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ALTON — Internet and telephone services were disrupted Wednesday morning, Nov. 19, 2025, for many residents and public service entities in Alton, Illinois, including Riverbender.com offices, following what Spectrum described as a “criminal attack” on its communications infrastructure. The outage affected all Alton city facilities except the police department, causing interruptions to telephone and internet connectivity. Spectrum also reported that some residential customers

O’FALLON, IL. — Grant Litteken, M.P.A., ICMA-CM, has been confirmed as the new City Administrator of O’Fallon, IL., following a unanimous vote by the O’Fallon City Council on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025. Mayor Eric Van Hook appointed Litteken, who brings more than 14 years of experience in city leadership, including roles as Assistant City Administrator and Acting City Administrator. Litteken will assume his new role immediately, overseeing daily operations across all municipal

JERSEY — Erica Heitzig, a teacher at Jersey Community High School, has been honored with the Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award for her dedication to students and commitment to the Jersey community. Heitzig, who works within Jersey Community Unit School District No. 100, manages multiple roles, including Family and Consumer Sciences, Design, Workforce Development, and College and Career Readiness. Her efforts in these areas were cited as key factors in her selection for the award. The

GODFREY - A 100-year-old Godfrey barn is undergoing a major restoration, and a few local families are pleased to see it fixed. PJ Jun, of JUN Construction, bought the barn off Airport Road in 2000. Twenty-five years later, he decided to repair the barn, but not before connecting with the niece of the barn’s original owner and the neighbor whose father helped build the structure over a century ago. “With my building background, if you see a building that needs help, you want

JERSEY - In conjunction with Jerseyville Banking Center, J.C.H.S. has selected their “Students of the Month”. The recipients for the month of October are Haley Hunter left & Marley Cazier right. The selection of a “Student of the Month” is based upon the number of F.O.C.U.S. nominations, which a student receives for a given month. F.O.C.U.S. (Finding One Clearly Unique Student) is a program, which acknowledges a student each week for academic or kindness. Each week

ALTON - A local photographer has created the community they always wanted in Alton. Lumi Marson is Milton Schoolhouse’s Artist of the Month for November, and they still can’t believe it. Marson shared their journey to photography and their decision to start Piasa Rainbow Collective, a grassroots organization for queer folks in the Riverbend region. The last year has been a fantastic ride for the artist. “It makes me want to throw up with excitement a little bit,”

Did you know that nearly 60% of Americans prefer to celebrate Thanksgiving with a gathering of close friends rather than family? This trend underscores the growing appeal of shared meals centered around friendship and community. Planning a Thanksgiving potluck with friends can transform the holiday into a joyful and collaborative feast, where everyone contributes and enjoys a diverse spread. However, organizing such an event requires thoughtful coordination to ensure a seamless and enjoyable

November 19th is a date steeped in history, marked by moments of profound significance that have shaped societies, inspired generations, and pushed the boundaries of human achievement. One of the most impactful events occurred on November 19, 1863, during the American Civil War. On this day, President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In just a few short minutes and under 300 words, Lincoln redefined

JERSEYVILLE – Jersey Community High School (JCHS) Principal Thomas Leslie is proud to announce the 2026 JCHS Illinois State Scholars. "I was absolutely thrilled to learn that JCHS is home to 23 Illinois State Scholars this year!" Leslie said. "Our senior class is a little smaller at 167, so for 14% of our senior class to earn his top honor is unprecedented. "Our community should be very proud that our students are achieving at such a high level to earn prestigious recognition. This is

PIASA — Josie Hagen, a senior athlete at Southwestern High School, has signed a letter of intent to play softball and attend Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville. Hagen's career batting average at Southwestern High is .328, with 83 hits and 77 RBI since her freshman year. Josie is an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for her recent signing recognition and her outstanding career with the Piasa Birds athletic program. Hagen, who stands 5-foot-8,

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a bipartisan coalition of nine attorneys general, today announced a proposed multistate settlement with Greystar Management Services LLC (Greystar), the largest landlord in the U.S. The $7 million proposed settlement resolves claims against Greystar that is a part of the coalition’s ongoing enforcement against algorithmic coordination and other anticompetitive practices in rental markets across the country. In August, Greystar reached

ALTON - Alton recently honored Ja'Kori Steen, the seventh-grade state champion in the girls' 100-meter hurdles, by dedicating a street sign at the entrance of Alton Middle School in her name. Steen, now an eighth grader, won the seventh-grade 4A state finals with a time of 15.52 seconds, narrowly edging out Zoei Johnson of Manhattan, who finished second at 15.57 seconds. Ja'Kori is also an Auto Butler Female Athlete of the Month. Steen’s achievement has drawn praise from her coaches

EDWARDSVILLE – A convicted felon found in possession of multiple controlled substances while illegally armed faces new Class X felonies after a Madison County traffic stop. Jayleon D. Tally, 29, of National Stock Yards, Ill., was charged on Nov. 13, 2025 with armed violence, possession of a firearm by a repeat felony offender, unlawful possession with the intent to deliver methamphetamine, and two counts of possession with intent or delivery or a controlled substance, all Class X felonies.

ALTON – Challenge Unlimited, Inc. proudly announces the appointment of Joni Lombardo as Chair of the Board of Directors, effective September 15, 2025. Her appointment follows a unanimous vote by the Board, succeeding Tom Morrissey, who served with distinction as Chair for ten years and will continue to support the organization in an advisory capacity as an active board member. In addition to her new role, Lombardo also serves as Vice Chair for Project CU, a Challenge Unlimited affiliate

COLLINSVILLE – Ameren Illinois residential customers who use natural gas to heat their homes and power their appliances can expect stable supply prices this winter. In the last five years, Ameren Illinois' natural gas supply prices have declined 30%, driven in part by Ameren's purchasing and price hedging strategies. The company buys natural gas in the summer when prices are lower, stores it in underground reservoirs, and delivers it for customers to use in the winter months. "Natu

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announces the return of the Illinois Product Holiday Market to Downtown Springfield. The market will be held on December 5, 6, and 7 at the “Y Block,” located north of the Governor’s Mansion. This festive market will feature a wide array of Illinois products that are perfect for everyone on your shopping list this season. “The market checks all the boxes for a weekend in December – enjoy live music,

SPRINGFIELD – The Vandalia Statehouse State Historic Site, the oldest surviving capitol building in Illinois, will host public candlelight tours the evening of Saturday, Dec. 13 as part of the site’s annual Christmas open house. The free festivities are scheduled for 5-7 p.m. Visitors will find the building illuminated by more than 150 candles and trimmed with holiday decorations along the tour. The first 100 families to visit will receive a free holiday ornament. The site will

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the judicial nominations of David Clay Wilkerson Fowlkes, to be the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas; Nicholas Jon Ganjei, to be the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas; and Aaron Christian Peterson, to be the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after the Senate unanimously passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which passed the House of Representatives in a 427-1 vote and now heads to the President’s desk: “First and foremost, this vote is in tribute to and honor of the victims of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s horrific crimes—and any victim or survivor

O'FALLON, Ill. - Last week, Jimmy Ford, Republican candidate for State Representative in the 112th District, joined the O’Fallon Police Department for a ride-along to see firsthand the critical work officers perform every day. “I was immensely grateful for the opportunity to ride along with the O’Fallon Police Department and see what these brave officers face on any given shift,” said Ford. “Every elected official should do this to understand the complexities