On Oct. 8, 1957, Jerry Lee Lewis recorded “Great Balls of Fire” in Memphis, Tennessee, giving early rock ’n’ roll one of its defining performances. His forceful piano playing and charged delivery demonstrated that a keyboard could command the same attention as an electric guitar. Looking back on Oct. 8, 2026, that session begins a sequence of milestones in which musicians challenged expectations about what popular music could sound like — and what it could say. Lew
On October 8, 2005, a powerful earthquake struck the Kashmir region and surrounding areas, killing more than 80,000 people and leaving millions without secure shelter. Communities in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and northern Pakistan suffered the heaviest losses, while deaths and destruction also occurred in Indian-administered Kashmir. Schools, hospitals, homes, and roads collapsed within seconds. The disaster demanded an international response, but damaged roads and mountainous terrain
EAST ALTON – A local man faces major felony charges after allegedly fleeing Worden Police officers with methamphetamine in his possession. Justin D. Jett, 31, of East Alton, was charged on Sept. 30, 2026 with a Class X felony count of unlawful possession with the intent to deliver methamphetamine, a Class 1 felony count of unlawful possession of methamphetamine, and two Class 4 felony counts of aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer. Jett allegedly knowingly possessed
PIASA - Southwestern sophomore Maddie Pruitt has grown into a stronger presence at the net in the 2026 girls volleyball season, according to head coach Derek Dempsey, who singled out the outside hitter’s development as a player. She is also an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for the Piasa Birds. Pruitt, who wears No. 6 for the Piasa Birds girls volleyball squad, also plays varsity basketball and softball. Coach Dempsey described Pruitt as a good player
CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) and the Cannabis Regulation Oversight Office (CROO) recently released the State of Illinois’ 2026 Annual Cannabis Report, providing a comprehensive look at the work of state agencies responsible for cannabis licensing, regulation, public health, public safety, economic development and reinvestment during Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26). “Fiscal Year 2026 was an important year for Illinois’ cannabis
Festivals, live music, pet activities, history tours and Halloween fun offer plenty of ways to spend Oct. 9-11, 2026, across the region. Explore the highlights below and visit RiverBender.com Events for the complete calendar. Food, beer, live music and family activities will fill the St. Mary’s School Grounds in Alton during St. Mary’s Oktoberfest 2026 , Oct. 9-11. The three-day parish festival also includes games, raffles and Mass, supporting the parish, school and community
GARDNER – Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Finance Authority (IFA) announced the launch of a pilot loan program to assist farmers across the state by connecting them with the capital needed to construct on-site grain storage facilities. The low-interest loan program will reduce the long-term costs of remote storage and improve overall harvest efficiency. The announcement builds on the Governor’s efforts to support Illinois farm families facing rising input costs, damaging
WATERLOO - Roxana sophomore golfer Myles Bertoletti shot a 79 at the Waterloo Sectional to qualify for this weekend’s IHSA state golf tournament, adding a state berth to a season that includes several top-10 finishes. Bertoletti, the Midwest Members Credit Union Male Athlete of the Month, placed ninth at the sectional after finishing third at the regional. He has had a fantastic season and also earned top-10 finishes at the Hickory Stick, Madison County and Dick Gerber tournaments. DuQuoin
GODFREY – Godfrey officials have allocated $3 million from reserves to address a backlog of stormwater projects as one resident continues raising flooding concerns. Village Board members voted unanimously at their Oct. 6, 2026 meeting to dedicate the additional funding after hearing public comments from Kaitlyn Chapman, a Godfrey resident who previously called on trustees to help homeowners experiencing significant flood damages. Chapman said a one-time allocation of funds, while appreciated,
CARROLLTON – Greene and Jersey County Farm Bureau Manager Macy Wellhausen recently completed all requirements to earn designation as an Illinois Farm Bureau Certified Manager (IFBCM). The IFBCM program, which recognizes county managers for professional achievement and staff leadership, was started in 1993 by the Illinois Farm Bureau. To receive the IFBCM designation, county Farm Bureau managers must complete a series of six exams which assess expertise in various managerial areas. Recertification
