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MADISON — Joan Wilkins, 84, lost her home and belongings in a house fire on Oct. 29, 2025, in Madison. Her granddaughter, Erin Sabol, has launched a fundraiser to assist Wilkins in rebuilding her life. Sabol said Wilkins was not at home when the fire occurred and is currently staying with family members. However, the family discovered that the homeowner’s insurance had lapsed, leaving Wilkins with no coverage for the loss. “All funds are going directly to her to start over and find a new home,” Sabol said in a statement. She expressed gratitude for the support, including kind words, prayers, and donations from the community. The fundraiser aims to provide financial assistance to Wilkins as she begins the process of recovery after the devastating fire. Click here for the GoFundMe.

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EAST ALTON – Two local men face felony charges after possessing metal knuckles and more, including a Cottage Hills man facing his sixth charge of driving on a revoked/suspended license. Danny M. Smith, 62, of Cottage Hills, was charged on Oct. 20, 2025 with a Class 2 felony count of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and a Class 4 felony count of driving while his license was revoked/suspended. Smith allegedly possessed a set of metal knuckles on Sept. 30, 2025; his possession of the weapon was illegal as a felon previously convicted of burglary in a prior Madison County case from 2001. Smith is additionally accused of driving a motor vehicle on 6th Street in Wood River while his license had been revoked or suspended for a previous offense of driving under the influence (DUI). Charging documents state Smith had previously been convicted of driving on a revoked/suspended license on five prior occasions in 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, and 2006, with this latest offense being

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Did you know that the global Halloween market was projected to reach over $12 billion in retail sales in 2024? From costumes and candy to decorations and parties, Halloween has grown into a cultural phenomenon far beyond its ancient origins. But how did a festival rooted in ancient rites transform into the commercial and social celebration we recognize today? Exploring the evolution of Halloween reveals much about cultural adaptation, commercialization, and the human fascination with the eerie and the festive. Ancient Origins: From Samhain to All Hallows’ Eve Halloween’s roots trace back over 2,000 years to the Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated primarily in what is now Ireland, Scotland, and Northern France. Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, a time believed to blur the boundaries between the living world and the spirit realm. During Samhain, people lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward off roaming ghosts. This ancient festival

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October 31 is a date steeped in history, marked by groundbreaking events that have shaped societies, cultures, and the course of human progress. 1517 – Martin Luther Nails His 95 Theses to the Church Door in Wittenberg Arguably one of the most transformative events in Western history occurred on October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther, a German monk and theologian, is said to have nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. This act challenged the Catholic Church’s practices, especially the sale of indulgences, and ignited the Protestant Reformation. While the exact historical accuracy of the nailing is debated, there’s no doubt the document was disseminated widely, sparking intense religious debate and ultimately leading to significant shifts in Christian theology, the rise of Protestant denominations, and profound socio-political changes across Europe. The Reformation also contributed to the rise of individualism and the questioning of authority,

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ALTON – One of Alton’s most cherished traditions returns for its 108th year, and Riverbender.com will be there to bring you every spooky float, marching band, and costumed ghoul — live. The Alton Halloween Parade steps off at 7:00 p.m. sharp on Halloween night, Friday, October 31, 2025 , and Riverbender’s live broadcast begins at 6:50 p.m. so you won’t miss a moment of the action. Presented by the East End Improvement Association , the parade begins at Washington Avenue and Broadway , travels down Broadway, and ends at 9th Street . How to Watch Watch the 108th Annual Alton Halloween Parade live and on-demand across all Riverbender platforms: Riverbender.com Live Stream Riverbender iPhone App Riverbender Android App Riverbender Roku Channel Facebook Live YouTube Channel The full replay will also be available on Riverbender.com . Parade Marshal Karen Wilson Leads the Way This year’s parade marshal,

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Friday will be mostly sunny and cool, with a high near 62 and a low around 38. Winds will come from the west at 9 to 24 mph gusts, making it feel a bit cooler than the actual temperature. Friday morning starts off clear and chilly with temperatures near 38. By afternoon, expect mostly sunny skies and highs reaching 62. The evening will stay dry with some increasing cloud cover as temperatures drop to the upper 30s overnight, making for a chilly night. Saturday’s forecast calls for intermittent clouds with a high of 51 and a low near 34. Winds will shift to the northwest at about 7 mph with gusts up to 16 mph. The day will be cool with a mix of clouds and sun, and mainly clear, chilly conditions overnight. Sunday looks brighter with plenty of sunshine and a high reaching 55. The low will be around 37. Winds will be lighter, mostly from the northwest at about 6 mph. It’s a great day to get outside before the workweek. For live updates throughout the weekend, check RiverBender.com/weather

