Riverbender 🕸

GODFREY - You can enjoy live music and master-level barbecue this weekend at the Alton-Wood River Sportsmen’s Club. Located at 3109 Godfrey Road in Godfrey, the Sportsmen’s Club will host their fourth annual Barbeque Cookoff Dinner on Saturday, June 7, 2025. Competitors will get their meat — ribs and wings — at 10 a.m., and judging starts at 5 p.m. All meat will be available for a buffet-style dinner at 6 p.m., followed by music by Exit 52 at 7 p.m. “We kind of like to keep it like your backyard type of guys instead of getting the high-end guys in there,” explained Andrew Simpson, who organized the cookoff. “Everybody cooks a little differently. Some people take more time, some people take less. That 10 a.m. for the meat handout until the 5 p.m. turn-in time is way more than enough time, so it’s pretty relaxed. Pretty much everybody just hangs out and gets their smokers going.” The eight competitors will be at the Sportsmen’s

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ALTON - Community members are invited to the 20th annual Miles Davis Jazz Festival this weekend. From 6–8 p.m. on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Post Commons in Alton, attendees can enjoy music by the Alton High School Jazz Combo and Saman Swanson. The event will raise money for scholarships while also honoring Alton’s history and Jesse “The Maestro” Prather, a renowned Alton musician who passed away last month. “Alton is full of rich history,” said Lee Barham, chairman of the festival’s board. “Twenty years ago, a group of people got together and they said, ‘Let’s honor one of Alton’s own.’” The Miles Davis Jazz Festival pays tribute to Davis, whose family home still stands on Maupin Street in Alton. Barham said it’s a fun night for people to come out and enjoy the evening while honoring Davis’s legacy. Tickets cost $40, and this includes a meal and live music. The money goes toward four

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ALTON - Alton Main Street will host their 28th annual All-Wheels Drive-In Car Show. On Sunday, June 8, 2025, people from across the region will flock to 3rd and Belle Streets in downtown Alton for the car show and pinup contest. Registration for cars runs from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Outlaw Opry will play music from 1–3 p.m. followed by the pinup contest from 3–4 p.m. and the awards ceremony at 4 p.m. “We’ve built quite a following over the years,” said Sara McGibany, executive director of Alton Main Street. “We usually get somewhere around 250 hot rods, classics, motorcycles, so much so that we’ve been bursting at the seams the last couple of years.” This year, Sugar Alley, the alley that runs parallel to 3rd Street, will hold another 30 cars. McGibany is excited about this expansion. If you plan to enter your car for judging, it costs $20, or $10 to simply display your car. You must register in person between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m.

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GODFREY – Illinois High School Diploma Graduation speaker Ralph Wideman is currently pursuing an associate degree in Accounting at Lewis and Clark Community College, but just a few years ago, he sat in the very same seats as the graduates he addressed, Thursday, June 5, 2025. After years away from the classroom, he returned with a purpose – to pursue new dreams and a new career. He started in the college’s Adult Education program and earned his Illinois High School Diploma in 2023. Today, he’s on track to earn his AAS in December 2025. Wideman said his path was not traditional, but it has been one marked by determination, family support, and a commitment to growth later in life. “I was given the proper tools and assistance from the Adult Education department and encouragement from my instructors and family,” Wideman said. “Lewis and Clark allows you to learn in a supportive and comfortable environment.” Wideman said he values

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ALTON - The season’s first Night Market brought hundreds of people to downtown Alton. On Thursday, June 5, 2025, community members and vendors gathered at Sugar Alley for an evening of music and shopping. From 7–10 p.m. every Thursday in June and July, excluding July 3, people can come out to enjoy the downtown businesses, restaurants and vendors along 3rd Street and in Sugar Alley in downtown Alton. “We were hopping. It was so exciting,” said Sara McGibany, executive director of Alton Main Street. “Our goal was to really turn a weeknight, which can be kind of a slower night for bars and restaurants, into one of the happening nights of the week. We’re just telling everybody to start your weekend early. Get going on Thursday night.” On June 5, the band HOOKie kicked off the Night Market season by playing in the greenspace next to Catdaddy’s. Vendors from across the Riverbend region set up booths along Sugar Alley to sell their

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GRANITE CITY – A Granite City man has been charged with burglary after being seen on a doorbell security camera and leaving a trail of muddy shoeprints. Michael C. Jackson, 45, of Granite City, was charged on May 27, 2025 with one count of residential burglary, a Class 1 felony. On March 8, 2025, Jackson allegedly broke into a Granite City residence with the intent to commit a theft. A petition to deny Jackson’s pretrial release was filed by the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office. The petition states the homeowner reported a burglary seen on their doorbell security camera around 2:14 a.m. “Responding officers found shoeprints in the mud outside and inside the residence,” the petition states. “Officers located defendant nearby wearing shoes with matching shoeprints … Officers found a crowbar at the scene as well as a busted door frame as a result of being pried open.” The Granite City Police Department presented the case

