SPRINGFIELD – Governor JB Pritzker has proclaimed April as Innovation and Technology Month in Illinois, recognizing the state’s leadership in emerging technologies and its commitment to preparing students for careers in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). “Illinois is a nation-leading innovation hub that drives technological progress. Innovation and Technology Month is a reflection of our commitment to emerging technologies and our efforts empower
GRANITE CITY – Granite City High School has announced its 2026 Summer Camp Schedule with available camps in eight sports: baseball, boys basketball, boys soccer, cross country, football, girls basketball, girls volleyball and softball. GCHS Camps are designed to instruct athletes on fundamental skills involved in their sport in a fun and enthusiastic atmosphere. Athletes will be divided by their grade level and skill level receiving individual instruction. These camps will be directed
Key takeaways: Some people put off health screenings and appointments in the winter. Spring is the perfect time to do a reset and see what you need. Everyone should get a yearly physical. Talk to your primary care provider about what other screenings and vaccines you need. Spring can also be a time to recommit to health habits at home, like diet, exercise and quitting unhealthy behaviors. Winter means cold, snowy conditions and a desire to stay in. It’s fine to be
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is sharing the following upcoming events and noteworthy items for April 2026. April 2 Tot Time: Totally Turtles Dickson Mounds Museum Lewistown | Fulton County Families are invited to learn about the different types of turtles found in Illinois, presented by Jake Wolf Memorial Fish Hatchery’s natural resources coordinator Kayleigh Smith. Registration is not required, but groups of eight or more are encouraged to
WOOD RIVER - Local organizations gathered for the annual Child Abuse Prevention Month Kickoff event. On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, stakeholders and community members came together for speeches and a resource fair hosted by Refuge 4 Kids at Riverbend Family Ministries . The goal was to encourage attendees to look out for the kids in their lives and support families. People from across the county were in attendance and spoke about the importance of preventing child abuse. “I've
ALTON - The Alton Police Department has named Patrolman First Class Zach Travis its 2025 Field Training Officer of the Year, citing his work training three new officers throughout 2025 and his commitment to mentorship and professional development, Police Chief Jarrett Ford said. Ford said Travis served as the field training officer for three new officers during the year and “dedicated himself to their development, mentorship, and success without hesitation.” “PFC
ALTON - Alton Police Officer Steven Vaughn has embraced his role with energy, positivity, and a strong commitment to service in his first year. Officer Vaughn and Officer Luke Atkinson are the 2025 Alton Police Rookie Officers of the Year, citing their performance during their first year on the job, including responses to high-risk calls in Alton. Vaughn has excelled on multiple shifts, bringing fresh ideas and teamwork to both A and C platoons. Vaughn with Atkinson are Difference Makers in
ALTON - The Alton Police Department has named Officers Luke Atkinson and Steven Vaughn as its 2025 Rookie Officers of the Year, citing their performance during their first year on the job, including responses to high-risk calls in Alton. More about Vaughn in a separate story on Riverbender.com. Atkinson and Vaughn are both Difference Makers in their community. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford described Atkinson as “a dependable and respected member of the department.” In one high-ris
EAST ST. LOUIS — A 62-year-old man accused of robbing a federally insured bank in O’Fallon, Illinois, appeared in federal court last week to face a bank robbery charge, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois. George E. Habermehl Jr. is charged with one count of bank robbery. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said the alleged robbery occurred around 11:10 a.m. March 20, 2026, at FCB Bank on Highway 50 in O’Fallon. Authorities said
CHICAGO - An Illinois law firm filed a federal insurance bad faith lawsuit Tuesday seeking more than $2 billion in damages against Travelers Property Casualty Company of America, alleging the insurer violated its duty of good faith and failed to protect its insured, Prairie Farms Dairy Inc., from catastrophic financial exposure tied to a Madison County wrongful death case. Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. said the lawsuit was filed March 31, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern Distric
CHICAGO – Join the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Prevent Child Abuse Illinois, Hospital Sisters Health System, the Poshard Foundation for Abused Children, elected officials, child welfare stakeholders and more for a month-long observance to share child abuse and neglect prevention awareness messages and promote prevention efforts during Child Abuse Prevention Month in April. This year’s theme, Pinwheels of Possibility, celebrates the limitless potential
A lot of people assume April Fools’ Day began as a simple mistake on a calendar. The story goes: France changed the date of the new year, a few stubborn holdouts kept celebrating in April, and everyone else mocked them. It’s a great tale—clean, funny, and easy to remember. It’s also only part of the picture. The real origins of April Fools’ Day are messier, older, and more interesting. What we call “April Fools’” is less like a single invention
On April 1, 1976, two young engineers, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, founded Apple Computer Company in California. At the time, personal computers were still a niche hobby, often sold as kits to enthusiasts who were willing to tinker. Apple’s early work helped push computers out of garages and labs and into everyday life by treating the computer as a consumer product—something meant to be usable, attractive, and widely available. That shift mattered immediately because it widened
GRAFTON – A piece of Riverbend history may soon be making a comeback — at speeds no one saw coming. Local tourism officials confirmed this week that discussions are underway to revive a modern version of the historic “Dinky,” the small railbus that once carried passengers between Alton and Grafton before the Great River Road was built. But unlike the original, this version wouldn’t be slow. Early planning documents describe a high-speed railbus system designed
JERSEYVILLE – Jerseyville residents will soon pay higher yearly fees to use the city dump amid the addition of recycling services through a pending partnership with Jersey County. City Council members unanimously approved a three-year contract with Republic Services for trash hauling and single-stream recycling at city sites and the city dump, as well as major changes to city dump permits and fees, at their Tuesday, March 31, 2026 meeting. Mayor Kevin Stork Stork clarified that the
EDWARDSVILLE - Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Edwardsville, Illinois, that a 34-year-old Bethalto woman has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and permitting sexual abuse of a child. Ashley L. Rusk received the sentence after pleading guilty on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, to one count of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child and one count of Permitting Sexual Abuse
EDWARDSVILLE - Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, that an Edwardsville man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of home invasion and aggravated battery in an attack at a Glen Carbon residence. Circuit Judge Kyle Napp issued the sentence Monday to Timothy P. Rodgers, 40, of Edwardsville, according to Haine’s office. A jury in October found Rodgers guilty of entering the Glen Carbon home of his former father-in-law
EDWARDSVILLE - An Edwardsville High School student received second place out of nearly 200 entries at the SIUE 2026 Annual High School Art Exhibition. Maya Hatch, a senior at EHS, fell in love with ceramics earlier this year in Cassie Flynn’s art class. She then took an independent study art class, which allowed her to finish work on her award-winning piece “The Scavenger and What Remains of Us.” Hatch shared she is proud of the accomplishment and eager to learn more ceramics
ALTON - Community members have the chance to “adopt on the spot” during a 5A’s Animal Shelter event. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, 2026, Ted’s Motorcycle World will host all 5A’s dogs for a “Barks and Bikes” adoption event. Attendees can visit with the 5A’s dogs, play poker, compete in doggy dress-up contests, and enjoy a variety of raffles, snacks and more throughout the day. Proceeds go toward the 5A’s work, but Carol
SPRINGFIELD – Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach (MN-07) introduced the Biobased Materials Investment and Production Act to strengthen the domestic supply chain and create new markets for American farmers by incentivizing the production of biobased chemicals and materials. While the United States has made significant strides in biofuels, many other everyday products, from plastics to industrial chemicals, remain dependent on foreign petroleum.
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