ST. CLAIR COUNTY — Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has charged a 20-year-old Coulterville man with possessing and reproducing child sexual abuse material after investigators and St. Clair County sheriff’s officers conducted a search Wednesday at his workplace in Belleville, authorities said. Cameron D. Gasser was charged in St. Clair County Circuit Court with four counts of reproducing child sexual abuse material, Class X felonies each punishable by up to 30 years in prison,
CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after Senate Republicans jammed through nearly $70 billion to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) without any reforms to the agencies: “Not one penny included in this legislation will help struggling American families with the rising cost of gas, groceries, housing, or health care. But Republicans
ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police on Thursday, June 4, 2026, released a critical incident briefing video in the April 22, 2026, officer-involved shooting in Wildwood, Mo., while saying there are no further updates in the investigation. The Critical Incident Briefing video for the officer-involved shooting that occurred on April 22, 2026, is available here: https://youtu.be/ePROObSrcrU . The St. Louis County Police Department said the video concerns a shooting that happened about
GODFREY – The Adult Education program at Lewis and Clark Community College held its 2026 Illinois High School Diploma graduation ceremony on June 2 at the Ann Whitney Olin Theatre in the Hatheway Cultural Center. There were 101 students in this year’s graduating class. Pictured, graduate Brianna Stewart celebrates as she crosses the stage to receive her high school diploma. For more information on how LC can help you earn your Illinois High School Diploma (formerly known
BELLEVILLE - The newest Mac’s location will open in Belleville next week. Mac’s on Main, located at 4204 West Main Street in Belleville, will welcome customers starting next Wednesday or Thursday, June 10 or 11, 2026, said owner Rob Lenhardt. He is eager to introduce the Mac’s brand to St. Clair County, with an identical menu to the downtown Alton location, including Olga’s products. He hopes the new restaurant is a positive experience for diners. “There’s
WOOD RIVER - The Wood River History Museum has extended its Clint Walker Exhibit through June 2026 at 40 W. Ferguson St. in Wood River, giving visitors additional time to view the tribute ahead of what would have been the actor’s 100th birthday on May 30, 2026. The exhibit is open free of charge from 1 to 4 p.m. every Saturday in June 2026 at the museum. Walker, a Riverbend native, was known for a long career in film and television. He was best known for his role in “The Dirty
ALTON - As RiverBender.com and host Brian Trust celebrate the two-year anniversary of the podcast “You’re Beautiful,” Trust explains how the experience has shaped his faith. “You’re Beautiful” features powerful conversations about faith at 2 p.m. every Thursday on RiverBender.com . Trust often invites local guests to share their testimonies, and he is open about his own budding relationship with God. “My mission has always been, at the
GODFREY – Godfrey is the latest community to honor Alton’s Rayna Raglin – not only for her athletic accomplishments, but also for her character. Raglin made her community proud when she took first place in both the 100 and 200 meter races at the IHSA Class 3A Girls State Track and Field Meet on May 23, 2026. She also placed eighth in the 400 meter race. At the last Godfrey Village Board meeting, Raglin was honored with the proclamation of June 2, 2026 as “Rayna Raglin
As a pediatrics expert and mother of an eight-year-old, Emily Isom has seen the screen time debate firsthand. “Kids are being introduced to technology early,” says Isom, a certified medical assistant in pediatrics at OSF HealthCare. “COVID was one of the reasons. Kids did schoolwork on their devices. That turns into using technology throughout the day. They get attached and addicted to scrolling and swiping. It’s glued to their hands.” One way to break the cycle?