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GRAFTON — Pere Marquette State Park will host the Two Rivers Family Fishing Fair on Saturday, June 7, 2025, offering a day of free fishing and outdoor activities for families. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the park near Grafton on Illinois 100, with no admission, parking fees, fishing license, or gear required. The fair features a catch-and-release bluegill pond where children can fish and have their photo taken with their catch, a One-Cast station where every participant wins a prize, and bow-fishing stations that allow youth to shoot at moving and three-dimensional targets. Children who complete at least seven stations will receive a prize and have the opportunity to catch trout from the pond. This year’s event will include appearances by Hall of Fame fisherman Jimmy Houston and Tim “Mountain Man” Guraedy from the television show “Duck Dynasty.” Entertainment also includes a 4,000-gallon mobile aquarium stocked with Illinois River fis

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FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS — A pedestrian was struck and killed early Friday morning, June 6, 2025, near a vehicle fire scene in Fairview Heights, authorities said. At approximately 12:05 a.m. June 6, 2025, Fairview Heights police officers were assisting the French Village Fire Department with a motor vehicle fire on St. Clair Avenue at Third Avenue. While attending to the fire, officers heard a collision just west of the scene and found a pedestrian down in the roadway who had been struck by a vehicle. Officers and firefighters began lifesaving measures and requested an ambulance, Fairview Heights Police said. The pedestrian was transported to a hospital in St. Louis, where he was pronounced dead. Authorities have not released the victim’s identity pending family notification. The driver of the vehicle involved stopped immediately and cooperated with the investigation, police said. According to early information from witness statements and officer observations, the victim had

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ST. LOUIS - A bill directing thirty million dollars in Rams funding for tornado relief is set to be introduced from the floor of the Board of Aldermen. Sponsored by Aldermanic President Megan E. Green and Mayor Cara Spencer — and co-sponsored by Ald. Boyd, Keys, Clark Hubbard, Browning, Aldridge, Velázquez, Devoti, Narayan, Cohn and Schweitzer — Board Bill 31 responds to residents’ immediate needs in the wake of last month’s storms, specifically relocation assistance for renters and homeowners, home repair, storage of personal property, and meal assistance and in-home support services for seniors. The proposal set to be introduced to the St. Louis Board of Aldermen on Friday, June 6, 2025. “People need housing now,” said President Megan E. Green. “Those needs are urgent and we’re doing everything we can to fast-track the legislative process and get financial aid to residents as soon as possible.” Early estimates suggest

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COLLINSVILLE - This week marks CPR & AED Awareness Week, a campaign aimed at increasing public knowledge about cardiac arrest and the lifesaving techniques that can improve survival rates. June 1-7 each year is National CPR and AED Awareness Week, spotlighting how lives can be saved if more Americans know CPR and how to use an AED. About 70 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in homes. According to the American Heart Association, cardiac arrest occurs when an electrical malfunction in the heart disrupts its rhythm, halting blood flow to vital organs such as the brain and lungs. To support community preparedness, the Collinsville Fire Department is offering American Heart Association CPR "Heartsaver" classes on select Wednesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. at Fire Station One, located at 130 South Clinton Street. These sessions cover infant, youth, and adult CPR, choking rescue techniques, and provide an introduction to the use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). Each year

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COLLINSVILLE — A Collinsville High graduate has made a positive name for himself in the community as a Collinsville Police officer. The Collinsville Police Department has named Officer Billy Tracy as Officer of the Month for April 2025. A 2013 graduate of Collinsville High School, Officer Tracy joined the department in 2021. According to the Collinsville Police Department, he has demonstrated a strong commitment to identifying and apprehending individuals involved in criminal activity within the community. “We thank Officer Tracy for his dedication to our community,” the Collinsville Police Department said in a statement.

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ALTON — Dr. Jenna M. Kyriazes has joined Pediatric Healthcare Unlimited in Alton as a new pediatrician, bringing with her a strong commitment to medicine and community involvement. Dr. Kathie R. Wuellner, MD, FAAP, praised Dr. Kyriazes for her active engagement in the local area and her work in the practice. Dr. Wuellner said, “Dr. Jenna is a wonderful addition to our group of providers here at Pediatric Healthcare Unlimited; in addition, she has already become active in the Alton community, which speaks to her commitment to being part of the Alton area." Dr. Kyriazes, who has been with the practice for just over three months, moved to Alton last summer with her husband, Jonathan Lin. She has since become involved with a local church and other community groups. Reflecting on her career choice, she said, “I started wanting to do this at a really young age. There are home videos of me at age 3 saying I was going to be a pediatrician. "I have terrible allergies,

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SPRINGFIELD – It’s not just two-legged loved ones who need a disaster preparedness plan. Four-legged, no-legged, and other pets will need assistance if there is an emergency. A survey by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals indicated that while 83 percent of pet owners live in an area impacted by disasters, fewer than half have a preparedness plan. “Just like for humans, we need to be prepared for disasters on behalf of our pets,” said Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS) Acting Director Theodore (Ted) Berger. “Not only do we need to think through all the items necessary to care for pets when we are at home, we need a plan in case we are not home and need arrangements for care.” For example, a recent photo of you and your pet will be key if you are separated and want to be reunited. Rescuers will want proof that your pet belongs to you. More pet preparedness tips: Create

