was hosted by U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-VT) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), detailed the dangerous outcomes of slashing funding for medical research and gutting federal agencies committed to public health. Durbin began by asking the panelists about what happens to researchers and their projects when federal funding is discontinued. “Can you tell me, from your own personal experience, what the typical outcome is for a researcher who has a grant discontinued? What happens next?” Durbin asked. Dr. Jeremy Berg, former Director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, replied that some researchers may be able to temporarily secure short-term resources through their institution, but for most scientists, their project is discontinued

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ST. LOUIS, MO. – Today, Mayor Cara Spencer is moving to place CEMA Commissioner Sarah Russell on paid administrative leave pending a full external investigation into the actions of the City Emergency Management Agency on Friday, including the failure of the outdoor warning siren system. After learning of the failure of the sirens to be activated, Mayor Spencer immediately ordered an internal investigation. The initial focus was to correct the immediate issue, which Mayor Spencer did by changing the siren activation protocol to clearly place the responsibility of activating the sirens with the Fire Department. However, as the investigation continued, it became increasingly clear that there was not just one serious issue, but multiple. The mayor has directed her staff to initiate an external investigation to fully explore this and any other potential issues. Friday afternoon, CEMA staff, including Russell, were at a workshop at 1520 Market St. and were not at the CEMA office located

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FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS - State Representative Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt) donated his pay raise for the month of May to Hope Christian Church's Food Pantry in Freeburg. Since taking office, Rep. Schmidt has donated every month’s pay raise to a different local food pantry or non-profit organization throughout his district since voting against the pay raise for legislators. “Hope Christian Church does an excellent job giving back to the community, and I’m happy to contribute to their food pantry,” said Rep. Schmidt. “Too many times, politicians make empty promises. I'm staying true to my commitment and look forward to continuing this monthly donation.” Hope Christian Church's Food Pantry has been helping the community since 2020. To make a donation, call 618-710-0004 or donate online at hopefreeburg.com . Food and household goods are a fundamental need for families in our communities. Whether you’re facing temporary hardship or ongoing challenges

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On May 23, 1925, 3-year-old Patricia Helen Jones of 404 Washington Avenue in Alton died after swallowing 10 to 15 pills she thought were candy. The pills were actually a laxative preparation, and according to medical testimony conducted by Coroner W.H. Bauer, each contained a minuscule quantity of strychnine, a poison that was used at the time as a powerful heart stimulant but is no longer used in medicine. The child ingested approximately a quarter grain of strychnine in the pills. The cause of death was accidental strychnine poisoning. The evening before, a neighbor came to the home to borrow two of the pills from Patricia’s mom, Dorothy. After getting the pills for the neighbor, she put them back in the medicine cabinet. A few minutes later, she found the box empty. It quickly became clear that Patricia had consumed them. Her parents rushed her to their family doctor in Upper Alton, but despite a five-hour fight to save Patricia’s life, it was too late. The funeral

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