LA SALLE – Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced that Viakable will invest $55 million to expand their manufacturing facilities in La Salle, where the company has been located since 2018. The company’s investment will create 50 new full-time jobs and retain 65 existing full-time positions, reinforcing Viakable’s commitment to growing in Illinois. This expansion project is a result of Governor Pritzker’s
ALTON - OSF St. Anthony’s Health Center will offer several mental health lunch-and-learns and events to help people prepare for the busy fall and holiday seasons. Sara Bennett, LCSW, and medical assistant Sarah Huff shared that OSF will host monthly lunch-and-learns starting on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, to promote mental wellbeing. These lunch-and-learns will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the hospital. Therapists like Bennett will cover a variety of topics that aim to teach
BELLEVILLE – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that intermittent daytime lane closures will take place on U.S. 50 from Old U.S. 50 to just east of Crackerneck Road in St. Clair County from Wednesday, Oct. 14, through Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, weather permitting. The lane closures are necessary for the evaluation of pavement conditions. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this closure. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias today announced the temporary closure of the Bridgeview DMV, located at 7358 W. 87th St., for renovations and an upgrade to the One-Stop-Shop model, which will provide residents with a faster, more convenient customer experience. The temporary closure of the Bridgeview DMV will begin on Friday, October 9. Beginning Tuesday, Oct. 13, a temporary DMV Pop-Up at Worth Township Hall, located at 11601 S. Pulaski Road, will provide
CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker has enacted some of the strongest gun safety legislation and reforms in the country. He is fighting every day to ensure every Illinoisan is safe from gun violence, no matter their zip code. In 2021, Gov. Pritzker declared gun violence a public health crisis in Illinois, reaffirming his commitment to getting guns off the street and ending gun violence once and for all. Over the last eight years, Gov. Pritzker doubled funding for violence prevention programs
A diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) might bring fear and uncertainty. But Leah Knabe, APRN, a family nurse practitioner in pulmonology at OSF HealthCare, is reminding you that treatment has progressed in recent years, and a diagnosis doesn’t automatically mean a reduced quality of life. A recap First, a recap. Knabe says COPD is an obstruction in the airways, typically caused by inflammation from an outside irritant. “Symptoms typically are cough, shortness
Dementia touches many lives — in many different ways. And most of us likely have some firsthand experience with it, whether it’s with an aging family member or friend or neighbor. Over 6 million people in the U.S. have some type of dementia, and these numbers are expected to accelerate in the coming years as the population gets older. “Dementia is an umbrella term characterized by a decline in memory, thinking, language or judgment that's serious enough to interfere with
GODFREY - Embark Wealth Partners will host their annual shred event to help community members while collecting donations for Toys for Tots. From 9–11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, you can stop by Embark Wealth Partners at 5231 Mae Drive, Suite A, in Godfrey. There will be a truck from Shred-It shredding documents onsite. People are also asked to bring a toy donation for Toys for Tots. The goal, explained Terri Schneider and Casta Zippmann, is to serve the community in more ways than
GRANITE CITY – A Granite City man faces financial exploitation charges in Madison County after allegedly stealing over $2,000 from an elderly individual earlier this year. William C. Spicer III, 19, of Granite City, was charged on Oct. 1, 2026 with two counts of unlawful financial exploitation of an elderly person and one count of theft of property over $500, each Class 3 felonies. From July 19-25, 2026, Spicer is accused of committing a series of acts to obtain control over $2,200 in U.S
BENTON – A district judge sentenced a Chinese national to 27 months in federal prison for acting as a courier in an investment scam. Shenghan Jin, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. “A Chinese national who should have been gone in 2022 was still here in 2025, abusing our immigration system and helping fleece a Belleville man of his life savings. After Jin finishes his well-deserved prison sentence, he will be immediately
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