Riverbender 🕸

GODFREY/ALTON - Community members have come together to make sure no child in the Riverbend region sleeps on the floor. As part of their 175th anniversary celebrations, Evangelical United Church of Christ has collected almost $20,000 worth of items and donations for Sleep in Heavenly Peace, an organization that builds beds for local kids. “It’s a perfect example of the community rallying around our mission and helping to get kids off the floor,” said Dave Hardwick, president of Sleep in Heavenly Peace. “We want to get them their own bed so that they get the quality rest they need to thrive in life.” Hardwick explained that Sleep in Heavenly Peace is an international organization that works to get kids between the ages of 3 and 17 into their own beds. He said that 3% of the child population is bedless, meaning they sleep on the floor, on the couch, or in bed with other family members. The local Sleep in Heavenly Peace chapter has provided bed

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WOOD RIVER - Keaton Magurany, a senior at East Alton-Wood River High School (EAWR), has been recognized for his outstanding performance in soccer, currently holding a high spot across the region for saves. Magurany has been playing soccer since elementary school and credits his perseverance and dedication to the sport for his success. Magurany is a Midwest Members Credit Union Male Athlete of the Month for the Oilers. “I never felt like I would ever quit and give up,” Magurany said about his passion for soccer. Alongside soccer, he also participates in baseball and basketball, demonstrating a well-rounded athletic profile. Magurany attributes much of his growth both on and off the field to the support of his parents. “My parents have always pushed me to be the better me, in not only sports but academics too,” he said. Under the guidance of coach Chris Johnson, Magurany has achieved significant milestones, balancing athletic commitments with academic improvement.

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ST. LOUIS, MO (Oct. 7, 2025) — The American Red Cross asks donors to make an appointment now to give blood or platelets to support patients counting on a consistent blood supply to survive and heal. While emergencies often grab headlines, the need for blood is constant. Especially in October, as donation appointments can often drop quickly when people settle into busy fall routines and make plans around upcoming school breaks. Additionally, the threat of hurricanes persists this month. Because blood has a short shelf life and can only come from volunteer blood donors, any disruptions in the ability to collect lifesaving blood can have serious consequences for those seeking medical care. Prepare now — Help patients this fall and make an appointment to give blood or platelets by visiting RedCrossBlood.org , calling 1-800-RED CROSS or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App. All who come to give blood, platelets or plasma Sept. 22-Oct. 19 will receive a $10 Amazon.com Gift

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ST. LOUIS - The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL) announces the addition of Heather Esselborn as the director of accounting. She has experience in accounting as well as auditing and budgeting with several organizations including Stereotaxis, the Internal Revenue Service and Charter Communications. “Heather brings an extensive and diverse background in accounting and budgeting as well as great organizational skills to BAMSL,” said Susan McCourt Baltz, executive director of BAMSL. “We are happy to have her on board and are looking forward to her managing our accounting and finance work.” Esselborn is responsible for managing BAMSL’s and the Saint Louis Bar Foundation’s accounting and creating and monitoring budgets as well as assisting with financial analysis, projections and strategies. “I am excited to be joining BAMSL,” said Esselborn. “I am looking forward to working with the legal community and using my skills

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CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker sent a letter to National Governors Association (NGA) Chair Kevin Stitt, calling for him to denounce the unconstitutional deployment of the Texas National Guard into Illinois. This action is an illegal abuse of federal power by the Trump administration, and Governor Greg Abbott’s willingness to exploit his own National Guard members to participate in a manufactured political stunt goes against the core principles of the NGA and our democracy. “This is precisely the federal and interstate overreach we warned against — gubernatorial authority being trampled, state sovereignty being ignored, and the constitutional balance between states being attacked,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “If the President continues overriding Governors to deploy military assets into another state against another Governor’s will, we have abandoned the foundational principles that have protected our Republic for nearly 250 years.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered a speech on the Senate floor condemning the Trump Administration for the cruel, inhumane raids being carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents at the direction of President Trump and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem during “Operation Midway Blitz.” In his remarks, Durbin shared disturbing details about these raids in Chicago, including stories of children being ripped from their beds in the middle of the night. Durbin also called on President Trump to immediately rescind his order to federalize 300 Illinois and up to 400 Texas National Guard troops and deploy them in Illinois. “On Friday, in the midst of a Republican-led government shutdown, President Trump revealed his priorities. It isn’t to protect the health care, the health insurance

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SPRINGFIELD — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) met with furloughed federal employees to hear how they have been affected by the ongoing government shutdown. Following the discussion, she rallied with the Illinois AFL-CIO, AFSCME, and AFGE to highlight the impacts of the Republican shutdown on federal workers in Illinois and families seeking to access critical services “As we enter the second week of the Republican government shutdown, we cannot forget that working people are the real victims of this manufactured crisis,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. “For six days, hardworking federal employees have been furloughed or forced to work without pay while House Republicans refuse to meet at the negotiating table. I’m once again calling on my colleagues across the aisle to reach a deal that reopens the government and prevents 15 million Americans from losing their health care.”