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BELLEVILLE - In advance of National Trails Day on June 7, the St. Clair County Transit District (SCCTD) is rolling out a new, interactive online map of its MetroBikeLink System, which consists of more than 39 miles of interconnecting trails and bike paths in St. Clair County that connect to six Metro Transit Centers. The new map – available at www.scctd.org – features each of SCCTD’s trails. When users select a trail, it displays trail-specific information, including the trail name, its length in miles and the surface type. The map also includes pop-ups indicating the location of available parking, emergency call boxes, bridges, trail signage and photos of most. The digital map display is highly customizable. Users can change the basemap to highlight different features such as day and night views, topography, street names and more. Navigation features also include zoom, return to original view, locate and re-orient. Optional layers, such as restroom locations,

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GRANITE CITY – Granite City High School Principal Tim McChristian announced that 568 students earned Honor Roll accolades for the second semester of the 2024-25 school year. Students who obtained a grade point average of 5.0 or higher during the first semester earned high honors, while students with a 4.2-4.999 GPA with no D earned was named to the honor roll. All GPAs are based on the current semester GPA (not cumulative). To view the complete list of honorees, click below: HIGH HONOR ROLL - 230 honorees HONOR ROLL - 338 honorees For more information about Granite City School District #9, visit www.gcsd9.net .

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ALTON - Local stores Mississippi Hippie and Mom Said No are Alton staples for the “weirdos.” Or so says owner Fred Pollard, who means it affectionately. Pollard opened Mom Said No, a gift shop that specializes in toys and horror collectibles, in 2019, then purchased Mississippi Hippie and its boho clothing inventory in 2020. Located at 300 East Broadway in Alton, the stores have grown in the past year, and Pollard is pleased to see how the local business community has welcomed him. “Our block is — I always say that it’s where the weirdos like to hang out. And I mean that in the best possible way, because that’s our counterculture strip,” Pollard said. “The guideline that I go by when I’m shopping with a supplier for inventory for the shop, whether it’s clothing or toys or collectibles or gifts or whatever, I just kind of keep in mind, ‘Okay, is this something that I’m going to see at Target or Walmart?’

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GRANITE CITY — A man with an active arrest warrant for parole violation died following a high-speed chase and crash Thursday afternoon, June 5, 2025, in Granite City, authorities said. At approximately 3:47 p.m. on June 5, 2025, a Granite City Police Department officer spotted the subject riding a motorcycle near Maryville Road and Parkview Drive. Upon attempting to initiate a traffic stop, the subject fled north on Maryville Road at a high rate of speed, according to police. The pursuit ended when the motorcycle was involved in a crash at the intersection of Maryville Road and Pontoon Road. The Madison County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene and confirmed the subject was deceased. The Illinois State Police have taken over the investigation into the incident. Granite City Police Major Charles Bremer said no further information will be released at this time.

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GRAFTON - Raging Rivers WaterPark is gearing up for an exciting month of June with a full calendar of events and special promotions packed with fun, adventure, and community spirit! WWT Promo - June 6, 7 & 8 World Wide Technology Raceway will be at Raging Rivers with racing cars on display. Guests who present a WWT Raceway ticket at the ticket booth will receive free admission to the water park on any of these three days. Sensory Sunday - June 8 Raging Rivers welcomes neurodiverse guests and one caregiver for free admission. Early entry begins at 10 a.m., one hour before the park opens to the general public, allowing extra time to enjoy the attractions in a more relaxed environment. Guests can stay and play all day. Additional family members can purchase tickets at the gate. Magical Mermaid Monday - June 9 Dive into a magical experience as mermaids take over the wave pool! Meet and greet sessions are scheduled at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. Don’t miss story time

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—today led 22 of her fellow Senate Democratic colleagues in urging Defense Secretary Hegseth to reverse course and not implement the Trump Administration’s un-American transgender military service ban that will unfairly attack honorable servicemembers for who they are, compromise good order and discipline and jeopardize our national security. In the Senators’ letter, the group demands answers from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth—including what specific data is being used to back up their claim that transgender servicemembers are not in the “interests of national security” and how much it will cost taxpayers to train the replacements of perfectly capable transgender servicemembers that they are forcing out of our military. After Senator Duckworth led over a dozen of her colleagues in April pushing back against the ban, Secretary Hegseth’s response to their letter did

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Did you know that nearly 70% of people say outdoor movie nights create stronger community bonds and lasting memories? Hosting a backyard movie night offers a unique way to bring friends and family together for an unforgettable shared experience. Beyond just watching a film, it’s about crafting an atmosphere that invites comfort, connection, and fun under the open sky. If you’re considering transforming your yard into an open-air cinema, here’s a comprehensive guide on how to do it successfully. Setting the Stage: Choosing the Right Space and Equipment The foundation of any outdoor movie night is the setting. Selecting the right spot in your backyard can make or break the event. Choosing a Location: Pick a flat area free from obstructions like trees or outdoor furniture that might block the view. Ideally, this space should be close to a power source for your equipment but distant enough from noisy areas of the house or street. A backyard corner or patio often work

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