a Better Bubbleโ„ข

Riverbender ๐Ÿ•ธ

MidAmerica Nazarene University Announces Fall 2025 Honor Roll ย 

3 days ago
OLATHE, Kansas - MidAmerica Nazarene University announced its President's List, Dean's List and Honor Roll for the fall 2025 semester. A total of 480 students qualified for one of the honors. All students in traditional undergraduate programs who carry 12 or more semester hours and have a term GPA between 3.2 and 4.0 may qualify for one of these academic honors. The President's List is a 4.0 grade point average for the semester; the Dean's List ranges from 3.5 to 3.99; and the Honor Roll is 3.

Bost: Supreme Court Rules Bost Election Integrity Case Can Proceed

3 days ago
MURPHYSBORO – U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (IL-12) applauded the U.S. Supreme Court’s 7-2 decision today granting him standing in his lawsuit challenging an Illinois law that allows vote-by-mail ballots received up to 14 days after Election Day to be counted. Vote-by-mail ballots without postmarks can also currently be tabulated up to 14 days later if they are dated on or before Election Day. “ I’m thankful the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled strongly in our favor and concluded

Bethalto's Precision Point Armory Shares Gun Safety Philosophy with Personalized Training

3 days 1 hour ago
BETHALTO - Precision Point Armory offers firearm training to create responsible gun owners. Ben Julian, owner of Precision Point, emphasizes safety in everything he does. His classes range from basic fundamentals to concealed carry classes. Julian ultimately wants to make sure people are safe when handling firearms. “It’s a lot of fun. We enjoy just practicing different things and different skills,” he said. “I really enjoy working with newer people, but I also

American Red Cross-St. Louis Blues Team For Annual Blood Drive

3 days 2 hours ago
ST. LOUIS, MO. – Join the American Red Cross and the St. Louis Blues at the annual St. Louis Blues Blood Drive, sponsored by FanDuel Sports Network, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and Carelon on Tuesday, January 20, from 12 p.m. – 7 p.m. at one of eleven convenient locations in Missouri or Illinois and from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at Stifel Theatre. Louie and the Blue Crew will be briefly visiting several locations. “The St. Louis Blues have been an outstanding partner

Simon Law and Keefe Firm Raise $76,850 for Legal Aid

3 days 2 hours ago
EAST ST. LOUIS - Land of Lincoln Legal Aid announced today that the Simon Law and Keefe, Keefe & Unsell, P.C. Holiday Party fundraiser, held last month, raised $76,850 in support of free civil legal services across central and southern Illinois. The annual holiday celebration, hosted by Simon Law and Keefe, Keefe & Unsell, P.C., brought together attorneys, staff, and community supporters for an evening of giving, fellowship, and shared commitment to equal access to justice. Proceeds from the even

Simmons Hanly Conroy Elevates Luke Pfeifer to Partner ย 

3 days 2 hours ago
ALTON, Ill. – Simmons Hanly Conroy , a national leader in the legal representation of mesothelioma patients and their families, is pleased to announce that Luke Pfeifer has been elevated to partner, effective Jan. 1, 2026. “We are delighted to announce Luke’s well-earned promotion,” said Simmons Hanly Conroy Managing Partner Laurence V. Nassif . “He is an esteemed firm ambassador who demonstrates our commitment to client-focused advocacy daily. I’m

Rotary Club of Swansea Wins Governor's Trophy Again

3 days 2 hours ago
SWANSEA - The Rotary Club of Swansea was honored with the Governor’s Trophy for Best Small Club for the 2024–2025 Rotary year during the Rotary District 6510 Conference held November 7–8, 2025, in Effingham, Illinois. The award was presented by Past District Governor Robin Dean. Rotary District 6510 includes 43 clubs across Southern Illinois. The Rotary Club of Swansea has a notable history of recognition, having previously won the Governor’s Trophy for Best Small Club

Vehicle Crashes Into Building Near Alton Walgreens

3 days 3 hours ago
ALTON — On Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 13, 2026, a vehicle struck a building near 1650 Washington Avenue in Alton after reportedly leaving the Walgreens parking lot and crossing the street, according to local authorities. At approximately 1:08 p.m. on Jan. 13, 2026, the Alton Police Department received multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting the incident. One caller suggested the driver may have been shot before the crash. Upon arrival, officers confirmed that no shooting had occurred. The vehicle

Pop-Up Valentine's Day Wedding Ceremonies Offered by Alton Event Space

3 days 3 hours ago
ALTON - A few lucky couples can enjoy a special wedding ceremony this Valentine’s Day. On Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, six couples will be married at Vera Lee Meeting and Event Venue in Alton in a series of pop-up weddings. Kirstan Gray, owner of Vera Lee, can’t wait to give couples an affordable alternative to their special day. “What this is designed to be is a one-stop wedding experience without the full-blown wedding. It’s a pop-up wedding on steroids,” Gray

Turn Friday the 13th into Your Lucky Night at GloBingo 2026 Tickets Go on Sale January 17, 2026