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EDWARDSVILLE - During their work session on Oct. 6, 2025, the Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 Board of Education once again discussed the priorities of the 2023 bond money. At the previous Board of Education meeting on Sept. 22, 2025 , the Board discussed how to spend the remaining 2023 bond money — around $10 million — and identified the top priorities as asbestos abatement in Hamel Elementary School, Columbus Elementary School’s gymnasium, and the addition of a media center at Edwardsville High School. At the Oct. 6 meeting, Board members emphasized the need for action. Board member Matt Breihan voiced his “disappointment” that the agenda did not include an action item for spending the 2023 bond money. During the public comments portion of the meeting, a few community members spoke about concerns they have regarding Hamel Elementary School, including Justin Gerstner, mayor of Hamel. Gerstner requested an action item to be included

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EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville- SIUE will host the Illinois Association for College Admissions Counseling Illinois Regional College Fair (IRCF) from 6-7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27, in the Meridian Ballroom at Morris University Center. This event, held on the Edwardsville campus, is free and open to all high school and transfer students, along with their families and guests. Nearly 100 colleges and universities from across the country will be represented at the IRCF, giving students the chance to connect directly with admissions professionals, explore academic programs, learn about application processes, and discover scholarship opportunities. “For students to be successful in college, they have to find the school that best aligns with the goals they want to achieve and provides the resources they need to thrive,” said Alicia Taylor, associate director of admissions in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. “A college fair like the IRCF

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered a speech on the Senate Floor today after Russell Vought, Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB), announced that the Trump Administration would “put on hold” $2.1 billion in federal funding for Chicago infrastructure projects, including the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)’s Red Line Extension Project and CTA’s Red and Purple Modernization (RPM) Program. Durbin began by outlining the history of the Red Line Extension Project and the importance of public transit for Illinoisans. Durbin said, “In 1969, 56 years ago, former Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley proposed extending the Red Line of the Chicago Transit Authority. And yet, still to this day, residents of the far South Side of Chicago don’t have that transit option, at least not as they should.” Durbin continued, “Transportation can make or

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OAK BROOK – Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and NANO Nuclear Energy Inc . (NASDAQ: NNE) (“NANO Nuclear” or “the Company”), a leading advanced nuclear energy and technology company focused on developing clean energy solutions, will establish a manufacturing and research & development facility in Illinois. NANO Nuclear plans to make an investment of more than $12 million with the support from the Reimagining Energy and Vehicles in Illinois (REV Illinois) program, which will enable the company to establish its operations and create 50 new full-time jobs. “I’m proud to welcome NANO Nuclear to Illinois’ growing clean energy economy,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Our qualified workforce, unmatched infrastructure, and competitive incentives all make Illinois the best state for companies investing in clean energy production. With support from REV Illinois, this critical investment

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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued a statement on efforts by state and local law enforcement to protect public safety and First Amendment rights amid ongoing protests in Broadview, Illinois. “At the request of the Broadview Police Department, the Illinois State Police (ISP), Cook County Sheriff’s Office, and multiple state and local law enforcement agencies have combined to form a unified command to coordinate public safety measures in Broadview. I support the mission of the unified command to create a safe space for the exercise of First Amendment rights while also protecting businesses and access to nearby roads. My office has been in ongoing consultation with ISP regarding the establishment and purpose of the unified command. In accordance with the TRUST Act, the purpose of the activities conducted by the unified command is to maintain public safety and the ability to lawfully exercise First Amendment rights – not to engage in federal immigration

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) have announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared Illinois to be “unaffected” by H5N1 avian influenza , a recognition of the state’s efforts working with local health departments, dairy farms, and agricultural organizations to keep the illness from impacting the state’s dairy supply. The USDA defines “unaffected” as “Ongoing testing and surveillance activities demonstrate absence of disease in dairy cattle in the State." At the same time, the agencies are reminding the public that with migration season underway, infected wild birds may be found in Illinois, and stressed the need for appropriate precautions to prevent the spread of H5N1. “Public health truly excels through the power of partnership,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “We, at IDPH, are grateful for our colleagues

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SPRINGFIELD — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) announced that she is a cosponsor of the Feed Our Families Act, the Aviation Funding Stability Act, and the Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act to support families and federal workers during the government shutdown. “Federal workers and families in my district shouldn’t be paying the price for Republicans’ refusal to make a deal to reopen the government and save healthcare,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. “That’s why I’ve cosponsored legislation to help protect the services and programs that folks rely on during this shutdown, as well as ensure that federal contractors - like food service and janitorial workers - receive fair backpay to make up for their lost wages and benefits.” The Feed Our Families Act would appropriate three months of funding into the SNAP reserve fund so that families do not lose access to nutrition benefits during the lapse of government funding.

