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RIVERBEND - Halloween is creeping up on us, but it’s all treats — no tricks — this spooky season. Several parades are scheduled over the next few weeks. Check it out! ALTON: With one of the longest-running Halloween parades in the country, Alton’s 107th annual celebration will run from 7–10 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024. The parade begins downtown at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Broadway and will continue on Broadway to Piasa Street, where it will end at 9th Street. There are over 40 parade participants registered already. If you are unable to get out to view the Alton Halloween Parade in-person, keep an eye out for the live stream on Riverbender.com. BELLEVILLE: The Belleville Area Humane Society will have their annual Howloween Pet Parade from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024 . The route starts at Bennie’s Pizza Pub and travels down N. High Street, Main Street, N. Charles and E. A Street. People and

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ALTON —The Alton Fire Department responded to a structure fire in the 500 block of Main Street on Tuesday evening. Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the house. In response to the situation, a box alarm was activated, prompting assistance from the East Alton Fire Department. Firefighters faced challenges in controlling the blaze, particularly as it had spread to the attic, complicating their efforts. The house sustained significant damage, but it remains unclear if anyone was residing in the home at the time of the fire. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

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Edwardsville, IL — Today, Jay Keeven, candidate for State Representative is proud to announce the endorsement of Madison County Sheriff Jeff Connor. Sheriff Connor, a well-respected leader dedicated to upholding safety and accountability across Madison County, praised Keeven’s extensive background in law enforcement, commitment to public safety, and collaborative approach to public service. "Jay Keeven has spent his career serving with integrity and working to keep our families safe," said Sheriff Connor. "I know Jay will bring that same commitment to Springfield, where we need leaders focused on protecting our communities and holding public officials accountable. I am proud to endorse Jay Keeven for State Representative ." "I am honored to have the support of Sheriff Jeff Connor," said Keeven. "Sheriff Connor’s dedication to our community is unmatched, and his endorsement underscores my commitment to protecting our families and advocating for integrity i

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EDWARDSVILLE - As a senior running back and outside linebacker, Zach Daly has tried to be a leader for Metro-East Lutheran High's football squad. Zach is a BJ's Printables Male Athlete Of Month For MELHS. He played a key role in a 33-8 victory over HPHS (CO-OP). "I feel like this year, being the only senior, I have had to be a pretty good leader to the team this year," Daly said. "I also feel that just to use my abilities and to compete this year for the team is a big role for me this year, for sure." Daly is very much looking ahead to the playoffs Metro-East squad. The Knights concluded the regular season 5-4 overall and everything has been building to this point in time where the Knights could receive a playoff berth. "It's been building up since my freshman year. I think my freshman year, we had a third of the guys that we have this year, and now being a senior, we've got the team. Every year's been a build-up, and this is the year where we have been able to show all that."

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EDWARDSVILLE - Junior blocker Avery Simaytis was a key player for Metro East Lutheran High's girls' volleyball squad this season. Avery's specialty is blocking. She is a BJ's Printables Female Athlete Of Month for the Knights. Her goals for herself and the Knights this season were very much straightforward. "My personal goals were to be strong at blocking," Simaytis said. "I think I did a fine job last year, but I thought I could improve this season." Simaytis believes that the defensive part of the Knights' game was very comparable to other teams in the region and state. Simaytis viewed her main role with the team this season as a now-older player who provided guidance and leadership to her teammates and younger players. "My role on the team, last year, I was one of the youngest," Simaytis said, "and now, I'm one of the oldest. So it's definitely different. But, I tried to be to be more of a leader." She said overall, volleyball is her favorite season as an athlete.

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GRANITE CITY - Armando Hernandez scored the only goal for Granite City in the Warriors' 2-1 loss to Collinsville in the IHSA Class 3A regional semifinal on Oct. 22, 2024, at Gene Baker Field, Granite's home pitch, in a very good effort from both sides in a typical Granite City-Collinsville match where everyone left it on the field itself. For Hernandez, it was his 18th goal of the season, with one assist for 37 points, a successful campaign for him that ends his senior season, as the Warriors finished 11-10-1. In his post-match interview, a disappointed Hernandez thought he and his teammates did everything they could in the match. Hernandez is a Stillwater Senior Living Male Athlete Of The Month for the Warriors. "I felt like we did as much as we could," Hernandez said, "given the circumstances we've been in. We lost our center back (Drake Reeves to a season-ending knee injury), our other captain, and Joey (Morales, a stalwart defender who went out with an ankle injury right before

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ALTON - The Alton High football Redbirds concluded the season with two impressive wins over Mt. Vernon and O'Fallon. The Redbirds football boys are Auto Butler Male Athletes of the Month for Alton. Riley Smith, Hassani Elliott, Semaj Stampley and Andrew Williams, Cayden Richardson and Dillan Cowan each contributed points to the Redbirds effort on Friday. Elliott had 145 all-purpose yards in the game. Elliott also rushed 15 times for 129 yards, an average of 8.6 yards a carry in the contest. Williams had 39 yards in seven carries, while Kobe Taylor carried two times for 35 yards. Smith was six of 14 passing for 69 yards and two TDs in the game. Smith did an excellent job of commanding the Redbirds' offense in the game and he returns next season. The Redbirds had 225 yards rushing against the Panthers. Elijah Stueckel had 13 total tackles in the Mt. Vernon game. Mt. Vernon led the game 6-0 at the end of the first quarter and was ahead 19-13 over Alton at the half. Mt. Vernon scored

