Riverbender 🕸

MADISON - The Madison Fire Department responded to a fire Friday afternoon at 10 Fox Industrial Drive in Madison. The fire broke out at Interco Trading Company, prompting mutual aid from the Granite City Fire Department, Mitchell Fire Department, and Long Lake Fire Department. The Madison County Emergency Management Agency also assisted at the scene. According to scanner traffic, the fire involved batteries inside a storage unit. Firefighters remained on scene for several hours

ALTON - The Alton First Responders Springfest will run throughout the next week. On April 10, 2026, the Springfest carnival opened at 5 p.m. and drew a small crowd for its first night at the Alton Amphitheater. The carnival will continue through April 19, 2026, and community members are encouraged to come by and enjoy the fun. Hosted by Luehrs’ Ideal Rides, the carnival includes rides, games, food and more. The carnival’s hours are as follows: Friday, April 10: Opens a

O’FALLON, Ill. — High school students interested in a career in health care are invited to apply for the Summer 2026 High School Healthcare Bootcamps at HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in O’Fallon, HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Breese, HSHS Holy Family Hospital in Greenville and HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Highland. The bootcamps are designed for high school juniors and seniors interested in a career in health care to experience a realistic look into

ALTON – An Alton man accused of stealing a refrigerator while burglarizing a local church last week faces felony charges. Braden E. Phillips, 36, of Alton, was charged on April 6, 2026 with one count each of burglary, a Class 1 felony, and theft, a Class 4 felony. Phillips allegedly knowingly entered Harvest Fellowship Christian Church at 3316 Hillcrest Ave. in Alton without legal authority and with the intent to commit a theft on April 3, 2026. On the same date, Phillips reportedly

ALTON - Alton Community Unit School District #11 students came together for a celebration of neurodiversity at Autism Sports Day. On Friday, April 10, 2026, elementary and middle school students traveled to Lovejoy Elementary School for a day of bounce houses, snacks, games and fun. This event was hosted by the Alton High School’s cooperative work training program, overseen by Joe Michalski and Tammy Wood. High school students played with and helped the younger kids throughout the day

EAST ALTON — The East Alton Fire Department responded Friday afternoon, April 10, 2026, to a shed fire in the 100 block of Ohio Street, where the shed was fully involved, and a neighboring fence had melted. Firefighters arrived to find the shed on fire and moved quickly to get the blaze under control. The shed was a total loss. Wood River and Roxana fire departments were called in for mutual aid. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was unknown.

MARYVILLE - A newly constructed roundabout at the intersection of Illinois Route 162 and Keebler Road opened to traffic on April 9, 2026, in Maryville, Illinois, following more than a decade of planning that local and state leaders pursued after a fatal crash at the site. The Village of Maryville announced the opening, saying the project was developed in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Transportation, neighboring communities, Juneau Associates, Inc., P.C., Engineering Firm, and

MADISON COUNTY, IL. - The Madison County Regional Superintendent, Dr. Robert W. Werden, along with Mannie Jackson and Dr. Ed Hightower, are pleased to announce the winners of the Alma Irene Aitch Scholarship for Madison County, Illinois high school seniors. This award is given in the amount of $1,000 to 11 graduating seniors from across Madison County who displayed high academic achievement, personal drive, success, and excellence in their four-year high school careers. The Aitch Scholarship

EAST ST. LOUIS — East St. Louis School District 189 has reached an important financial milestone that will directly benefit local taxpayers and support upcoming school improvements. Moody’s Ratings has upgraded the School District’s credit rating from Ba1 to Baa2. This two-level increase moves the East St. Louis School District from a below-investment category into “investment grade” status — similar to improving a credit score. Such a two-level upgrade

GRAFTON - Several excited community members boarded the new Grafton Ferry to celebrate its inaugural crossing of the river. On Friday, April 10, 2026, Grafton Mayor Mike Morrow and members of the Grafton ferry taskforce led a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the ferry. Attendees then boarded the ferry and rode it across the river to Missouri and back. “This is going to be absolutely wonderful for the entire region,” Morrow said. The ferry opened at 5 a.m. on April 10. By 10 a.m.,