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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced that after he led a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing a multistate lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the DOJ has now dropped its plan to impose illegal conditions on nearly $1.4 billion in Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grants. Earlier this year, the Trump administration, disregarding the clear letter of the law and intent of Congress, declared that states would be unable to access VOCA funds unless they agreed to the administration’s demands that states assist in federal immigration enforcement. VOCA funds are used to support victims and survivors of crimes and are not related to immigration enforcement. “This is a win for survivors of violent crimes who rely upon this funding for programs that help them recover from the physical and emotional trauma they have endured,” Raoul said. “These funds have no relationship to civil immigration policy, and the Trump administration’s

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SPRINGFIELD - Upon learning through media sources that Secretary Kristi Noem is visiting Illinois, Governor JB Pritzker released the following statement. “Federal agents reporting to Secretary Noem have spent weeks snatching up families, scaring law-abiding residents, violating due process rights, and even detaining U.S. citizens. They fail to focus on violent criminals and instead create panic in our communities. “Secretary Noem should no longer be able to step foot inside the State of Illinois without any form of public accountability. Last time when the secretary was here, she snuck in during the early morning to film social media videos and fled before sunrise. It's been nearly 45 days since Secretary Noem has held an official press conference, so it’s time she faces the public and takes questions from the press to be held accountable for the Trump Administration’s gross misconduct. “Illinois is not a photo opportunity or warzone, it’s a

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SPRINGFIELD – Joining advocates, residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, facility staff and others across the country, the Illinois Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP) will honor the individual rights of long-term care residents by celebrating Residents’ Rights Month this October. Designated by the National Consumer Voice for Long-Term Care (Consumer Voice) , Residents’ Rights Month highlights residents living in all long-term care settings, as well as gives special recognition to the work of the individuals who help assure their dignity, privacy and other basic human rights are maintained. “The Older Americans Act mandates the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program inform residents of their rights,” said Kelly Richards, the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman. “This is something we do all year long. However, the designation of October as Residents’ Rights Month allows us to shine a larger spotlight and highlight the right

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Did you know that the average homeowner spends over $300 on outdoor decorations each fall, yet many end up with items they rarely use again? Transforming your porch into a warm and inviting autumnal retreat doesn’t have to break the bank or result in clutter. With a little creativity and resourcefulness, you can achieve a stylish and cozy look that welcomes guests and reflects the spirit of the season. Embrace Natural Elements from Your Surroundings One of the most cost-effective ways to decorate your porch is by using what nature offers. Leaves, pine cones, branches, and pumpkins are all readily available and free or inexpensive. Gather fallen leaves and branches: Layer vibrant leaves in a decorative bowl or scatter them along the porch steps. Use sturdy branches to create a rustic frame for your porch or to build a simple wreath. Incorporate pine cones and acorns: These small treasures can be placed in mason jars, mixed with fairy lights, or glued onto wreaths and garlands

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October 7th has been a date marked by transformative moments across history, spanning dramatic battles, groundbreaking discoveries, and notable cultural events. One of the most impactful events on October 7th occurred in 1571—the Battle of Lepanto. This monumental naval clash saw the Holy League, a coalition of Southern European Catholic maritime states, decisively defeat the Ottoman Empire's fleet in the Gulf of Patras. It was a turning point in the struggle for control over the Mediterranean Sea, curbing Ottoman naval dominance and marking a significant shift in European and Middle Eastern power dynamics. The victory was celebrated across Europe, inspiring art, literature, and a renewed sense of unity among Christian states. On October 7th, 1949, the German Democratic Republic, commonly known as East Germany, was officially established. This event was a pivotal moment in the post-World War II geopolitical reconfiguration and the Cold War era. East Germany emerged as a socialist

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ALTON – Alton officials are moving forward with applying for a Madison County grant to cover part of the cost to prepare an updated plan for the city’s park facilities. The city has determined its current Park, Open Space, and Recreation Facilities Management Plan – which was prepared in 2012 by HeartLands Conservancy – is “outdated and in need of replacement,” according to a resolution passed on Monday by the Committee of the Whole. The grant funding sought by the city comes from the Metro East Parks and Recreation District’s (MEPRD) Community Planning Grant program. If the city’s application is approved, the grant would cover up to 40% of the cost for HeartLands to prepare the updated parks plan. Alton would agree to contribute at least 60% of any awarded amount in local matching funds. At Monday’s meeting, Alderwoman Rosetta Brown suggested city officials gather feedback from community members about improvements they’d

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