ALTON - A new podcast is bringing connection to the Riverbend community. “According to Jama and Nikki,” premiering at 10 a.m. every Saturday on RiverBender.com , brings together two local friends to chat about anything and everything while supporting the local area. Jama Fabry and Nikki Fiedler truly believe that a rising tide lifts all ships, and they are working hard to share that philosophy through the podcast. “Our friends are listening, a community is listening,
JEFFERSON COUNTY - Two Jefferson County residents died in a tornado that struck the area Sunday night, June 21, 2026, according to information from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, which also said volunteer groups and government officials are working on cleanup in affected areas. The victims were identified as 83-year-old Delores B. Shelton of 19267 N. Ranch Lane in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, and 62-year-old Sarita L. Kimble of 14650 E. July Road in Mt. Vernon, the sheriff’s office
GRANITE CITY – State Senator Erica Harriss and State Representative Amy Elik are offering a FREE Shred Day in Pontoon Beach! Paper documents will be accepted for safe and secure destruction. Cardboard boxes used to transport documents will be returned to each person. The shredding company will accept a maximum of three bankers’ boxes per person. "One of the most important parts of our job is providing helpful services and resources to the people we represent,” said Senator
SHILOH - A construction worker who was struck by a vehicle Friday morning, June 19, 2026, in Shiloh later died at a hospital, and the crash remains under investigation by local police and the Illinois State Police. The Shiloh Police Department said officers responded at about 10:48 a.m. Friday, June 19, in the area of Air Mobility Drive and Maple Street for a traffic accident involving a vehicle striking a construction worker. The worker was later identified as Murphy Rodgers, 55
TROY, IL. - Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, First Fridays Art on the Streets — a celebration of creativity and community. This event is perfect for students as well. While not a "juried event" we do limit vendors to have the best variety. Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Dawn Mushill announced the arts event for Friday, Aug. 7. There is a small participation fee for those selling their items, and some sponsored spaces available for those particularly doing chalk
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Bradley Tueth placed third in the 400-meter dash at Adidas Nationals Elite, finishing in a personal-best 48.33 in one of the top times in the area’s history. Competing at the national meet in Greensboro, N.C., Tueth lowered his previous personal best of 48.80, which he ran while placing third at the IHSA Class 2A State Track and Field Championships in Charleston. Tueth is a Sparklight Male Athlete Of The Month for his efforts in Greensboro, N.C. Eddy Mike Pierre
GILLESPIE - Gillespie will host a Community Blood Drive with ImpactLife, the provider of blood components for local hospitals. The blood drive will be from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm on Monday, July 6 at 900 Broadway, inside Gillespie Methodist Church Gym. What: Gillespie Community Blood Drive When: Monday, July 6, 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm Where: Gillespie Methodist Church Gym, 900 Broadway, Gillespie, IL Appointments: To donate, please contact Brenda Lowe at (217) 710-1336 or visit www.bloodcenter.org
A longer day can change your brain before you even notice it. That burst of motivation people often feel in summer is not just a mood or a cultural habit. It has real roots in light, sleep, movement, social life, and biology. People may wake up with more energy, feel more willing to go outside, or find it easier to stay active. Of course, not everyone feels their best in summer, and heat can also drain energy. Still, for many people, the season brings a clear lift. The reason is not one thing.