COLLINSVILLE — Illinois State Police announced the results of roadside safety checks conducted in Madison and St. Clair counties in May, reporting 65 total citations and arrests, including three DUI citations, as part of an effort aimed at improving roadway safety. ISP Troop 8 Commander Capt. Casey Faro announced the results of the Roadside Safety Checks, or RSCs, in a statement released from Collinsville. The enforcement activity also resulted in two other alcohol- or drug-related citations,
O'FALLON - Officers with the O’Fallon Police Department responded about 8 a.m. Thursday, May 21, 2026, to the 100 block of North Vine Street in O’Fallon after a shooting that left a 36-year-old woman wounded and led to the arrest of a Fairview Heights man, authorities said. Police said officers found the woman on the front porch near the entrance of the residence, suffering from a gunshot wound. A 29-year-old man and 36-year-old Tyrell Billey, of Fairview Heights, were
ALTON - The hosts of the Mississippi Earthtones Festival are searching for an artist to design entryway banners for the 20th Annual Mississippi Earthtones Festival on September 19, 2026. Hosts Sierra Club Illinois’ Three Rivers Project, Alton Main Street, and the Jacoby Arts Center encourage interested artists to apply for this exciting opportunity. The banners will greet thousands of festival-goers each year as they arrive at the Alton Riverfront - they will be the first thing people
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement after Senate Republicans voted to gift Donald Trump’s ICE and Border Patrol an additional $70 billion without any guardrails or reforms but refused to help Americans suffering from soaring costs as a direct result of Trump’s illegal war and other disastrous policies. The GOP reconciliation bill passed the Senate by a vote of 52-47. “Americans are getting pummeled by sky-high costs thanks
CHICAGO — Today, following inaction from the Illinois General Assembly, Governor JB Pritzker is directing the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to pause processing agreements for the Data Center Investment Program starting July 1, 2026. The Governor also outlined a comprehensive framework for Illinois to address the growing impact of data centers on energy affordability and reliability, water resources, and local communities. “Illinois has an
WASHINGTON – As Senate Republicans attempt to jam through nearly $70 billion in funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to support the President’s cruel mass deportation campaign, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and author of the Dream Act, called up his amendment to protect DACA recipients for a vote. The amendment would redirect $10 million towards timely
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced a weekend lane closure on eastbound Interstate 64 between Illinois 157 and Illinois 159 in St. Clair County. Beginning at 9 p.m. Friday, June 5, 2026, traffic will be reduced to one lane in the eastbound direction. Two lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, June 8, weather permitting. The lane closure is required for road construction as part of ongoing improvements in the corridor. Motorists should expect delays
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced ramp openings as well as ramp and lane closures at the Interstate 64 and Illinois 159 interchange in St. Clair County for ramp maintenance work. All currently closed westbound I-64 ramps at Illinois 159 are scheduled to reopen by Friday, June 5, 2026. Starting at 1 a.m. Friday, June 5, the following ramps will close: Southbound Illinois 159 to eastbound I-64 Northbound Illinois 159 to eastbound I-64 Eastbound
BUZZ MAGAZINE – Edwardsville is getting ready to celebrate the 100th anniversary of America’s Main Street! “On the Road Again: A Route 66 Centennial Celebration” is an original musical production developed, designed, staged and performed by Alumni Players! in partnership with the Friends of the Wildey. The 2-hour live show marks the centennial of The Mother Road (1926-2026) and will be performed at the historic Wildey Theatre, located at 252 North Main Street in Edwardsville,
BUZZ MAGAZINE – The iconic Mother Road is turning 100, and it’s getting a soundtrack to match. Legendary rock band STARSHIP featuring Mickey Thomas has been announced as the headliner for The Route 66 Centennial Celebration, taking place on November 11, 2026. The historic event will be hosted at the Route 66 Motorheads Bar & Grill, Museum & Entertainment Complex in Springfield, Illinois. The concert will serve as the grand finale for a full day of events, including the annual Illinois
ALTON – A reported disturbance at an Alton Hit-N-Run store has yielded criminal charges against a local man accused of attacking and threatening to kill the officers who responded. Alfonso L. West, 22, of Alton, was charged on June 2, 2026 with two counts of aggravated battery (both Class 2 felonies) and one count each of threatening a public official (a Class 3 felony) and disorderly conduct (a Class C misdemeanor). West allegedly knowingly threw items inside a Hit-N-Run convenience
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