Riverbender 🕸

— U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), founding Co-Chair of the Senate’s first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus, successfully secured several key priorities that would expand access to clean, safe and reliable water for Illinois families in the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026, which passed unanimously out of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW). This bill builds upon multiple legacy programs from Senator Duckworth’s

GRANITE CITY – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced lane closures on westbound Interstate 270 from Illinois 3 to the Mississippi River in Madison County for road construction. Beginning at 6 a.m. Saturday, July 18, westbound I-270 traffic will be reduced to one lane, weather permitting. All westbound lanes are expected to reopen by 6 p.m. Sunday, July 19. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this closure. Drivers are

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) led two letters urging the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to reconsider proposed changes to the federal grantmaking process that could undermine research, innovation, and critical investments in communities across the country. The first letter, led by Representatives Budzinski and Troy Carter (D-La.), was signed by an additional 125 Members of Congress. The letter focused more generally on the impact the rule

CAHOKIA HEIGHTS - The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office is hosting an ICASH Event on Monday, July 20 at the Cahokia Fitness & Sports Complex. State Representative Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt) is encouraging his constituents to attend and check if they are owed unclaimed money or property. Representatives from the Treasurer's Office are on-site to help individuals search their database and correctly fill out claim forms to collect money or property owed to them. “The ICASH Event

GODFREY - As summer winds down, nurse practitioners like Lori Balchik, APRN, encourage caregivers to schedule back-to-school and sports physicals for their children. Balchik is a pediatric nurse practitioner with OSF Medical Group in Godfrey. She noted that while it may seem early to schedule a physical, now is a good time to get your appointment on the books. “The earlier that we get it done, the better,” she said. “We want them to get involved in their sports, but

EDWARDSVILLE - The Madison County Board unanimously approved the nomination of Nancy Werden to fill the vacancy in the office of Madison County Regional Superintendent of Schools on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. The vacancy was created by the retirement of Robert W. Werden, who recently completed 32 years of service in the field of education. Nancy Werden was nominated by the Madison County Board Chairman, Chris Slusser after consultation with Thomas Haine and the Madison County State’s

ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer has issued a statement on the Slow Flip Lawsuit. “Yesterday, the City of St. Louis filed a lawsuit against Bustling Funding, LLC, a Missouri company allegedly engaging in the predatory “slow flip” business model. The slow flip business model is harmful to St. Louisans, especially our most vulnerable, because it is designed to exploit low-income buyers with poor credit. The business model works by promising eventual home ownership t

Key Takeaways: Cyclospora, a parasite likely linked to leafy greens and berries, continues to spread across the United States. Washing each individual piece of produce is recommend, although washing your produce doesn't fully kill the parasite. Explosive diarrhea is the main symptom, but others like fatigue, headaches, low-grade fevers, bloating and cramping are possible. If you think you have cyclosporiasis, seek care and request a specialized stool test. A surge

GODFREY - Health care is crucial in a community as it addresses the overall well-being of individuals, promotes disease prevention, and ensures equitable access to medical services. By focusing on community health, it helps reduce health disparities and enhances the quality of life for all residents. A very important attribute of Godfrey is the access to an array of health care alternatives. One of those quality alternatives is Professional Hearing Associates. Professional Hearing Associates

ALTON - With the Alton Powerboat Nationals planned for this weekend, racer Dylan Anderson is currently in the top spot and hopes to maintain his position ahead of the championship. This weekend’s races, which will take place on the Mississippi River in Alton, will determine the champion of the 2026 season. Anderson looks forward to racing and hopes to come out on top. “We are going into the weekend in the lead, but only by a small margin of ten points. So it’ll be a tight

ST. LOUIS – Mayor Cara Spencer signed Board Bill 22 into law today, marking a major milestone in the City's effort to put Rams settlement funds to work through strategic investments in North St. Louis neighborhoods, infrastructure, and downtown revitalization. "Today is a long-awaited moment more than four years in the making," said Mayor Spencer. "When the Rams left St. Louis, our community felt that loss. We felt it as sports fans. We felt it as taxpayers. We felt it in our infrastructure,

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced the Child Marriage Prevention Act , which would take steps to reduce child marriage across the United States. Companion legislation was introduced in the House by U.S. Representative Gwen Moore (D-WI-04) According to leading advocacy groups on this issue, data shows that between 2000 and 2021,

ALTON — The public is advised that all public boat launch ramps in the Alton riverfront area will be closed during the F1 Powerboat Championship race weekend to ensure the safety of participants, spectators, and boaters. The closures will be in effect Thursday, July 16, through Sunday, July 19, from 6:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. each day. The temporary closure is necessary to accommodate race operations, safety zones, event logistics, and increased river traffic associated with the F1

ALTON - Alton Police continue to investigate a fatal shooting early Thursday, July 16, 2026, in the 600 block of Leonard Street after officers found one gunshot victim dead inside a residence and the suspect also dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Alton Police reported. Dakotah Ingram, who said he lives three houses away and has lived in the Leonard Street neighborhood since October 2019, said he was able to remain in his home because of the distance from the incident, while homes closer

ALTON - Alton Police are investigating a shooting early Thursday, July 16, 2026, in the 600 block of Leonard Street, where officers found one gunshot victim dead inside a residence and the suspect also dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said officers were dispatched at about 12:38 a.m. July 16, 2026, after a report of shots fired inside a residence. The Alton Police Department established a perimeter, and the Metro East SWAT team responded to assist. Chi

GODFREY - Marli Nixon has been appointed human resource director for the Village of Godfrey, replacing retiring director Mark Cappel. In her new role, Nixon will oversee the village’s human resource activities, including recruitment, retention, compensation, benefits, employee records, human relations, training, compliance, and policy implementation and enforcement. Nixon comes to the position with experience in the health care sector, including workforce planning and forecasting, advising

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a bipartisan, multistate settlement with the bankruptcy trustee for 23andMe, resolving allegations stemming from a 2023 data breach that compromised the genetic data of 6.9 million customers worldwide. The settlement includes $150 million in allowed claims for states. However, due to the finite amount of funds in the bankruptcy estate and numerous other claims, the court limited recovery to $18 million, which will be paid out of

EAST ST. LOUIS - The investigation into the gruesome murder this past weekend of five people in East St. Louis continues. Authorities in East St. Louis identified five family members killed in what investigators described as a targeted mass shooting as prosecutors filed murder and other felony charges against a 16-year-old male and are moving forward with a juvenile case against a 15-year-old female co-defendant. The St. Clair County Coroner’s Office identified the dead as Quentin L. Thompson,

ALTON - The Alton Police Department said Wednesday, July 15, 2026, that retired K9 Jax has died, marking the loss of what the department described as “a true member of our family.” Jax died peacefully at home surrounded by loved ones, according to a department statement on Wednesday. The department said the retired police dog had recently celebrated his 13th birthday. Jax served the Alton Police Department for 10 years alongside his handler, Sgt. Mike Morelli, and the

ALTON - Multiple law enforcement agencies converged on a dead end of Leonard Street in Alton late Wednesday, July 15, 2026, into early Thursday, July 16, 2026, responding overnight to a barricaded-suspect incident centered at a house. A command post was established at Mark Twain Elementary School, with Alton Police leading a multi-agency response that included the Metro East SWAT team, Illinois State Police, Alton Fire Department, and officers from Caseyville, Jerseyville and Sauget. Ameren