Riverbender 🕸

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt advanced a measure to increase access to life-saving mental health resources and strengthen suicide prevention efforts across the state. “This measure takes crucial steps to ensure help is always within reach for those in crisis,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “This will give residents additional resources they may need to stay safe and feel supported.” Belt’s measure would require numerous public buildings across Illinois

MORO, IL. - The National Weather Service in St. Louis has confirmed that two EF-1 tornadoes moved through the Metro East early Wednesday morning, March 11, 2026, including one in Moro, Illinois, and the other in St. Clair County. Jayson Gosselin, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in St. Louis, confirmed the information. More will be in another story about the St. Clair County tornado. According to NWS officials, the first confirmed tornado traveled 1.6 miles and had peak winds

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), today reintroduced the Proprietary Education Oversight Task Force Act , legislation that will establish an interagency committee tasked with improving coordination of federal oversight of for-profit colleges to ensure that students are not scammed out of an education and into a mountain

CHICAGO - The Illinois Poison Center (IPC), the nation’s oldest poison center, joins poison centers around the country to raise awareness about poison dangers and educate the public on ways to further protect their loved ones during National Poison Prevention Week (NPPW), which runs from March 15 – 21. This year’s theme is “When the Unexpected Happens, We’re Here for You.” For more than 70 years, poison centers have provided vital information and resources

CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) today launched IHDAccess Home ( Access Home ), a new program offering up to $15,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance for eligible first-time homebuyers statewide. The initiative expands IHDA’s popular Access mortgage suite and is designed to help more working families achieve homeownership amid rising housing costs. This announcement follows Governor Pritzker’s proposed FY27 Budget

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today led a coalition of 19 state attorneys general in support of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which is being targeted by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over recommendations that run counter to the Trump administration’s preferred policies. The coalition filed an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit filed by the Illinois-based AAP challenging the FTC’s improperly motivated demands that the organization turn over extensive

EDWARDSVILLE – Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7 will host a Senior Breakfast on Friday, April 17 from 8:00-9:30 a.m. at Edwardsville High School for senior members of the District 7 community. The new event is designed to strengthen relationships with senior residents while providing an opportunity to hear district updates, meet administrators, ask questions, and engage in conversation about District 7 schools. Guests will also enjoy a special performance by the Edwardsville

SPRINGFIELD — On Monday, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) convened local park district leaders from Springfield, Champaign, and Grandview to celebrate the successful award of state funding that her office helped them secure. In recent months, Congresswoman Budzinski’s office has held a series of workshops to assist local organizations and municipalities with identifying and applying for grants – specifically Illinois’ Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD

ALTON – OSF Medical Group’s diabetes and endocrinology program has been recognized by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) for Quality Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support. This recognition affirms that OSF Medical Group consistently meets the ADA’s national standards for high-quality diabetes care, providing patients with effective self-management education and support. “This recognition from the American Diabetes Association is an important validation o

ALTON - Senior Services Plus offers a Rock Steady Boxing program for individuals with Parkinson’s, and the community can come together to celebrate the boxers and learn more about local resources at an upcoming event. From 4–6 p.m. on Friday, April 10, 2026, Senior Services Plus will offer their “Raise a Glove” event. The evening starts with a health fair from 4–5 p.m. featuring informational booths from local organizations to help people with Parkinson’s

CHICAGO — On Sunday, March 8, Governor JB Pritzker visited Selma, Alabama to join leaders across the nation in commemorating the heroes of the Civil Rights Movement. He gave remarks on the Edmund Pettus bridge at the annual Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee. “”So, let's march forward today with the knowledge that we are the inheritors of the faith that brought marchers to the bridge 61 years ago,” said Gov. Pritzker. “It's now on us to bend the arc of the moral universe

ALTON – A Godfrey man with multiple open cases remains in custody after an alleged assault of an Alton resident with an illegally possessed firearm. Nathaniel W. Phipps, 21, of Godfrey, was charged on March 4, 2026 with one count each of aggravated unlawful possession of weapons (a Class 4 felony), violation of an Order of Protection, and aggravated assault (both Class A misdemeanors). Phipps allegedly carried a Taurus GX4 XL 9mm handgun on his person and in his vehicle on Dec. 22,

ALTON - The McPike Mansion is a beloved landmark in Alton, and its owners are asking for the Riverbend’s help to keep it operational. The mansion, which is known as one of Alton’s most haunted spots, has been in need of a new roof for several years. Owner Sharyn Luedke is hoping to raise $40,000 to replace the roof. It’s a big goal, but she has faith that the community will come together to save such a historic site. “I really believe that love is going to save thi

ALTON - Community members can join the Irish fun this weekend during Alton’s St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl. From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, 2026, you can enjoy food and drink specials at over a dozen local bars and restaurants in downtown Alton. There will be a free shuttle with several stops available. Cory Jobe, director of Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau, invites the community to join the fun. “We want people to come to downtown Alton to celebrate

WOOD RIVER – A residential burglary in Alton reportedly involving stolen body armor has resulted in a felony charge against a Wood River resident. Clayton W. Sitzes, 33, of Wood River, was charged on March 4, 2026 with a Class 1 felony count of residential burglary. Sitzes allegedly knowingly entered a home on Glenwood Avenue in Alton without authority and with the intent to commit a theft on Dec. 31, 2025. A petition to keep Sitzes detained pending trial was filed The Madison County

A funny thing happens when something improves: people often tense up instead of relaxing. The new job offer is better, but you hesitate. The healthier routine works, but you miss your old habits. Even good change can feel like stepping onto a moving escalator—your brain knows it’s safe, but your body still braces. Change is not just a practical event. It’s an emotional one. It asks you to let go of what you know, even if what you know isn’t great. That’s why peopl

BETHALTO - The Bethalto Police Department is reminding residents that Illinois state law governs the use of electric bicycles and electric scooters in the village, after the department received calls about the rules as warmer weather approaches. The Village of Bethalto “has no ordinance regulating the use of electric bicycles or electric scooters; therefore, the law would revert to the Illinois State Statute,” according to information shared by Bethalto Village. Bethalto Police

ST. CLAIR COUNTY - Substantial damage was reported on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, after a storm moved through southeastern St. Clair County, and the National Weather Service in St. Louis planned to send a damage assessment team later in the day to determine whether a tornado touched down. The St. Clair Emergency Management Agency reported damage from the early Wednesday morning storm on March 11, 2026, in rural Marissa, Lenzburg, and St. Libory. National Weather Service in St. Louis Lead Meteorologist

GRAFTON — Wind damage heavily impacted Drifters Bar and Grill and a nearby guest house early in the morning on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Grafton, with the National Weather Service in St. Louis considering whether a tornado may have been involved, officials said. Mayor Mike Morrow said Drifters Bar and Grill at 1505 W. Main St. was “pretty much destroyed" by the winds, with the roof taken off and water damage throughout the interior. He said debris also damaged nearby properties,

MORO, Ill. — National Weather Service in St. Louis officials are sending a survey team to Moro on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, after storm damage in the area left a home on Field Drive with its roof completely removed, snapped large trees at their bases, and flattened a grain silo about a half mile southwest of the home. The tornado was confirmed to be an EF1 tornado, with 86 mph to 110 mph winds. Brad Charboneau, lead meteorologist for the National Weather Service in St. Louis, said the