Riverbender 🕸

This year, Sierra Club Outings celebrates 125 years of connecting people to the outdoors and inviting them into the conservationist movement. To begin the celebrations, the Illinois local chapter invites everyone to stop by their Sierra Club booth at the Earthtones Festival on September 19 to learn more about outings with the Sierra Club. Beginning with John Muir’s invitation to President Theodore Roosevelt to go camping, the Sierra Club has sponsored over a century of shared outdoor experiences

EAST ALTON — The Helmkamp Cares Foundation’s 2026 matching program raised $18,920 for the Community Hope Center in Cottage Hills, bringing together the Gateway Grizzlies and construction industry partners to support services for people experiencing hardship. The annual program, now in its second year, was designed to expand local philanthropy through contributions from Helmkamp’s network and the broader construction industry. The campaign began with a “Swing for a Cause”

EAST ALTON – East Alton Police charged a resident with causing fire damage on public park property in one of several property damage cases filed in Madison County last week. Shemeika D. Hardin, 35, of East Alton, was charged with one count each of criminal damage to government-supported property (a Class 4 felony) and criminal damage to property (a Class A misdemeanor) on Sept. 23, 2026. Hardin allegedly knowingly started a fire at Van Preter Park in East Alton the day prior on Sept.

ALTON - Bring your furry friends to the Canine Carnival at the Alton Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market on Saturday, October 3rd from 8:00 a.m. until Noon for a morning full of fun just for them. At this free event organized by Alton Main Street and Hope Animal Rescues, there will be many activities to enjoy and pet-related vendor booths to browse. Plus, you can learn about local animal welfare charities and services for your pets. Rescue agencies will be holding an adopt-a-thon, so if

WOOD RIVER – A Wood River resident accused of pointing an illegally possessed firearm at another person during an argument faces his latest criminal charges in Madison County. Deandre S. Pirtle, 22, of Wood River, was charged on Sept. 23, 2026 with a Class 3 felony count of felon in possession of a weapon, two Class 4 felony counts of aggravated unlawful possession of weapons and a Class A misdemeanor count of aggravated assault. Pirtle is accused of committing assault with a deadly weapon

BETHALTO — A Bethalto School District employee died at a local hospital after suffering a medical emergency at the district’s Central Office on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, the school's superintendent confirmed on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. The cause of death has not been determined. First responders were called to the Central Office around 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. The employee received emergency medical treatment and was transported to a local hospital, where the employee later

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO. — A 19-year-old Grover, Mo., man faces charges after authorities say he obtained sexual videos from one child and posed as a 13-year-old boy on Snapchat to solicit sexual videos from another. On Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued charges against suspect William Busch, 19, of the 16000 block of Centerpointe Drive in Grover, Missouri 63040, for: Possession of Child Pornography - 2nd/Subsequent Offense or Possess

JERSEYVILLE – Jerseyville officials are applying for over $2 million in grant funds for sidewalk, crossing and safety improvements in an area frequented by joggers, cyclists and more. Jerseyville City Council members voted to apply for an Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) at their Sept. 29, 2026 meeting. Councilman Tony Steckel was absent. The proposed project calls for the installation of several new sidewalks,

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO. - St. Louis County prosecutors charged a former Lindbergh School District teacher and coach Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, with four felony counts involving alleged sexual contact with three students between 1995 and 2008. James Wilder III, 60, of the 800 block of Totem Woods Court in Ballwin, Mo., faces the following counts: Three Counts of Statutory Sodomy 2nd Degree Attempted Statutory Sodomy 1st Degree – Deviate Sexual Intercourse with a Person Less than 14

ALTON - The Hayner Genealogy and Local History Library invites you to an opening reception for “Journey to Freedom: Illinois’ Underground Railroad,” a special exhibit at Alton City Hall. From 6–7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, community members can stop by Alton City Hall to see the new historical exhibit, chat with curators, and learn more about the Underground Railroad in Illinois and the Riverbend area. Lacy McDonald, manager of Hayner’s Genealogy and Loca

EDWARDSVILLE — With a federal spending deadline approaching, Madison County is moving toward completion of infrastructure and other projects funded through more than $52 million in American Rescue Plan Act resources allocated to benefit taxpayers across the county. County Board Chairman Chris Slusser said county leaders focused on putting the one-time funding toward long-term needs while saving local taxpayers millions in costs. “We had an opportunity to make major infrastructure

EDWARDSVILLE - An Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 monitor is going above and beyond to support students by redesigning an elementary school library. Brittany Green is a monitor and the Parent-Teacher Organization president at Midway Elementary School. Her passion for the school district and the students pushed her to refresh the library at Midway. By going through the books, ordering new materials, and adding a few special touches, Green has revitalized the library into a great

EDWARDSVILLE - Alton’s girls flag football team finished its first season 1-14, but a 26-6 victory over Hillsboro on Sept. 24, 2026, gave the Redbirds their first program win and a milestone in a year focused on learning the sport. The Redbirds closed their season in the IHSA playoffs with a 58-6 loss to Edwardsville on Tuesday night, Sept. 29, 2026, at Edwardsville. Redbirds Girls Head Flag Football Coach Nic Bradshaw said the team’s goals extended beyond its record. “Going

CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker warned that the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) requires the same seriousness, cooperation, and foresight that American leaders demonstrated when confronting the dangers of nuclear proliferation. In a new op-ed for The Contrarian , Governor Pritzker urges Congress and the Trump Administration to establish meaningful national safeguards and prevent increasingly advanced AI systems from harming people. The op-ed follows an executive

CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) announced today that beginning October 1, 2026, select licensing examinations for barber, cosmetology, esthetics and nail technology professions will be offered in five languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. “Everyone who has the skills, knowledge and determination to pursue a career should have a fair opportunity to do so, and language should not be an unnecessary barrier to enterin

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – 428 incoming freshmen received scholarships from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire for the 2026-27 academic year, with many students receiving multiple awards. Each award varies in amount and criteria. View scholarship details online at: https://www.uwec.edu/tuition-aid/scholarships-uwec HOMETOWN, STATE; NAME, HIGH SCHOOL (if listed), SCHOLARSHIP(S) East Alton, Illinois Lex Peterson, Civic Memorial High School, Out-of-State Scholarship MTP Edwardsville, Illinois

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is sharing the following upcoming events and noteworthy items for October. State parks, historic sites, and museums have events throughout the month, and the fall is a great time to explore the outdoors and the start of hunting season. October is National Hunting and Fishing Month. Oct. 1 Fall archery deer and turkey hunting opens Statewide Fall archery hunting for deer and turkey opens statewide. Learn more about season

CHICAGO – With Illinoisans facing rising energy costs, Governor JB Pritzker is reminding eligible families to apply for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to support households with utility costs. Applications open on October 1, 2026, and Illinois has $240 million available to support families. Last program year, Illinois supported 360,500 households, with an average of $676 per household. Eligible families can apply through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a bipartisan coalition of 44 attorneys general, sent a comment letter urging Congress to fully fund the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2027 fiscal year security request, warning that threats against justices and their families have become a serious and escalating danger. In the letter to congressional leaders , Raoul and the attorneys general called for the resources necessary to protect justices, their families and the Supreme Court a

ALTON – 13 southwest Illinois communities will celebrate the legacy of Route 66 Oct. 9-11, 2026 with Great Rivers & Routes Last Hundred Miles Festival, a three-day series of events marking the highway’s anniversary and highlighting the history and communities along its final 100 miles in Illinois. From Virden in the north to East St. Louis on the Mississippi River, the festival will bring together communities, businesses, organizations and Route 66 enthusiasts for events that showcase