Riverbender 🕸

O’FALLON, Ill. — HSHS Home Care invites community members to join them for butterfly release ceremonies at locations throughout southern Illinois at these Hospital Sisters Health System hospitals: HSHS Holy Family Hospital, Greenville Wednesday, May 13 at 4 p.m. in the fountain area (front of the hospital) HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, O’Fallon Wednesday, May 20 at 5:30 p.m. in front of the Health Center HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital, Highland

EDWARDSVILLE - Jaimee Henderson loves getting to know her students. Henderson teaches math at Edwardsville High School. She also spent several years as a coach. This Teacher Appreciation Week, she is thankful for the opportunity to teach — and learn from — these kids. “I’ve always loved helping people. I enjoyed my school experiences growing up and know that having dedicated teachers to guide me through is a big part of that,” she shared. “It’s

EDWARDSVILLE - Colbee Molina loves watching her students achieve their goals. Molina is a special education teacher for third through fifth grade students at Woodland Elementary School in the Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7. This Teacher Appreciation Week, she is proud of the work she does to support her students and hopeful that she can continue to be an encouraging role model in their lives. “I wanted to provide a welcoming and positive environment to students. I

BETHALTO - Lindsey Steinmann is a cheerleader for her students. Steinmann is a reading specialist for second and third grade students at Parkside Primary School in the Bethalto Community Unit School District #8. This Teacher Appreciation Week, she is grateful for the chance she has to help kids learn and watch them grow. “I’ve always wanted to make a positive impact in the community in some way, and becoming a teacher was my way of doing that,” she said. “I love

A lot of people swear they get their best ideas when they’re “not trying”—on a walk, in the shower, or while cleaning the kitchen. That isn’t just a cute story about inspiration. It’s often a sign that your brain is responding to changes in light, routine, and energy in ways that make creativity easier to access. Creativity is not a magical switch. It’s a mix of attention, mood, memory, and willingness to take small risks. Spring can nudge all of those

ALTON – An Alton man with domestic battery convictions dating back to 2014 across Madison and Macoupin Counties has been detained in his latest such case. John T. Tanner, 37, of Alton, was charged on April 29, 2026 with two Class 3 felony counts of domestic battery, his fourth or subsequent such offenses. On April 18 and 28, 2026, Tanner allegedly knowingly made physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature against two household or family members in separate incidents. Charging

JERSEYVILLE – Raised by educators herself, Melanie Fessler says her passion for learning won’t stop after retirement. Fessler has taught grade levels K-12 at all Jersey 100 schools and marks 32 years with the school district as she prepares for retirement this year and reflects on her career for Teacher Appreciation Week. Being raised in a household of educators gave Fessler a firsthand look at the positive impact dedicated teachers can have on their communities. When she became

On May 7, 1945, Germany’s top military leaders signed the act of unconditional surrender to the Allied powers, effectively ending the war in Europe in World War II. The signing took place in Reims, France, after months of Allied advances and the collapse of Nazi control across the continent. At the time, it mattered because it stopped the largest and deadliest fighting in Europe and confirmed that the Nazi state could no longer wage war. It still matters today because it reshaped borders,

EDWARDSVILLE — The trial of Timothy J. Dubois, of Shobonier, Illinois, continued Wednesday with the second day of testimony in the 2022 Collinsville kidnapping and aggravated criminal sexual assault case. The day began with testimony from the victim, who provided a detailed and emotional account of the events of Nov. 11, 2022. She testified that while on her way to work in Collinsville, she stopped at the Starbucks located at 1077 Collinsville Crossing Blvd to pick up a mobile order.

EDWARDSVILLE – Two out-of-state residents face felony charges in two cannabis-related cases filed in Madison County last week. Bijan Gianni Namdar, 39, of Anaheim, Ca., was charged on April 29, 2026 with one count each of cannabis trafficking and unlawful possession with intent to deliver cannabis, both Class X felonies. On April 17, 2026, Namdar allegedly knowingly brought 5,000 grams, amounting to just over 11 pounds, of cannabis into the State of Illinois from the State of California.

JERSEYVILLE – A Jerseyville man and Missouri woman face felonies in two unrelated Jersey County cases involving the illegal use of a victim’s debit card and damage done to another victim’s vehicle. Tanner J. Reno, 21, of Jerseyville, was charged on May 1, 2026 with a Class 4 felony count of unlawful possession of the debit card of another and a Class A misdemeanor count of theft. The charges stem from an alleged incident on April 25, 2026, when Reno is accused of obtaining

ALTON - Alton Community Unit School District #11 elementary school students competed in their annual spelling bee. On Wednesday, May 6, 2026, students from East, North and West Elementary Schools competed to become the district’s top speller. Director of Curriculum Jody Meggos explained that the event is a chance for the students to push themselves academically and have fun. “It’s just another way that we’re encouraging students to stay tuned in with the academics

SMITHTON - State Rep. Kevin Schmidt, R-Millstadt, will host a tire recycling event and food drive Saturday, May 9, at Smithton Community Park in Smithton, Illinois, offering residents a way to dispose of old tires while collecting nonperishable food items for local food pantries across the 114th District. The event is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the park, 65 Memorial Drive. “The purpose of this event is to give my constituents a way to recycle their old tires while also collecting

COLLINSVILLE – Continental Realty Corporation (CRC) announced it has completed an off-market acquisition of a 14-property retail portfolio spanning seven states and encompassing more than two million square feet of retail space from US Properties Group, including · Collinsville Plaza - 29,000 square feet - in Collinsville, Illinois. The acquisition includes a mix of well-located retail assets supported by strong market fundamentals and consistent in-place performance. With this

O’FALLON, Ill. — HSHS Home Care invites community members to join them for butterfly release ceremonies at locations throughout southern Illinois at these Hospital Sisters Health System hospitals: HSHS Holy Family Hospital, Greenville Wednesday, May 13 at 4 p.m. in the fountain area (front of the hospital) HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, O’Fallon Wednesday, May 20 at 5:30 p.m. in front of the Health Center HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital, Highland Tue

RANTOUL – Today, Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), the Village of Rantoul, and Combe Incorporated announced new investments in Rantoul. Combe will invest $30 million to expand and retain its manufacturing operations in East Central Illinois, which is supported by a $5 million grant from the State of Illinois. “Combe’s expansion is a great example of how the State of Illinois works with companies and communities

CHICAGO — Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today announced lower fees and technology improvements for employers and savers of the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program, which will take effect in June 2026. “A decade ago, too many Illinois workers didn’t have an easy way to save for retirement at work, so we set up a low-cost solution,” Frerichs said. “Now, workers have saved more than $300 million thanks to our Secure Choice retirement program. But we

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) encourages farmers and agrichemical facilities to take part in a free agrichemical container recycling program. Beginning in the middle of July and continuing into August, sites throughout the state will collect containers that are recycled to make shipping pallets. “Each year, this program gives farmers and agrichemical facilities an easy way to responsibly dispose of empty pesticide containers,” said IDOA Director

Across the Riverbend area, more property owners are looking at pole barns and post-frame buildings for practical, long-lasting space. For some, that means a farm building or equipment storage. For others, it means a garage, workshop, hobby building, commercial-use structure, or a general-purpose storage building that fits their property better than a traditional build. Before getting too far into pricing or design ideas, it helps to take a step back and think through how the building will actually

SPRINGFIELD – Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today announced $56 million in funding is available for the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) for Public Infrastructure ($25 million), Housing Rehabilitation ($15 million), Community Revitalization ($13 million), and Emergency Assistance ($3 million). Grantees will be selected through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) process. “Here in Illinois,