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ALTON - St. Paul’s Episcopal Church will host a presentation on exorcisms. At 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, community members are invited to attend “Deliver Us: What Hollywood Gets Wrong about Exorcism.” Father Andrew Hook, the diocesan exorcist within the Episcopal Diocese of Springfield, will talk about his experience with exorcism and how exorcisms are represented in media. “The reality is that everyone’s heads aren’t spinning around and puking pea soup. It’s a little different from that,” explained Father Garron Daniels, the priest in charge at St. Paul’s. “Father Andy is going to be talking about some misconceptions of exorcisms, what it looks like to a lot of us in movies, and what it really isn’t.” Daniels referenced “The Exorcist” as an example of a movie where exorcism is “very theatrical.” He also noted that an actual rite of exorcism is “very rare.”

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TROY/MARYVILLE/ST. JACOB/MARINE - The Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce interns shared a little about their experience with the Chamber. On a recent episode of “Our Daily Show!,” Kyle Mullin, Kyle Hazelwood and Sterling Crutcher took to the airwaves to tell listeners about the Chamber and their internships. Emily Gretak, the office manager, also spoke about how the Chamber has helped her and the interns grow since they started work with the board, the ambassadors, and CEO Dawn Mushill. “I’m enjoying it because I’m learning a lot and I’m getting to connect with these small businesses and learn more about what they do,” Crutcher said. Crutcher serves as a videographer, while Mullin and Hazelwood work in advertising and mass communications, respectively. The interns said they enjoy the networking opportunities they’ve experienced. “We’ve been able to meet so many different people at these different

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EAST ST. LOUIS – Linda J. Johnson, a 58-year-old resident of Waterloo, pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday to embezzling more than $135,000 from the Dupo Community Unit School District #196. The theft occurred during her employment in an administrative support role in the superintendent’s office from 2020 to 2022. Johnson was responsible for managing deposits into the district's activities account, which funds student athletics, clubs, and extracurricular activities. According to court documents, she manipulated the deposit process by preparing two sets of bank deposit slips. The first set accurately reflected the amounts of cash and checks received, while the second set only accounted for checks, allowing her to pocket the cash. U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe commented on the impact of Johnson's actions, stating, “Stealing funds from student activities directly deprives children of opportunities within their extracurriculars.” She added that despite

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY — Nicholas Williams, a 38-year-old resident of Jennings, Missouri, faces multiple charges following an alleged burglary incident at a convenience store on October 25, 2024. The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged Williams with Burglary Second Degree, Property Damage First Degree, and Stealing. According to a probable cause statement, Williams was recorded on video surveillance throwing a rock-like object through the front window of the convenience store located in the 8800 block of Jennings Station Road, which activated the burglar alarm. When police arrived, they noticed the back door of the store had been opened and then closed again. Upon investigation, officers discovered the door had been barricaded and forced entry into the establishment. Officers found Williams hiding in the bathroom, exhibiting injuries to his head and hand. Blood was also observed on the floor of the business. Further examination of the video footage revealed

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EDWARDSVILLE - The MCT Yellowhammer Connector trail is officially open in Edwardsville. The trail connects the Delyte Morris Trail and MCT Goshen Trail. It also helps connect SIUE’s campus to the Madison County Transit (MCT) trail system. Construction began in November 2023, and the completed 2,400-feet-long trail includes a 200-foot-long bowstring truss concrete deck bridge over the Delaplain Branch creek valley. “This is just the next phase in our multiyear, multimillion-dollar effort to expand and enhance the MCT trails and to make Madison County one of the most bikeable, walkable places in the Midwest,” said S.J. Morrison, the managing director of MCT. The trail was built with a $2.9 million “Re-Build Illinois” grant from the State of Illinois. State Representative Katie Stuart noted that the program is a great way for communities to get the funding they need to support their residents and tourists. “This is why I was so proud to vote

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COLLINSVILLE – The Collinsville Police Department has announced that Support Services Supervisor Andrea Lindauer has been honored with the Line Supervisor of the Year award. The recognition took place during the annual Illinois Public Safety Telecommunicators Association Conference, held recently. Lindauer received the award through a nomination process that involved collaboration between the Madison County 911 Office and the Collinsville Police Department. Lindauer's accolade highlights her significant contributions to public safety communications in the region. In a statement from the Collinsville Police Department, officials expressed their appreciation for Lindauer's dedication and hard work, noting that her efforts are recognized by many within the community. The Collinsville Police stressed that the award underscores the importance of leadership in emergency response and communication services, reflecting the commitment to excellence in public safety.