ALTON - On June 21, 2026, at approximately 8:52 p.m., officers with the Alton Police Department and personnel from the Alton Fire Department responded to a traffic crash involving a motorcycle and a vehicle at Homer Adams Parkway and Buckmaster. According to preliminary information, a male operating a moped-style motorcycle rear-ended a Ford SUV that was stopped in traffic. A passenger was also riding on the motorcycle at the time of the crash. The passenger sustained minor injuries and
A table full of food can turn strangers into a group in less than an hour. That change happens all the time. People who have little in common sit down, pass plates, ask for the salt, and start talking. A family argument softens over soup. New coworkers become less awkward at lunch. Neighbors who barely wave to each other end up sharing recipes over a fence. Food does more than fill people up. It creates a setting where connection feels easier and more natural. Food gives people a reason to
On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, the massive invasion of the Soviet Union during the Second World War. It was the largest land invasion in history, involving millions of soldiers across a vast front. At the time, the attack shattered an uneasy agreement between Germany and the Soviet Union and opened a brutal new phase of the war in Europe. It mattered immediately because it turned the conflict into an even wider and deadlier struggle. It still matters today because
ALTON — The Alton Fire Department responded Sunday night to a motorcycle crash at the intersection of Homer Adams Parkway and Buckmaster Lane, where firefighters found a motorcycle with two riders and a vehicle involved in the collision. One patient from the motorcycle suffered injuries that required a medical helicopter, and Arch Medical Helicopter was requested to the scene, landing in the Lowe’s parking lot. It was unclear Sunday night whether anyone else was injured in the crash.
ALTON - Auto Butler, a full-service car wash in Alton, closed permanently this week after 20 years in business as owners Lisa Heims-Stout and Gary Stout retire and transfer the property and business to Club Car Wash, Lisa Heims-Stout said on Saturday, June 20, 2026. The closure marks the end of a longtime business in Alton, where the Stouts said they had served customers for two decades. Lisa Heims-Stout said the decision was tied to retirement and a desire to spend more time with family.
GRANITE CITY - From the moment he could say the word helicopter, Ryan Fretz knew that he wanted to follow in his father Jon’s footsteps and become an air medical pilot. That dream came true as he now pilots ARCH 1’s BK117 in Granite City, IL. “I always wanted to do what he did,” said Ryan. “I thought it was the coolest thing going to visit him at work. Watching him fly, going to see him at hospitals, taking him Gatorade in the middle of the night. He was my hero.”
Midwesterners out on their porch during a storm isn’t normally front-page news, but it was at least once in Alton. William and Sally Loudon had recently moved into 618 Union Street when they got stuck on their porch during a bout of awful weather. A June 19, 1926 page one article in the Alton Evening Telegraph described their June 16 ordeal. Wednesday night, during heavy rain, after the Loudons had gone to bed, they decided that a rug on the porch should be moved since it was definitely
GLEN CARBON - Glen Carbon Fire Protection District members, along with the Edwardsville Fire Department, responded quickly to a fire call on Mark Trail Drive in Glen Carbon. Because of the quick efforts of the firefighters, smoke and fire from the back of the home were extinguished in a rapid fashion, saving the home. The Glen Carbon Fire officials praised the firefighters for their efforts and the cooperation between Glen Carbon and other neighboring fire agencies.
COTTAGE HILLS — The Madison County Sheriff’s Office was conducting a death investigation as of about 11:08 a.m. Sunday, June 21, 2026, after an adult female was found deceased in a creek area near the 1100 block of Lee Street in Cottage Hills, authorities said. The woman has been tentatively identified, according to the sheriff’s office. Based on preliminary information, “there does not appear to be a threat to the public,” the sheriff’s office said. Madison
ST. LOUIS COUNTY - A man was killed and several other people, including three children, were injured Saturday afternoon, June 20, 2026, in a two-vehicle crash at Old Halls Ferry Road and Netherton Drive in St. Louis County, police said. The crash happened at about 4:21 p.m. Saturday, June 20, 2026, when St. Louis County Police officers from the North County Precinct responded to a call for service at the intersection, according to the St. Louis County Police Department. Emergency responders
On June 21, 1791, King Louis XVI of France was captured at Varennes while trying to flee Paris during the French Revolution. More than a failed escape, the event changed how many people in France viewed their king. Until then, some still believed a constitutional monarchy might survive. His attempted flight suggested that he no longer accepted the revolution’s limits on royal power and may have hoped to return with foreign support. That moment weakened trust in the crown, pushed the revolution
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a bipartisan coalition of nine attorneys general, today announced a $7 million settlement with LivCor LLC (LivCor), one of the property management companies named as a defendant in an ongoing antitrust litigation Raoul and the coalition filed against software company RealPage. The settlement resolves allegations that LivCor used RealPage’s revenue management system to align rental prices with competing landlords by
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