During Fire Prevention Week - October 4-10 - the Red Cross of Illinois offers steps you can take to help prevent a fire in your home and keep your loved ones safe. “Across the country, the Red Cross responds to more than 60,000 disasters a year and most of these are home fires. Here in the Illinois Region, our disaster teams have responded to 1,346 fires since the beginning of 2026,” said Jeannie Gardner, Regional Disaster Officer for the Red Cross of Illinois. “These fires ar
ALTON - As Alton prepares to welcome Heaterz at the Riverfront to the Flock Food Truck Park property, community leaders gathered to hear more about the plans. On Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, Flock and Heaterz hosted a reception to share more about the upcoming project. Flock will remain open for the next few months with special events and holiday offerings. Heaterz at the Riverfront will open in Spring 2027 with a few changes to the property. Community members were eager to learn more. “We’re
ST. LOUIS — A crash killed a Fairview Heights man and closed both directions of the Eads Bridge early Tuesday morning, Oct. 6, 2026, prompting law enforcement to advise motorists to use alternate routes. The St. Clair County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Roman D. Cash, 42. The East St. Louis Police Department is leading the investigation, with the Illinois State Police assisting. Motorists were advised to take the Martin Luther King Bridge or the Stan Musial Veterans
EDWARDSVILLE — Tara Anderson was sentenced Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, to 55 years in prison for fatally shooting her ex-boyfriend, Phillip Armstrong of Granite City, as he loaded a car onto a trailer after their breakup. Anderson must serve 100 percent of the sentence for the Sept. 24, 2023, killing. She had invited Armstrong over to retrieve a car, then went into her residence, grabbed a .45-caliber handgun, and returned outside, where she shot him. Witnesses testified that Anderson had tol
JERSEYVILLE – Documents recently obtained by Riverbender.com provide new details behind a data center project being proposed in Jersey County. Chicago-based Something New LLC applied for a commercial building permit application from the Jersey County Code Administration Office on June 4, 2026, though no permit has yet been issued. When and if a permit is issued, it would expire within 180 days if no activity or inspections take place on the site. The 18 megawatt development is planned
BETHALTO — Civic Memorial High School honored its senior football players while celebrating homecoming and Senior Night at its Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, matchup against Waterloo. The seniors are also recognized as the Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Male Athletes of the Month for the Eagles. The senior players included quarterback Luke Clouser; kicker Reed Wallace; wide receiver and defensive back Lukas Zangori; tight end and defensive end Cal Brawner; wide receiver and defensive back Griffin
SWANSEA – State Senator Christopher Belt announced nearly $430,000 in grant funding is being awarded to the Metro East to attract visitors and support tourism in the region. The awards includes funds to support projects along Route 66 and in St. Clair County. “The Metro East has a significant footprint in the automotive and motorsport industries,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “With the World Wide Technology Raceway and Belle-Clair Fairgrounds Speedway, the 57th District
SOUTH ROXANA — A complaint from a mother taking her child to grade school led to the arrest of a South Roxana man accused of committing an act of public indecency in the presence of a juvenile within 500 feet of a school, police said Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. He now faces two charges from the Madison County State's Attorney's Office: Count I: Sexual Exploitation of a Child (720 ILCS 5/11-9.1(a)(1)). Count II: Public Indecency (720 ILCS 5/11-30(a)(2)). South Roxana Police Chief Bob Coles
MADISON COUNTY - Madison County Circuit Judge Patrick King is running for another term, and he encourages people to come out and vote in the general election on Nov. 3, 2026. King was appointed as a circuit judge by the Illinois Supreme Court in February 2025 after Judge Stephen Stobbs retired. King has served in this role since then, and now he is campaigning for a second term. He shared that his focus is fairness, upholding the Constitution, and engaging with people in the courthouse and
On Oct. 6, 1927, a movie premiere helped change how the world heard music. Warner Bros. introduced “The Jazz Singer,” starring Al Jolson, at its New York theater, demonstrating the commercial power of bringing a singer’s recorded voice into step with his screen performance. Looking back on Oct. 6, 2026, that evening stands as the date’s most consequential milestone: a turning point that helped make synchronized sound central to the movie business. The film was not the