3 days 3 hours ago
TROY, IL — The Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce invites the community to light up the night at GloBingo 2026, happening Friday, March 13, 2026, at the Tri-Township Activity Center in Troy. The event will feature GloBingo, a high-energy, glow-themed bingo experience provided by Tribout Distributors, transforming Friday the 13th into a lucky night full of fun, prizes, and excitement. GloBingo 2026 is proudly sponsored by Troy Car Care and Edward Jones (Linda Manley), whose

Edwardsville Event Encourages LEGO Fun to Support Access to Clean Water

3 days 4 hours ago
EDWARDSVILLE - Community members can play with LEGOs for a good cause. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, at the Edwardsville American Legion, local philanthropists Danielle and Brandon Adair will host Bricks for Water. This event invites people of all ages to see LEGO displays, build their own creations, and chat with finalists from “LEGO Masters.” Proceeds from the event will go to World Vision International, which provides clean water to communities in need.

The Meaning Behind "Fresh Slate" Thinking

3 days 4 hours ago
You can change your life in an afternoon without changing your life at all. That sounds like a trick, but it points to the real meaning behind “fresh slate” thinking. A fresh slate is not a magic reset button. It’s a mental move: you decide that what happened before does not get to control what happens next. You don’t erase the past. You stop letting it write the next line for you. What “fresh slate” really means (and what it doesn’t) When people sa

This Day in History on January 14: U.S. Congress Ratifies Treaty of Paris, Ending Revolutionary War

3 days 4 hours ago
On January 14, 1784, the United States Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris, the agreement that formally ended the American Revolutionary War and recognized the United States as an independent nation. The fighting had largely stopped months earlier, but this vote mattered because it turned a battlefield outcome into an internationally accepted political reality. At the time, it helped open trade, set boundaries, and pushed the new country toward building stable institutions. It still matters

Glen Carbon Approves Site Plans For Heartland Dental, New Hope Church

3 days 17 hours ago
GLEN CARBON – Glen Carbon trustees advanced site plans for a new church and dental office building at their Jan. 13, 2026 Village Board meeting. Among the items approved was a site plan for the future Glen Carbon location of Heartland Dental to be built in Orchard Town Center. Erika Heil, Director of Community Development, said the 4,200 square foot medical office building will occupy 0.99 acres in Outlot 5, which is near the current site of Olive Garden. The site plan submitted by consultin

Alton Mayor Reports Progress In Sinkhole Drainage

3 days 21 hours ago
ALTON — SCI Engineering has made notable progress this week in draining a sinkhole that formed beneath the soccer field at Gordon Moore Park, city officials said Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. The sinkhole draining started on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. The sinkhole, which developed above a mine operated by New Frontier Materials beneath the field, first appeared on June 26, 2024. The City of Alton hired SCI Engineering as an independent consultant to investigate the site and develop a remediation

Riverbend Investment Management President Talks Retirement, Investing, and Community

3 days 21 hours ago
GODFREY - Don Ehrman at Riverbend Investment Management wants people to know they have options when it comes to planning their financial future. Ehrman explained that his business, located in Godfrey, is focused on helping people manage their finances. He works with clients to plan for retirement and make investments that will support them long-term. To do so, he makes an effort to get to know his neighbors and engage with the community. “Everybody is different. Everybody’s

Murder Trial Continues for Keith Sanders in Teen Shooting

3 days 21 hours ago
EDWARDSVILLE — The trial of Keith A. Sanders, charged with the murder of 13-year-old Ra’Niya Steward, continued Tuesday with the prosecution presenting testimony from 11 witnesses on the second day of proceedings. Sanders, who waived his right to a jury trial on Monday and requested a bench trial, is accused of orchestrating the shooting that resulted in Steward’s death. Prosecutors allege Sanders instructed four co-defendants to carry out the shooting amid an ongoing dispute

ISP Combats Vehicle Hijacking and Theft

3 days 21 hours ago
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) continues to target vehicle theft, hijacking, and related violent crimes using grant funding from the Illinois Secretary of State Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Council. ? ISP was awarded a $10 million grant for the first fiscal year, another $677,000 in June 2024, and $637,500 in July 2025. From October through December 2025, ISP missions resulted in the following: Vehicles recovere

Durbin, Marshall Reintroduce The Credit Card Competition Act

3 days 21 hours ago
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) reintroduced the Credit Card Competition Act , which will increase competition in the credit card market and put an end to the Visa-Mastercard duopoly that is squeezing small businesses—and, ultimately, consumers. President Trump endorsed the legislation early this morning Today, Visa and Mastercard control about 85 percent of the credit card market and refuse to negotiate

St. Louis County Sees Crime Drop of 8.5 Percent in 2025

3 days 22 hours ago
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — St. Louis County Police Chief Kenneth Gregory announced Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, a steady decline in major crimes within the department’s jurisdiction, with an overall 8.5 percent reduction in major offenses in 2025 compared to the previous year. The department reported significant decreases across nearly all crime categories, including a 9.6 percent drop in homicides and a 10.5 percent decline in aggravated assaults. Crimes against persons fell by 6.6 percent.