Riverbender 🕸

ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County prosecutors on Thursday, April 30, 2026, charged a Valley Park man with multiple felonies after police say he struck an 85-year-old bicyclist with a truck a day earlier in west St. Louis County, sending the victim to the hospital with a broken hip. Casey McBride, 36, of the 600 block of Leonard Avenue in Valley Park, was charged April 30 with first-degree assault or attempt involving serious physical injury or a special victim, armed criminal action,

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday sentenced a man who embezzled $434,000 from a medical business in the St. Louis area to a year and a day in prison and ordered him to repay the money. Talon Lewis’ embezzlement lasted from Oct. 21, 2019, through at least Feb. 19, 2025. At the time, he was an accounts payable specialist at a medical business. One of his jobs was to upload a list of patients who were owed refunds so the company could generate and mail refun

ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police are investigating a hit-and-run crash that killed an adult man who was riding a bicycle Thursday morning, April 30, 2026, in the 2200 block of Hudson Drive, authorities said. Officers from the St. Louis County Police Department’s North County Precinct responded at about 8:29 a.m. April 30, 2026, to a call about a pedestrian struck in the 2200 block of Hudson Drive, police said. When officers arrived, they found an adult male lying in the roa

EDWARDSVILLE — The NAACP Edwardsville Branch proudly announces its 61st Annual Freedom Fund Banquet and Awards Gala, themed “Stronger Together: One Community, One Future.” The event will take place on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at 3:00 PM in the Meridian Ballroom at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. This year’s keynote speaker is Patrick E. Smith, Chairman and President of Ameren Illinois, a respected leader known for his commitment to community advancement and

GODFREY – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that intermittent lane closures at the intersection of U.S. 67 and Godfrey Road will begin Monday, May 4, weather permitting. Traffic will be reduced to one lane while work is being completed. The closures are necessary for road repairs and are expected to continue through the end of May. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, obey all construction signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling

JERSEYVILLE — Jersey Community High School’s girls track and field team recognized its senior athletes during a home dual meet against Carlinville on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, then closed the night with a “Senior Showdown Relay” featuring the seniors split into two teams for a final race. Jersey dominated Carlinville 104-41 in the meet. The Panthers honored seniors Morgan Allen, Belle Peuterbaugh, Lillyan Soffray, Savana Walker, and Taylor Woodring. Allen

JERSEYVILLE — On a night set aside to recognize the end of a season and a high school chapter, Jersey Community High School’s senior boys track athletes closed their final home meet against Carlinville. Jersey’s seniors competed in their final meet at Jersey on Tuesday night, April 28, 2026, in Jerseyville. The Jersey seniors recognized were Kyler Bick, Matthew Bishop, Dylan Burch, Nolan Craigmiles, Cameron Judkins, Brandon Kennedy, Griffin Smith, Connor Talley, and Kris

ALTON - John Meehan, alderman for Alton’s 5th ward, noted that he feels “generally pretty good” about the city’s direction and all the people he has met. Meehan finished the final two years of former Alderman Charles Brake’s term before being elected to his own term in the position. He recently stopped by “Our Daily Show!” with CJ Nasello to talk through the city’s growth and current interests. He emphasized his focus on supporting Alton

JERSEYVILLE – A new agreement allowing Jerseyville officials to send emergency alerts to cell phones and more was approved this week. Jerseyville City Council members approved an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Jerseyville and Jersey County regarding shared resources for the Director of Public Safety and Jersey County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency (ESDA) coordinator on April 28, 2026. Jerseyville Fire Chief Keith Norman currently serves in both roles as the city’s

BUNKER HILL - Kayleigh Trimm, a senior at Bunker Hill High School and a member of Girl Scouts of Central Illinois, has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award after completing a two-year project aimed at helping students recognize and respond to warning signs of declining mental health. Trimm received the organization’s highest award on April 19, 2026, for “Nurture Your Mind: You Don't Have to Navigate Life Alone,” a project completed in October 2025 in Bunker Hill. The effort focused