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GRANITE CITY - Three Granite City residents have been charged with mob action and more after committing battery against the same victim in public at a Granite City bar. Timothy J. Hildebrand, 55, Curtis R. Lewis, 34, and Dallas S. Graham, 24, all of Granite City, were charged with mob action (each Class 4 felonies) and aggravated battery (each Class 3 felonies). The charges stem from an Oct. 13, 2024 incident at Paddy McD’s bar in Granite City, according to petitions to deny pretrial release for all three individuals. Lewis allegedly choked a victim “while he was being battered” before the victim lost consciousness and was thrown to the ground. Lewis, Hildebrand, and Graham then reportedly all began kicking the unconscious victim while he remained on the ground before fleeing the scene once law enforcement arrived. The victim was later transported for medical treatment at an area hospital. The Granite City Police Department presented all three cases against

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ALTON/GODFREY - In separate but similar cases, two couples - one from Alton and one from Godfrey - face the same felony charges after allegedly causing the deaths of two infant children. On Oct. 23, 2024, Gabriel L. Catlett, 38, and Paige A. Patterson, 33, both of the same Alton address, were both charged with endangering the life or health of a child, both Class 3 felonies. These charges stem from an incident that occurred on April 6, 2024. Also on Oct. 23, 2024, the same charges were filed against Algie W. Glisson, 29, and Natalie E. Quinonez, 28, both of the same Godfrey address. The charges against them related to an incident from May 5, 2024 - just over one month before Catlett and Patterson’s case. The cases against each individual state they “co-slept” with their infant children “while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and said violation was a proximate cause of the death” of both children. The victim in Quinonez and Glisson’s

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EAST ST. LOUIS – A 29-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a shooting incident that occurred last month in East St. Louis. Eddie T. Johnson of Cahokia Heights faces multiple charges, including aggravated battery and unlawful possession of a firearm. The shooting took place around 2 a.m. on Sept 22, 2024, when the East St. Louis Police Department responded to reports of gunfire in the 1500 block of Gaty Avenue. A male victim was driving in the area when he was struck by bullets fired from outside his vehicle. He was subsequently transported to a regional hospital with serious injuries. Following the incident, the East St. Louis Police Department sought assistance from the Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation’s Public Safety Enforcement Group. Through a detailed investigation, Johnson was identified as the alleged shooter. An arrest warrant for Johnson was issued by the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office on Oct. 22, 2024.

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ALTON - As the April 1, 2025 consolidated election approaches, Alton’s Ward 2 Alderwoman Carolyn MacAfee shared an inside look at the life and role of an alderperson on Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com . MacAfee said her public service career began with the Alton Pride board in 1984, where she served on the Pride Awards committee. This committee chooses Alton homes to award for their well-maintained appearance; MacAfee later served as the chairwoman of the Beautification and Clean Cities Committee. Bringing a variety of experience in both the public and private sectors - having worked for major companies, attorneys, and more - MacAfee said she was asked to run for alderwoman by then-retiring Alderman Phil Hanrahan. While she initially declined, the lack of initiative and responsiveness from the alderman that took Hanrahan’s place sprung MacAfee into action, with some encouragement from Alton’s then-mayor Tom Hoechst. She also cited problems with stree

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O'FALLON - O'Fallon Community Consolidated School District #90 marked a significant milestone on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, with the dedication of a new outdoor classroom at Laverna Evans Elementary, celebrating the school's 50-year history. The event brought together community members, educators, and past contributors to honor the legacy of the institution. The dedication ceremony highlighted the contributions of many individuals who have played pivotal roles in the success of Laverna Evans Elementary. "You are forever a part of the Evans and D90 family," the school district expressed in a statement, acknowledging the collective efforts that have shaped the school over the decades. This new outdoor classroom aims to enhance the educational experience for students, providing a space for hands-on learning and connection with nature. The celebration not only commemorated the past, but also looked forward to the future of educational opportunities at the school.

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SPRINGFIELD - Halloween is a fun, spooky and exciting time for kids and adults as they scour for that perfect costume and people add spooky decorations to their homes. If you don’t keep fire safety in mind, Halloween and fall decoration can add an increased fire danger to your home that could create a real scary situation. According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), each year from 2017 to 2019, an estimated average of 9,200 fires were reported to fire departments in the United States over a 3-day period around Halloween. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports from 2018–2022 there was an average of 835 home structure fires that began with decorations per year. These fires caused an annual average of 3 civilian fire deaths, 30 civilian fire injuries, and $14 million in direct property damage. Nearly half (47%) of these fires occurred because the decorations were too close to a heat source, such as a candle or hot equipment and approximately one-third

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GODFREY – State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) welcomed 44 high school students to the Lewis and Clark Community College Campus Thursday for her annual Fall Youth Advisory Council (YAC) meeting. The event allows students to get a firsthand experience in the process of state government. “It’s great to see new and returning students at my Youth Advisory Council each year,” said Senator Harriss. “This council gives our high school students a glimpse into the state government process, while also allowing them the opportunity to meet and network with other high school students from schools across the district.” Students at this year’s council started their day by meeting with Senator Harriss, followed by presentations from Megan Tyler, Executive Director of Sacred Spaces of CARE, and Elizabeth Grant, Professor at LCCC and Edwardsville Alderwoman. “I am inspired by leadership, and I want to lead in my study of engineering

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