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Sister Jean rose above the noise of the 24-hour news cycle to inspire people. She's a reminder that we need plenty of good news these days.

October 11 and 12 have been dates marked by transformative events across the globe, spanning centuries and touching on politics, science, culture, and human achievement. In the realm of science, October 11, 1968, saw the launch of Apollo 7, the first manned mission in the United States’ Apollo program to orbit Earth. This mission was a critical step toward landing astronauts on the Moon, demonstrating the viability of spaceflight systems and crew operations. The successful mission helped restore confidence in NASA following the tragic Apollo 1 fire and paved the way for the historic Apollo 11 moon landing less than a year later. Shifting to the cultural sphere, on October 11, 1929, American author and illustrator Thornton W. Burgess published the first in his beloved series of children’s books featuring animal characters. Burgess’s stories, often set in the fictional Green Forest, enchanted generations with their blend of education and entertainment, promoting a

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Bipartisan legislation led by combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) to help expand leave benefits for the devoted health professionals serving in the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps passed the Senate last night by unanimous consent. Despite being responsible for leading our nation’s emergency response to dangerous public health crises and natural disasters, PHS officers are still the only federal entity—civilian or uniformed—without access to essential leave benefits, including extended parental leave, emergency leave, court appearance leave and rest and recuperation leave. The Senators’ Uniformed Services Leave Parity Act would rectify this issue by ensuring PHS officers have access to the same authorized leave that is available to members of the Armed Services. “When disease or disaster

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GRAFTON – The Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) will host employment screening events for its Juvenile Justice Specialist Intern positions. The positions are full-time, year-round, shift-work positions and there are job openings at the following Illinois youth centers: Chicago, Warrenville, St. Charles, Grafton, and Lincoln . The position has a starting salary of $65,004; and interested applicants must attend an upcoming required screening event to be considered. The screening dates and locations are listed below: Phoenix Emerging Adults Career & Education (PEACE) Center at St. Charles- 3825 Campton Hills Rd., St. Charles, IL ( Applicants for Chicago and Warrenville youth centers should also attend this screening.) October 21, 2025 November 18, 2025 Monarch Youth Center- 861 S. State St., Lincoln, IL November 13, 2025 December 10, 2025 Illinois Youth Center Pere Marquette- 17808 State Highway 100W, Grafton, IL October 17, 2025 November 14,

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, met with Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S., Olga Stefanishyna, along with a bipartisan group of Senators to discuss Russia’s ongoing war and how the United States and its allies can continue to help Ukraine defend itself and address Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia. During the meeting, they also discussed Durbin’s bipartisan resolution condemning Russian incursions into NATO territory and reaffirming Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. “I don’t blame President Trump for trying to engage Russian President Putin to end this war, but it is now clear that Putin isn’t interested and only responds with more deadly attacks on Ukraine, incursions into NATO airspace, and mayhem across Europe,” said Durbin. “We need to increase military assistance to our Ukrainian allies and allied pressure on Russia—which I reiterated to Ms. Stefanishyna.

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GREENE COUNTY — The Greene County Health Department is proud to announce that Amanda McKinley, one of our exceptional team members, has been honored with the Community Health Worker of the Year Award by the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA). This prestigious award recognizes Amanda’s outstanding achievements, dedication, and compassion in her role as a Community Health Worker (CHW). Her commitment to supporting individuals and families, addressing barriers to care, and improving community well-being has made a lasting difference across Greene County. The Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA), established in 1940, is the oldest and largest public health association in the state. IPHA works to strengthen public health infrastructure, promote policies that improve health outcomes, and advance the professional development of Illinois’ public health workforce. Community Health Workers are trusted frontline professionals who bridge the gap between

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RIVERBEND - Halloween is creeping up on us, but it’s all treats — no tricks — this spooky season. Several parades are scheduled over the next few weeks. Check it out! ALTON With one of the longest-running Halloween parades in the country, Alton’s 108th annual celebration will run from 7–10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025. The parade begins downtown at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Broadway and will continue on Broadway to Piasa Street, where it will end at 9th Street. If you are unable to get out to view the Alton Halloween Parade in-person, keep an eye out for the live stream on Riverbender.com . BETHALTO The Bethalto Rotary Club will host their annual Halloween parade on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025 . The parade starts at 6:30 p.m. and travels from Rose Lawn Memory Garden to Erwin Plegge Boulevard to Central Park. BRIGHTON The Village of Brighton will host their annual Frighten Brighton event from 3 to 7 p.m. o

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Did you know that nearly 33% of the world’s population depends on agriculture for their livelihood? Despite this staggering figure, farmers are often the least recognized contributors to our daily lives. National Farmers Day serves as a vital reminder to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and resilience of farmers who sustain our food systems and economies worldwide. The Importance of National Farmers Day National Farmers Day is more than just a date on the calendar; it is a tribute to the backbone of society—the farmers. In many countries, this day is observed to honor the role farmers play in food production, rural development, and environmental stewardship. The significance of this day lies in raising public awareness about the challenges faced by farmers, such as climate change, market volatility, and access to resources. For example, in India, where over 50% of the workforce is engaged in agriculture, National Farmers Day (celebrated on December 23) commemorates

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CHICAGO – Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul co-led a coalition of 18 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief supporting a legal challenge to President Trump’s executive orders targeting diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility initiatives and programs that support transgender individuals. Raoul and the coalition filed their brief in San Francisco AIDS Foundation v. Trump before the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. At issue on appeal are several provisions in the executive orders that direct agencies to terminate federal funding for “equity-related” grants and grants that promote “gender ideology.” The plaintiffs in the case argue that these funding provisions impose illegal burdens on organizations that provide critical services to LGBTQ communities – many specifically supporting transgender individuals. “The Trump administration’s attacks on the rights of transgender individuals and lawful diversity

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Hazelwood School District is talking about breaking away from the Special School District of St. Louis County, which no other district has done in the special district's 70 years.

Poor economics drove the aging New Hampshire plant offline three years early, even as the Trump administration pushes to revitalize coal.

A community town hall meeting is set to take place this afternoon at Saint Cronan Catholic Church on South Boyle Avenue, aiming to prevent the historic Armory in Midtown from being converted into a data center. The meeting, scheduled for 3 PM, is expected to draw community members who oppose the proposal to transform the [...]