Riverbender 🕸

MADISON COUNTY - Madison County Transit (MCT) will implement its July Service Change beginning Sunday, July 12, 2026. The changes include: the launch of a new MCT Micro service area in Troy, Maryville, and Glen Carbon area, which will replace the #13 Troy-Glen Carbon fixed route; as well as adjustments to the #9 Washington Shuttle, #1X Riverbend Express and #16X Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Express. Before the changes were approved, MCT held six public meetings and accepted comments from passengers

On July 1, one of the most significant events in modern history took place in 1867, when the Dominion of Canada was created through Confederation. On that day, the British North America Act joined Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada into a new self-governing dominion within the British Empire. At the time, the move mattered because it brought together separate colonies that wanted more political stability, stronger defense, and better economic coordination. It still matters

NASHVILLE, IL. – Attorney General Kwame Raoul charged a Nashville, Illinois man with criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Raoul’s office charged Chad Malawy, 54, in Washington County Circuit Court with one count of Class 1 felony criminal sexual assault, punishable by up to 15 years in prison, and one count of Class 1 felony aggravated criminal sexual abuse, punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Malawy was also charged with two Class A misdemeanor

ELSAH - Green Tree Inn in Elsah is a one-of-a-kind bed-and-breakfast experience. Located at 15 Mill Street in downtown Elsah, Green Tree Inn is a great spot for locals to enjoy a weekend getaway or visitors to engage with the village along the Mississippi River. Owner Megan Cunningham shared that she didn’t always expect to run a bed-and-breakfast, but she loves the experience and she’s grateful for groups like the RiverBend Growth Association for their support. “Running

GRANITE CITY – A Granite City resident charged with fatally shooting a teen victim after admittedly “playing with a gun” remains in custody while facing trial in Madison County. 18-year-old Syah T. Lee of Granite City faces a Class 3 felony count of involuntary manslaughter and two Class 4 felony counts of reckless discharge of a firearm. Lee was initially charged on June 23, 2026 with a Class 4 felony count of reckless conduct before the charge was amended on June 26 to the

JERSEYVILLE – A woman from Jerseyville facing charges from her latest alleged DUI was also accused of leaving the scene of a single-vehicle accident. Ashley L. Bridgewater, 39, of Jerseyville, was charged with a Class 4 felony count of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol on June 26, 2026. She also faces two Class A misdemeanor counts of driving on a revoked license and failure to notify upon damaging property. On June 23, 2026, Bridgewater allegedly drove a motor vehicle

BLOOMINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) visited with leaders of Chestnut Family Dental, a part of Chestnut Health Systems—a critical Medicaid provider of oral health care in the Bloomington area—to tour the site and speak with dental care providers about expanding Illinoisans’ access to dental services. Illinois is facing a shortage of dentists who accept Medicaid despite 3.4 million Illinoisans relying on the program for health insurance

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul and a coalition of 18 other attorneys general and the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania won their case challenging the Trump administration’s illegal conditions on billions of dollars in funding that community organizations across the country rely on to provide housing and services for families and individuals experiencing homelessness. In November 2025, Attorney General Raoul joined the coalition in filing a lawsuit against

SWANSEA – State Senator Christopher Belt announced 31 public libraries and school districts across the Metro East are set to receive more than $800,000 for library services, enhanced programming and construction and security upgrades. “Libraries are places where no one is turned away,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “Whether you seek knowledge or a place to feel a part of something, libraries will always be there to help you along the way.” More than $27 million was awarded

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee; U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration; U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee; and U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement,

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul led a coalition of 17 attorneys general in opposing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal to allow construction to begin at major sources of air pollution without first obtaining a New Source Review (NSR) permit. An NSR permit is a pre-construction air pollution permit that ensures industrial facilities, factories and power plants install modern pollution controls when they are newly built or undergo major modifications.

Gov. Pritzker’s Statement on Supreme Court’s Birthright Citizenship Decision CHICAGO – Today, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker released the following statement on the Supreme Court’s Trump v. Barbara decision striking down President Trump’s illegal executive order attempting to reverse birthright citizenship: “Today the Supreme Court sided with the Constitution. Since the Fourteenth Amendment was ratified in 1868, the Constitution has left little to the

View a video message from Secretary Giannoulias SPRINGFIELD – As federal immigration activity intensifies once again in Illinois, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is urging residents to immediately report any vehicle displaying altered, obscured, missing or unlawfully switched license plates, warning that plate tampering is illegal under Illinois law, regardless of who commits it. The Secretary of State’s office is encouraging anyone who witnesses potential violations

EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Municipal Band will mark the July 4 holiday with two free performances this week in Edwardsville as part of the city’s weeklong 250th celebration, including a Thursday concert and a Saturday performance ahead of the annual fireworks display. The band will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 2, in a concert to “CELEBRATE THE SEMIQUINCENTENIAL,” according to event information. The program is described as honoring “our shared heritage and

EDWARDSVILLE - In a Facebook post, Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 Superintendent Dr. Allen Duncan Jr. confirmed there was a partial ceiling collapse at Lincoln Middle School. On Tuesday, June 30, 2026, reports of a ceiling collapse at Lincoln Middle School came in between 9–9:30 a.m. Lincoln Middle School is undergoing a planned summer renovation as part of its abatement project. Five people were in the vicinity when the collapse happened, but two refused medical

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a felon who fatally shot someone in a barbershop in 2023 to 125 months in prison. Nolan Ryan Thomas, now 34, pleaded guilty in March in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that on Nov. 10, 2023, St. Louis County police were called to a barbershop in the 11600 block of West Florissant Avenue, where a patron had been shot in the leg. Police found

ST. LOUIS — Experts are warning that dangerously high temperatures are headed to the Greater St. Louis area over the next week. With Fourth of July celebrations and World Cup events in full swing, the American Red Cross urges everyone to take three critical actions to stay safe: Stay hydrated by drinking a cup of water every 20 minutes, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Avoid sugary, caffeinated and alcoholic drinks. Stay cool by spending time in air-conditioned places. If your

QUINCY, Ill. - Quincy University released its Dean's List for the Spring 2026 semester. Honorees must earn a semester grade point average of at least 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) to be included in the biannual Dean's List. In total, 402 students received the honor during the Spring 2026 semester, including the following students from the Riverbend area: Carrollton, IL Hannah Uhles Godfrey, IL Ava Certa Alyssa Marquis Founded in 1860 by Franciscan friars, Quincy University is a small

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - An Illinois law led by state Sen. Cristina Castro will permanently allow cocktails to-go and create a new path for small distilleries to self-distribute spirits, after Gov. JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 618 into law Friday. The measure takes effect July 1, 2026. The law makes permanent a temporary policy allowing licensed bars and restaurants in Illinois to sell cocktails and mixed drinks for delivery and curbside pickup, a practice widely known as cocktails to-go. It also

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Police and local law enforcement throughout the state are reminding the public: Whether you’re drinking alcohol, using cannabis or under the influence of other drugs, if you get behind the wheel, you’ll face the consequences. During the Fourth of July “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, zero tolerance will be shown for those driving impaired. “Driving impaired is not a game