Riverbender 🕸

WOOD RIVER - A local organization is seeking donations to support sexual violence survivors. Metro East Every Survivor Counts provides resources, counseling, advocacy and more support to survivors. Executive Director Ella Barrett noted that they need donations to continue their work in Madison and St. Clair Counties, and they have started a GoFundMe to facilitate donations amidst the federal government shutdown. “It’s always so beautiful to see when our community gives bac

GRAFTON - Scott Isringhausen, a park ranger at Pere Marquette in Grafton, expressed surprise at the vibrant fall colors persisting into November, noting it is likely the latest in the season he has seen such a display. However, he emphasized that those who want to see fall colors at their best should visit the region this weekend. “It is getting so late in the year, into November, and the fall colors are pretty now,” he said. He attributed the prolonged foliage to an unusually mild

STAUNTON – As part of their annual Employee Appreciation Week celebration in October, the employees at Madison Communications took part in a friendly team challenge to collect non-perishable food items for local food pantries. The initiative not only encouraged teamwork but also highlighted Madison’s ongoing commitment to giving back to the communities they serve. Through their collective efforts, Madison employees gathered an impressive total of twelve milk crates and multiple boxe

ALTON - Attorney Holly Marcum is here to demystify workers’ compensation cases for both employers and their employees. Marcum, a partner with Keith Short & Associates in Alton, explained that workers’ comp is “a very nuanced area of law.” She often deals with acute injuries, where someone is injured in an instant, but she also sees a lot of repetitive injuries, like the development of carpal tunnel syndrome over time. “It’s anybody who’s been

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) thanked Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (CA-11) for her historic career in Congress following her announcement that she will not seek reelection. “For nearly 40 years, Speaker Emerita Pelosi has remained committed to fighting for her constituents and hardworking Americans across the country. She made history as the first woman to be House Speaker, then wielded her immense power to pass the Affordable Care Act, the American Rescue Plan,

ST. LOUIS – Mayor Cara Spencer announced today that Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge, Director of St. Louis Lambert International Airport, will retire in the fall of 2026. Hamm-Niebruegge has served as Airport Director since January 2010, during which time she has led the airport through natural disaster, helped secure new international flight service, and has put in motion a plan to transform the airport in the coming years. “On its best day, running something as complex as a major

SPRINGFIELD - It was a costly week for Illinois taxpayers. As the General Assembly wrapped up its fall Veto Session just before 5 a.m. on Halloween, the Majority Party pushed through a series of proposals that will make life more expensive for Illinois families, from higher energy bills to new taxes and reduced investment in downstate infrastructure. These massive bills passed with almost entirely Democratic legislator support and little to no Republican votes. In the wee hours of the

– U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) introduced a resolution to recognize the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. “The 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War powerfully reminds us to honor the brave Americans whose service and sacrifice should never be forgotten,” said Duckworth. “We must continue to uphold the memory of those who never came home, to recognize the legacy of all those who supported the American effort in

EDWARDSVILLE - With November being Lung Cancer Awareness Month, BJC will host a lung cancer screening event on Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the BJC Outpatient Center at Edwardsville, 2122 Troy Rd., Suite 110. At this event, our lung cancer screening navigator will complete a low-dose CT scan and discuss the importance of screenings and prevention with patients. Walk-ins are welcome and patients can verify their eligibility here . Current guidelines recommend a lung cancer screening

Did you know that the beloved nacho, now a staple snack across the globe, owes its existence to a serendipitous invention by a maître d’ in a small Mexican border town? Few dishes have such a clear origin story, yet nachos have evolved into a cultural phenomenon celebrated annually on National Nachos Day. This day honors not only the snack’s delicious appeal but also its rich history and the traditions that have grown around it. The Birth of Nachos: A Culinary Accident The

November 6th is a date that has witnessed a variety of significant events throughout history, spanning the realms of politics, science, culture, and global affairs. Turning back the clock to 1860, November 6th was also the day Abraham Lincoln was elected as the 16th President of the United States. Lincoln's election was a turning point in American history; it precipitated the secession of Southern states and ultimately led to the Civil War. His leadership during one of the most tumultuous periods

ALTON – Alton Police have charged the driver of a tractor-trailer from Belleville with leaving the scene of a crash involving injury and more. Deandre C. Willis, 37, of Belleville, was charged on Oct. 28, 2025 with one count each of leaving the scene of a crash involving injury or death (a Class 4 felony), and disregarding a traffic control device (a petty offense). Willis allegedly drove a 2020 Mack Anthem tractor-trailer on June 27, 2025, which was involved in a motor vehicle crash

CARBONDALE — Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) joined local officials, transportation stakeholders, and labor leaders today to celebrate another historic round of investments in Southern Illinois infrastructure. As part of $400 million specifically identified to support 223 local projects, Governor Pritzker announced a $2 million investment in Carbondale to reconstruct and modernize Poplar, West Cherry, and West College streets, as well as advance

CHICAGO – Get Covered Illinois kicked off 2026 open enrollment and launched its “Here to Help” campaign across the state. Open enrollment, which began on November 1 and runs through January 15, is the annual opportunity for Illinoisans to enroll in, renew, or change their health insurance plans. Nearly 466,000 Illinoisans purchased health coverage through Get Covered Illinois during open enrollment last year, a 17% increase from the previous year. This year, Illinoisans

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias led a legislative effort to change the library Equalization Aid Grant formula, increasing the eligibility from 17 serving 77,000 residents to 108 public libraries serving more than 700,000 residents across the state while freeing up additional funds. “While the federal government seeks to scrap programs and slash critical funding for libraries nationwide, Illinois is investing in our residents and communities,” Giannoulias

SPRINGFIELD – In anticipation of the 100th anniversary of legendary Route 66 in 2026, the Illinois State Museum (ISM) has launched an online database of 100 oral histories about the Mother Road. ISM’s Route 66 Oral History Project database includes video-recorded interviews, as well as world-searchable written transcriptions. Contributors include people who lived, worked and traveled along Route 66 during its pre-interstate heyday, as well as people who currently promote, preserve

MADISON – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced lane closures on eastbound Interstate 55/70 between Illinois 203 and Exchange Avenue in St. Clair County. Beginning, weather permitting, at 6 a.m. Friday, Nov. 7, eastbound I-55/70 will be reduced to one lane and reopen to two lanes at 3 p.m. Friday. Lane restrictions will resume at 5 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, and are scheduled to return to two lanes at 3 p.m. Saturday. The westbound I-64 ramp to eastbound I-55/70 will clos

ALTON – OSF HealthCare Rehabilitation Services in Alton will be holding its monthly lymphedema education meeting on Thursday, November 6, featuring special guest speaker Kren Harmon, psychotherapist, OSF Saint Anthony’s Psychological Services. Riverbend region residents are invited to join the OSF Lymphedema Therapy Team for this free educational session about Lymphedema and meet other people with lymphedema. The November lymphedema education meeting will be held: Thursday,

CHICAGO — Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul today secured a permanent injunction from the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island blocking the Trump administration’s effort to unlawfully impose immigration enforcement requirements on billions of dollars in annual U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) grants. The final ruling follows multi-state litigation and a preliminary injunction. “The billions of dollars appropriated by Congress are essential to states’

BELLEVILLE — More than $110,000 has been awarded this year to 112 Illinois fire departments and districts through Illinois American Water’s Firefighter Grant Program. Since the initiative began in 2010, nearly 1,200 grants totaling over $1 million dollars have been granted to fire and emergency organizations serving customers in Illinois American Water’s service area. "We extend our sincere thanks to Illinois American Water for their continued support of fire departments