EAST ST. LOUIS - A 29-year-old Belleville man was shot and killed inside a vehicle in East St. Louis just after 5 a.m. Friday, and state and local police are investigating, authorities said. The shooting happened in the area of South 22nd Street and Market Avenue, according to the Illinois State Police. ISP said the East St. Louis Police Department initially responded to the call and discovered one person dead and another suffering from a gunshot wound. The gunshot wound victim was transported

CHICAGO — Yesterday, Governor JB Pritzker joined a bipartisan coalition of governors across the PJM Interconnection region — the grid operator for Northern Illinois — to call for the operator to ensure data center electricity use does not drive up energy costs. The coalition also called for continued efforts to bolster its consumer protections for working families. “As electricity demand and costs rise across Illinois and the region, our top priority is to put

ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police detectives are investigating a double homicide after two adult men were found fatally shot late Thursday, April 9, 2026, in the 5600 block of Gatesworth Avenue in the City of Country Club Hills. Officers from the City of Country Club Hills responded at 10:25 p.m. April 9, 2026, to a call for service reporting a shooting in the 5600 block of Gatesworth Avenue, according to the St. Louis County Police Department. Officers located two adult males suffering

SPRINGFIELD – With gas prices soaring across Illinois and the nation, State Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Murrayville) is backing legislation to suspend the state sales tax on gas for six months. As of the first week of April, the average price of gasoline hit $4.27/gallon in central Illinois. Motorists are being squeezed at the pumps not only because of world events affecting oil prices, but because Illinois has the second-highest gas tax in the nation, currently 48.3 cents/gallon.

THURSDAY, APRIL 9 PLAY IT AGAIN SPORTS SCOREBOARD BASEBALL Metro-East Lutheran 14, Maryville Christian 4 Belleville West 6, Collinsville 1 Freeburg 10, Columbia 0 Father McGivney Catholic 13, Centralia Christ Our Rock Lutheran 2 Edwardsville 11, Alton 3 Edinburg 13, Bunker Hill 13 Mascoutah 19, Waterloo Gibault Catholic 2 Belleville Althoff Catholic 9, Marquette Catholic 8 Greenfield Northwestern 15, White Hall North Greene 1 Granite City 7, Quincy 6 Roxana 20, East

ALTON - Alton Community Unit School District #11 invites all incoming kindergarteners to attend kindergarten enrollment, where families can tour the schools, meet the teachers and more. All families with children who will be 5 on or before Sept. 1, 2026, are asked to attend if you are living within the district. Students will take a pre-k assessment while their caregivers complete the enrollment process. Afterwards, families can enjoy a tour of the school, meet with teachers, eat a snack, pos

A cracked window can change your whole mood—even if the room looks exactly the same. The air feels lighter. Your head feels clearer. You might even stand up straighter without meaning to. That reaction isn’t just “in your head.” It’s a mix of biology, memory, and the way humans are built to read the world through smell, temperature, and movement. Fresh air feels like a reset button People often describe fresh air as “clean,” “crisp,” or

On April 10, 1912, the RMS Titanic set out from Southampton on its first voyage, carrying more than 2,200 passengers and crew toward New York. At the time, the ship stood for modern engineering and confidence in new technology: it was larger, faster, and more luxurious than most ocean liners of its era, and it was widely described as exceptionally safe. What followed—after the Titanic struck an iceberg four days later and sank—became one of the best-known maritime disasters in

WOOD RIVER – A new work schedule for the Wood River Fire Department was approved this week on a one-year trial basis in an effort to boost the wellness and work-life balance of the city’s firefighters. On April 6, 2026, City Council members unanimously approved an ordinance amending the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the city and the International Association of Firefighters Local 2371 to modify the work schedule of union Fire Department employees for a one-year trial

EDWARDSVILLE – A New Mexico resident accused of hiding the proceeds of illegal activity in a vehicle while driving through Madison County faces felony charges. Antonio Hernandez, 22, of Las Cruces, N.M., was charged on April 1, 2026 with two counts of money laundering, both Class 1 felonies, in Madison County. On March 30, 2026, Hernandez reportedly knowingly transported $285,000 in U.S. currency which was “wrapped in bundles and hidden within a concealed compartment of a motor