On October 6, 1973, Egypt and Syria launched coordinated attacks against Israeli forces in the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights, beginning the conflict widely known as the Yom Kippur War or October War. Both territories had been captured by Israel in the 1967 war. The attack came during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism, and during the Muslim month of Ramadan. Fighting caused heavy losses, drew the United States and Soviet Union into urgent diplomacy, and helped set the stage for an
WOOD RIVER – Two solar projects are one step closer in Wood River following approval of an agreement to build separate solar arrays powering city and levee district property. At their Oct. 5, 2026 meeting , City Council members unanimously approved an amended intergovernmental agreement between the City of Wood River and the Wood River Drainage & Levee District (WRDLD) regarding the use of gifted land. Wood River officials intend to build a solar field (Solar Array 1) on land owned b
MASCOUTAH – Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined the Illinois Department of Transportation and state, local, and community leaders to commemorate the completion of the new MetroLink extension to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah. A cornerstone project of the historic Rebuild Illinois capital program, the $192 million ($127M in state funding; $65M in local funding) infrastructure package is one of the most significant transportation investments for the region in decades. The 5.2-mile
SAINT JACOB - Community members can enjoy a family-friendly day while supporting a local animal shelter. From 12–3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors will host their 10th annual Howl-O-Ween at Partners for Pets. Attendees can tour the Partners for Pets space at 9136 Lower Marine Road in St. Jacob, meet with adoptable pets, and enjoy a variety of fun activities like balloon art, face painting, live music and more. “The thing is, we find people homes.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO. — An 18-year-old Florissant man has been charged in the killing of a Lyft driver who authorities say was caught in a planned shootout between rival groups in Ferguson. Damien Stevens was certified as an adult by the St. Louis County Family Court on Oct. 1, 2026, and charged that day in the Jan. 30, 2026, death of Shannon O’Brien, 28, according to information released Oct. 5, 2026, by St. Louis County police. O'Brien is an Edwardsville High School graduate. T
EDWARDSVILLE — Brandon Greene likes to experiment in the kitchen, and sometimes even his wife, Lauren, questions what he’s cooking up. Then people taste it. The jalapeno popper cheeseburger is one example. Lauren admits she looked at Brandon like he was crazy when he first came up with the idea. “There’s a lot of flavors in that burger, but they all complement each other really well,” Brandon said. That willingness to put a twist on familiar favorites is now
GODFREY – For nearly a quarter of a century, students at Lewis and Clark Community College have found an advocate, mentor and educator in Professor Kathy Jones. This fall, her peers recognized her commitment to student success by selecting her as the college's nominee for the Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award. Jones serves as Professor of Psychology and Human Services, as well as Program Coordinator for both the Human Services and Career Development programs. Since joining Lewis and
ST. LOUIS, MO. – Kia Murray is joining Mayor Spencer’s communications team bringing eight years of broadcast, digital, and crisis communication experience to City Hall. As press secretary, Murray will serve as a liaison between the Mayor’s Office and members of the media to ensure St. Louisans receive timely, accurate information. “The press secretary position is a critical one, and I am thrilled to have Kia joining our team,” said Mayor Cara Spencer. “Her
HARTFORD – State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) has secured $26,000 in state funding to support a major tree replanting effort at the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site in Hartford. Nearly 80 green ash trees surrounding the interpretive center and picnic area were recently removed after becoming dead or severely distressed. “This site is an important part of our region’s history, and we want to make sure it remains a place families and visitors can enjoy for years
ALTON - The Hayner Public Library District has a busy month ahead. Director Mary Cordes explained that the library’s aim is to provide a free space for people to come together, access information, and engage with the community. With this goal in mind, Hayner has several free programs planned for adults, kids and teens throughout the month of October. “One of the trends in libraries, one of the things that our patrons have asked us for, are more programs,” she said. “We
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