Aggregator

The organizers of Paint Louis said the vandals won't be invited back.

ALTON - With the announcement that Alton Little Theater has hired a new executive director, current Artistic Director Kevin Frakes is preparing to step down. Frakes has worked with Alton Little Theater (ALT) for 57 years. He will retire in December after the theater’s run of “A Christmas Carol,” which Frakes is directing. “I’m ready,” Frakes said. “I’ve been there for over 50 years, and I think it’s time.” Frakes said he regularly spends 12–14 hours a day at the theater. In addition to directing, he builds sets and completes administrative tasks for ALT. Lee Cox, current executive director, will also be stepping down in 2025. She plans to take on a mentorship role through May while the new executive director, Eric Sykes, assumes the position in January. Sykes’s new role will combine the positions of executive director and artistic director. “Dear Kevin Frakes will be retiring after ‘A

Continue Reading

ALTON - Backstoppers will host a 9-Pin Bowling fundraiser to support local first responders. Starting at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, at Bowl Haven Lanes in Alton, community members can enjoy three games of bowling, a strikepot, a silent auction, a bake sale and more. All proceeds go directly to Backstoppers, which benefits local police departments, fire departments and emergency services. “ everybody coming out and donating and showing their support and seeing everybody, seeing the guys stop in and taking their pictures, seeing what we’re doing for them,” said Melissa, one of the organizers. The event encourages community members to have fun at the bowling alley while donating to Backstoppers. Tickets cost $25 in advance or $30 at the door. DJ Lightning and Thunder will provide music. The top three bowlers will receive prizes. There are also several silent auction items available, from an alcohol basket to gift cards to a doggie basket. The

Continue Reading

ALTON - The Mississippi Earthtones Festival offers free entertainment and art for community members to enjoy. From 12–10 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, at the Alton Amphitheater, people can enjoy the 18th annual Mississippi Earthtones Festival (MEF), complete with art exhibits, vendors, live music and environmental education. This year’s theme is “Emerge and Be Heard.” “It is absolutely at its heart about celebrating being a river community,” said Sara McGibany. “The Mississippi is our biggest natural asset. We use it for everything from recreation and commerce to everything in between. It just runs through our entire lives. So this is our opportunity to get everybody together. It’s really concerned about protecting our waterways and making sure that we’re all living our most environmentally-friendly lives that we can.” McGibany is the executive director of Alton Main Street, one of the organizations that sponsors

Continue Reading

ALTON - Another redevelopment agreement using Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is on the agenda for the Alton Committee of the Whole’s consideration and possible approval on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. The item appears on Monday’s agenda as a resolution authorizing the mayor to execute a redevelopment agreement with Honke Properties LLC, in accordance with the city’s TIF program. The project consists of improvements to a piece of real estate whose legal description is associated with the address 307 Henry St. in Alton. This property is a multi-story brick building on the corner of Henry and East 3rd Street which houses multiple businesses, including Honke Properties. The full scope of the project includes “interior accessibility improvements, including elevator modernization and hydraulic jack replacement.” While the total cost of the project is estimated at $74,545, the City of Alton has agreed to contribute $18,636 towards its completion, according to

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s fall 2024 enrollment stands at 11,893 a 1.26% decrease compared to the previous fall term. Our student body for fall 2024 comprises scholars from diverse backgrounds, representing 45 U.S. states (Guam and Puerto Rico included) and 66 countries. This fall, we welcomed 1,534 first-time, full-time students. SIUE has focused attention on transfer relationships to create clearer pathways for students to make seamless transitions. This year brought an increase of 6% in transfer student enrollment. This number is also bolstered by the greater availability of online degree completion programs, with Business Administration as a leader with strong enrollment. SIUE also realized notable enrollment growth in dual credit and early college students by 31%, and a 7.9% increase in international enrollment, resulting in the largest class of international undergraduates and the highest overall enrollment of international students

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Local rugby club Metro East Mayhem is gearing up for the start of the season on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024 for their increasingly popular youth rugby program. Featuring multiple age groups, levels of contact, experienced coaches and more, the program offers a great way to get kids outdoors while learning skills to use on and off the rugby field. Caleb, Corey, and Kegan, three coaches for the youth rugby program, appeared on Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com in anticipation of the season starting as the program continues into its third year. The youth rugby program offers options for multiple age ranges with varying levels of contact. These include the “full-contact” age group for ages 11-13 and the “non-contact” group from ages 6 to 8 - but the program is also proud to introduce a brand-new age category for “kind-of contact fundamentals,” designed for kids ages 8-10. Caleb said this new “middle group” provides

Continue Reading

After a two-week trial, a St. Louis City jury awarded a $462 million verdict on Thursday to two St. Louis families.

Experts say the causes are still unclear, but the change is consistent with a warming world. The effects on the ground could be devastating.

If approved by voters, Missouri would join 38 other states where legal sports betting is allowed.

We have a fantastic weekend ahead with temperatures only climbing into the mid 70s both Saturday and Sunday. Skies will be mostly sunny. We'll have the coolest temperatures since spring when it comes to overnight lows. St. Louis Lambert International Airport hasn't hit the 40s since April 25th and there's a good chance temperatures will dip [...]

Please join us for our Neighborhood Meeting. The meeting will be held at Watson Terrace Christian Church, 4205 Watson Rd. … MoreQuarterly Neighborhood Meeting – September 9, 2024

The human cases of the virus, also known as bird flu, have all been livestock workers who interact directly with cattle and poultry — until now.

The dog was left in the vehicle all day and died of heat exposure. A safeguard system that alerts the officer and cools the vehicle was working at the time.

Juan McCoy, formerly of the East St. Louis Police Department, was indicted Wednesday and charged with deprivation of rights under the color of law and conspiracy against rights.

The owner of a St. Louis-area mall is at risk of “imminent maturity default” on two of the mortgage loans secured by the shopping center, loan filings show.