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Mary Miller (IL-15), a member of the House Agriculture Committee, voted to pass H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 , out of the U.S. House of Representatives. After years of short-term extensions, this legislation locks in key priorities and provides the long-term stability that farmers, producers, and rural communities across Illinois’ 15th District depend on. “Today, I proudly voted to advance a Farm Bill that

WOOD RIVER – Alton Police have charged a Wood River man with escaping custody after allegedly striking and fleeing from a Macoupin County Sheriff’s Deputy. Brandon A. Martin, 26, of Wood River, was charged with one count each of escape (a Class 2 felony), aggravated battery (a Class 2 felony), and resisting or obstructing a peace officer (a Class 4 felony) on April 24, 2026. Martin allegedly intentionally escaped from the lawful custody of the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Departmen

ALTON - Alton Community Unit School District #11 fifth grade students came together for a field day. On Thursday, April 30, 2026, fifth graders from three elementary schools were bused to West Stadium at West Elementary School for the first field day in years. The goal, explained Alton Middle School Athletic Director Scott Harper, was to provide students with a fun activity while introducing them to one another before they enter middle school in the fall. “We’re trying to create

PIASA - Maci Timpe signed a letter of intent to play softball at Lewis and Clark Community College, marking the next step in her athletic career after her time at Southwestern High School. Timpe has played softball since sixth grade and has made an impact since her freshman year, according to her coach, Amanda Edwards. She is an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Female Athlete Of The Month for the Piasa Birds. “Timpe has played softball since sixth grade and has been a tremendous

ST. LOUIS - The National Park Service will turn off the Gateway Arch’s exterior lights at night from Friday, May 1, through Sunday, May 31, 2026, at Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis as part of an effort to protect birds during spring migration. The agency said it will not illuminate the monument throughout May to help ensure migrating birds’ safe passage during heavy migration periods. According to the National Park Service, 40% of the nation’s migratory waterfowl use

CHICAGO – With several strong storms causing damage across Illinois recently, Attorney General Kwame Raoul today warned Illinois residents to be on alert for scammers looking to exploit homeowners and business owners who may need repairs from storm-related damage. Raoul cautioned residents that scammers often move quickly into communities to take advantage of people with damage to their homes or businesses. Raoul noted these “storm chasers” use the opportunity to pressure

COLLINSVILLE – State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) has teamed up with the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office to host an ICASH event Monday at the Mississippi Valley Library District. Constituents are encouraged to stop by to check if they are owed unclaimed property and receive assistance filing a claim. ICASH Event Details Who: Senator Erica Harriss; Illinois State Treasurer’s Office When: Monday, May 4, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Whe

ALTON - Eric Sykes, the executive director of Alton Little Theater, recently took to social media to address “a narrative circulating online that Alton Little Theater is somehow an unsafe space.” Over the past year, a former performer has been vocal about sexual misconduct they said they experienced with a former leader in the theater. Additionally, Sykes’s Twitter account has attracted attention because of comments that some say were offensive to the LGBTQ+ community.

SPRINGFIELD - State Representative Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt) is raising concerns over a proposal from Governor JB Pritzker to keep the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF) share rate flat at 6.23% for FY27. Schmidt warns that the move could shift the burden onto local taxpayers and force communities to make difficult financial decisions. Schmidt argues that local governments should not be penalized for years of fiscal mismanagement at the state level, cautioning that stagnant LGDF funding

You pack a jacket, then regret it. You skip the jacket, then regret that too. April has a talent for making normal planning feel like a gamble. That “unpredictable” feeling isn’t just in your head. It comes from a mix of fast-changing air patterns, big temperature contrasts, and the way people talk about April as if it has a personality. Add in school schedules, holidays, and the pressure to switch routines, and the month can seem like it can’t make up its mind. Here’s