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Did you know that nearly 70% of Americans take road trips each year, yet only a fraction of these journeys are meticulously planned to maximize enjoyment and minimize stress? The allure of the open road is undeniable—freedom, discovery, and spontaneity all wrapped into one experience. However, an epic road trip doesn’t just happen by chance; it requires thoughtful preparation to transform a simple drive into an unforgettable adventure. Whether you’re aiming to explore the historic highways of Route 66 or chase waterfalls across the Pacific Northwest, a well-crafted plan can make all the difference. Define Your Road Trip Vision Before you buckle up, start by clarifying what you want from your journey. Are you seeking relaxation, cultural immersion, outdoor thrills, or a bit of everything? Pinpointing your goals helps shape your route and schedule. Set Your Priorities: For example, if your main focus is nature, plan stops near national parks or scenic byways. I

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June 12 has long been a date marked by transformative events across the globe, touching on politics, science, culture, and human rights. One of the most impactful events recorded on June 12 took place in 1987, when U.S. President Ronald Reagan delivered a famous speech at the Berlin Wall. Standing before thousands, Reagan issued a bold challenge to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" This statement encapsulated the growing desire for freedom and the eventual end of Cold War tensions. The Berlin Wall, a symbol of division between East and West Germany, represented not just a physical barrier but an ideological one. Reagan's speech is remembered as a powerful moment that energized the movement toward German reunification, which was realized just over two years later in 1989. Moving back in time to an event that reshaped the geopolitical landscape, June 12, 1898, saw the declaration of Philippine independence from Spanish colonial rule. Emilio Aguinaldo,

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ALTON – Members of the Alton City Council voted 5-2 on Wednesday to create an ordinance imposing a 1% local sales tax on groceries to replace a state grocery tax expiring in 2026. The vote tally remained unchanged from Monday’s Committee of the Whole meeting . Voting against the resolution to create the grocery tax ordinance were Ward 1 Alderman Chris Bohn and Ward 3 Alderman Michael Velloff, with all other City Council members voting in favor. The State of Illinois has imposed a 1% sales tax on groceries since 1990, with 100% of the proceeds going directly to local municipalities. To offset significant revenue losses when the state grocery tax expires in 2026, the Illinois General Assembly has allowed each municipality to replace the state tax with local 1% sales taxes on groceries and grocery “services.” Alton Comptroller Debbie Dunlap previously estimated that allowing the grocery tax to expire would result in an annual loss of $400,000 to the city’s

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—founding co-chair of the Senate Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Caucus—met with Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) President Brian Duncan and IFB members to discuss shared priorities to grow Illinois’s agriculture industry and support our farmers. Duckworth and the members discussed the importance of supporting our family farmers by expanding the biofuels market, increasing agricultural exports and improving farm safety net programs as Donald Trump continues to threaten critical federal agricultural programs. Photos from today’s meeting can be found on the Senator’s website. “America has always depended on our nation’s farmers to grow the food and fuel we need, and I’m proud to advocate for them on both the national and international stage,” Duckworth said. “The work of Illinois’s farmers is so important to the strength of our state and our nation, and I will continue

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today met with Illinois members of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) who are in Washington, D.C. for their “Ukraine Days” advocacy effort. During the meeting, they discussed Putin’s unjustified and unprovoked war in Ukraine, President Trump’s continued manipulation by Russian President Putin, and what Congress can do to help our Ukrainian allies. They also discussed Durbin’s bill that prohibits the United States from recognizing the Russian Federation’s claim of sovereignty over Crimea or any other forcibly seized Ukrainian territory. “The Chicago-area is home to thousands of Ukrainian Americans. I am fortunate to represent them in the U.S. Senate, and I welcomed them to the Capitol today,” said Durbin. “During our meeting, we discussed this Administration’s failure to end Russia’s war in Ukraine

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today participated in a Defense Appropriations Subcommittee hearing to review the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for the Department of Defense (DOD). During the hearing, Durbin reprimanded Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for drastically cutting funding for defense medical research while claiming to support the service members who have experienced physical or mental trauma from their military service. In their exchange, Durbin expressed his frustration that military members and veterans will suffer because the Trump Administration has slashed funding at DOD and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for medical research on new treatments for devastating diseases and injuries. “I was surprised to learn that medical research has discovered the probability that men and women who serve our nation develop certain cancers more prevalent among them

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a spotlight forum entitled “Cruel and Unamerican: The Abuse of Immigrants to Attack our Constitutional Order.” Durbin first questioned Ximena Arias-Cristobal, a 19-year-old Dreamer, who was wrongfully arrested after being misidentified at a traffic stop, about her experience with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials. “What a heartbreaking story you’ve told us. Two and a half weeks in prison… were there any others circumstances that had been arrested by ICE or authorities for immigration issues?” Durbin asked. Ms. Arias-Cristobal responded that there were many people in the same situation as her. She said, “a lot of people were ripped away from the comfort of their own home, a lot of them walking on the side of the street, and a lot of them went to their court date and got

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GODFREY – The College for Life program at Lewis and Clark Community College has won a $10,000 Cargill grant through the company’s Community Engagement and Giving program. The check was presented June 10 at a brief ceremony on the college’s Godfrey Campus by Joe Fletcher, a Cargill strategic account representative and parent of a College for Life student. It was Fletcher who informed program leaders of the grant opportunity. “I’m humbled and proud to announced that Cargill’s Community Cares program has donated $10,000 to College for Life,” he said. “We hope this gift helps create transformative opportunities for College for Life students, helping them compete, grow and connect. This is not just a donation, this is a commitment to the brighter – more inclusive – future we all envision.” According to Access and Accommodations Interim Director Emily DeGrand, College for Life intends to use the funds in a couple of different

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Ranking Member of the CST Aviation Subcommittee—pressed Federal Aviation Administrator nominee Bryan Bedford to commit to upholding the strong 1,500-hour certification standard for our nation’s pilots and strengthening the FAA’s oversight of Boeing at his confirmation hearing. In light of Mr. Bedford’s previous comments against the 1,500-hour rule, Duckworth raised concerns that Mr. Bedford would unilaterally attempt to weaken this standard and produce less-prepared pilots in the immediate aftermath of our nation experiencing the first major deadly commercial crash in more than a decade, amid a surge in near-misses with an air traffic controller shortage and aging controller equipment. When Duckworth asked Mr. Bedford for his commitment to not reduce the 1,500-hour rule if confirmed, Mr. Bedford refused

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WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) pressed U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins during a House Agriculture Committee hearing where she raised serious concerns with President Trump’s budget proposal for USDA that suggests slashing funding for agriculture research, nutrition assistance, and conservation. She cited the recent testimony of farmers to the House Agriculture Committee, in which they shared how conservation programs, which the President seeks to eliminate, have helped improve their livelihoods. “The idea that we would take away opportunities to improve farmers’ livelihoods - and to completely eliminate Conservation Technical Assistance, which farmers have told this committee directly that they rely on - is ridiculous,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. She also highlighted Secretary Rollins’ misguided decision to eliminate the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) and the Local Foods

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PEORIA – Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), and the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC) today announced the recipients of the 2025 Made in Illinois Grant Program. This year, 29 small and mid-sized manufacturers across Illinois are receiving a combined $1.35 million in capital grant funding to drive innovation, efficiency, and growth in the state’s vital manufacturing sector. The program is part of Illinois’ broader commitment to support the state’s manufacturers while bolstering the manufacturing ecosystem. “Illinois is a globally-recognized manufacturing hub and the Made in Illinois Program is designed to support the small and mid-size manufacturers that make up a crucial part of our economy,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This grant program helps companies access resources to become more competitive, enhance economic development, attract capital, and bring jobs to communities

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Patty Muray (D-WA), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today led 25 of their Senate Democratic colleagues in introducing legislation that would establish a nationwide right to in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Ever since Roe was repealed by Donald Trump’s Supreme Court majority, Republicans’ ongoing assault against reproductive freedom has threatened Americans’ access to IVF services—as evidenced by the Alabama Supreme Court ruling last year that shut down state clinics and painted IVF parents and their doctors as criminals. The Protect IVF Act would protect against such attacks by creating a statutory right for patients to access IVF services, a right for doctors to provide IVF treatment in accordance with medical standards as well as a right for insurance carriers to cover IVF without prohibition, limitation, interference or impediment. By establishing a statutory

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “23 and You: The Privacy and National Security Implications of the 23andMe Bankruptcy.” Today’s hearing will examine the bankruptcy of 23andMe, Inc., and the potential sale of the company’s database of customers’ personal genetic information. The hearing also will provide an opportunity to examine policy and ethical issues associated with the collection and use of personal genetic information, the need for a comprehensive federal data privacy law in the United States, and the treatment of consumer data privacy in the bankruptcy process. Key Quotes: “In short, 23andMe has access to deeply personal information about you and your health. Information that you would normally want to keep private—between you, your family, and your doctor. Yet no

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The Calhoun County Sheriff's Office had a visit on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, from U.S. Space Force 2nd Lieutenant Wesley Green. Many of our residents might recognize 2Lt. Wesley Green; who formerly served as a Telecommunicator/Dispatcher with CCSO, as well as a Volunteer Driver for the Calhoun Volunteer Ambulance ! Wesley started with CCSO back in October of 2019 after graduating from Calhoun High School. Wesley continued his education while working for CCSO, earning his Bachelors Degree in Physics-Astronomy from SIUE in 2023. In January 2025, Wesley left CCSO to join the U.S. Space Force, and attend Officer Training School. In March of 2025, Wesley graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant, Space Operations Officer. When asked if he wanted to pass along a message; Wesley stated, "It was an absolute honor and pleasure to serve Calhoun as a Dispatcher and Ambulance Driver; and it's something I will always be proud of." All of us at CCSO are very proud of you, Wesley! We wish you the best

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GRAFTON - Riverbend native Don Mathenia has released his first book, “Love and Blood in the Heartland.” Mathenia shared that his book is a compilation of poems, songs, artwork and memories from throughout his life. He began “writing in earnest” during his college years in the mid-60s, and the book details his life growing up, teaching, and living in the Riverbend region. “I’m excited about the book. I’ve had so many people encourage me throughout the years to get a lot of these things published,” Mathenia said. “It’s all over the map, and that’s the way I like it. I think of something, I get an idea, I grab a piece of paper, and I just start writing stuff down. Some of it’s philosophical, a lot of it’s just funny.” Mathenia’s first published poem — published by Blackburn College’s “The Vortex” literary and fine arts magazine when he was a student — is included

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EDWARDSVILLE — Mrs. Sydney Layton, a teacher at Leclaire Elementary School, has been named Teacher of the Year by the Edwardsville Chapter of the NAACP. The announcement was made recently by the school, highlighting Layton’s dedication and passion for equity in education. Layton’s commitment to her students and the broader community has been recognized as a significant factor in receiving this honor. School officials praised her for the lasting impact she has both inside the classroom and throughout the Edwardsville community. The recognition from the NAACP underscores the importance of educators who advocate for equity and inclusion in education. Leclaire Elementary School and the Edwardsville community are celebrating Layton’s achievement.

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EAST ALTON/GRANITE CITY – Two cases of domestic battery in Madison County involve residents of East Alton and Granite City accused of strangulation and more. Lindell Curtis, 64, of East Alton, was charged with a Class 2 felony count of aggravated domestic battery and a Class A misdemeanor count of domestic battery on June 4, 2025. Curtis allegedly strangled a household or family member and pushed a different household or family member to the ground on May 5, 2025. A petition was filed by the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office to deny Curtis’s pretrial release from custody. The petition states Curtis “had been drinking” before getting into an altercation with one family member, strangling them nearly to the point of them losing consciousness. During the altercation, he pushed another family member to the floor, causing them to fall. The East Alton Police Department presented the case against Curtis, who was ordered remanded to jail for his

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From lively music performances and family-friendly festivals to engaging workshops and community celebrations, the upcoming events offer something exciting for everyone to enjoy. For a full listing of all the great happenings, be sure to visit https://www.riverbender.com/events/ If you want to make sure even more of the region is aware of your event email cj@riverbender.com and explore our range of Event Advertising Services! Featured GGCA Summer Camp invites children ages 3 to 12 to embark on an unforgettable adventure with the 2025 Summer Camp themed "Bible Explorer: Trek through Truth!" Running from June 2nd to July 25th, campers will enjoy outdoor and water games, crafts, weekly field trips including visits to local attractions and the NCG Cinema in Alton, and daily hot meals. The camp operates weekdays from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM with before and aftercare available. At $90 per student per week, this is a wonderful opportunity for kids to learn, laugh, and grow in faith together.

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ALTON - Middle schoolers have the chance to learn more about healthcare careers at an upcoming day camp at OSF St. Anthony’s Hospital. From 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, students will explore a Survival Flight helicopter, complete CPR stations, chart their vitals, play games and participate in a panel discussion with healthcare professionals. Nurses Sara Clohessy, Gina Coates and Melissa Hartnett, who organized the Health Camp, look forward to teaching students about the different career pathways in the medical field. “People tend to think ‘nurse’ and ‘doctor’ when they think ‘healthcare’ and ‘hospital.’ We just want to show that there are so many other pieces here,” said Clohessy, MSN, RN, Clinical Nurse Educator. “I did a program similarly when I was in the eighth grade, and I still remember it to this day.” The Health Camp is open to students who just completed the seventh and eight

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PIASA — Kailyn Broyles had a standout season for the Southwestern girls softball team in 2025, making significant contributions both on and off the field. Broyles, a freshman, was praised by her coach, Abby Edwards, who highlighted her leadership qualities and athletic versatility. Edwards described Broyles as an excellent basketball player who transitioned seamlessly from the basketball court to the softball diamond. “She is a tremendous leader in general,” Edwards said. Broyles is an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month. In addition to her leadership, Broyles was one of the better hitters for the Piasa Birds this season. Her defensive skills were also notable, as reflected in her fielding percentage of .991. Edwards expressed optimism about Broyles’ future in the sport, indicating that her potential is exceptionally bright. Southwestern’s softball team benefited from Broyles’ strong performance throughout the

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