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ELSAH — Principia College has named Dr. Meggan Madden as its 13th president, effective Nov. 1, 2025, following her tenure as interim president. The announcement was made Oct. 30, 2025, highlighting Madden’s extensive experience in higher education and her leadership at Principia. Dr. Madden has served as dean of academics at Principia College since 2019, where she spearheaded a reimagining of the curriculum into five interdisciplinary Academic Centers launched this fall. Her background includes more than 20 years in higher education, with roles in international education, admissions, academic program assessment and design, student success initiatives, and cross-disciplinary research collaboration. “Dr. Madden combines curiosity, integrity, spiritual strength, and a clear sense of purpose in her leadership,” said Principia Chief Executive Barbara Blackwell. “Her steady, forward-thinking approach will strengthen the College’s academic vitality and

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GRANITE CITY - Livia Goebel is a junior middle hitter for the Edwardsville High girls volleyball team, and she's proving to be an important part of the Tigers' success going into the IHSA Class 4A regional final Oct. 30, 2025, at Granite City Memorial Gym. In the Tigers' 25-14, 25-3 win over the host Warriors in the semifinal on Oct. 28, 2025, Goebel had five kills, seven points, two aces, a block, and two digs in the match. She has played a vital role in helping Edwardsville to a 24-11 mark going into the final against Quincy. In a post-match interview held after the win over Granite, Goebel felt good about the happenings of the evening and felt confident going into the final. "I feel pretty great," Goebel said. "I feel like my team came together well, and we were able to come out with a good win tonight." Livia is a Spencer Homes Female Athlete of the Month for the Edwardsville girls' volleyball team. It's been another good season thus far for the Tigers, with only two seniors

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ALTON – Residents of Alton and Granite City face felony charges in two separate cases of battery in Madison County. Andre D. Prayer, 45, of Alton, was charged on Oct. 20, 2025 with a Class 3 felony count of unlawful possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine and a Class A misdemeanor count of domestic battery. On Oct. 17, 2025, Prayer allegedly placed his arm around the victim’s neck and held her without legal justification. Charging documents state the victim in this case was a family or household member of Prayer’s. The Bethalto Police Department presented the case against Prayer, who was granted pretrial release from custody. 59-year-old Kevin C. Lee Sr. of Granite City was charged in an unrelated case from Oct. 24, 2025 with two counts of aggravated battery, both Class 3 felonies. Lee reportedly struck an individual about the head and hand without legal justification, causing the victim to sustain a laceration and a fractured finger on Oct. 14

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GLEN CARBON – A local “mini storage” facility is one step closer to realizing its plans to expand. Village Board members on Tuesday unanimously approved an expanded site plan for the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Mini Storage facility at 5214 Chain of Rocks Road in Edwardsville. Director of Community Development Erika Heil said the expansion will consist of two new storage facility buildings. One building will measure about 9,000 square feet, while the other will total approximately 7,300 square feet. Mayor Bob Marcus asked if the exteriors of the new structures will match those of the site’s existing structures, which Heil confirmed, stating they will be “in concert” with the current structures. Heil said the facility’s initial expanded site plan from 2012 had previously been approved, but expired in 2013. The project will now be built under more modern guidelines as the expansion plans are revisited. “As you know with our continuation

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ALTON — Jack Beaber, a standout guard and linebacker for Marquette Catholic, has been instrumental in the Explorers’ strong 2025 football season, which has positioned the team as a contender in the Illinois High School Association state playoffs. Beaber’s athleticism has made him a leader on both offense and defense throughout the season. In addition to his football achievements, he excels in track and field, holding Marquette Catholic’s school records in the shot put (51 feet, 1 inch) and discus (167 feet, 11.75 inches), both set in 2025. He is recognized as an Auto Butler Male Athlete of the Month for the Explorers and is anticipated to remain among the state’s top shot put and discus competitors in the 2026 outdoor track and field season. Marquette Catholic head football coach Eric Dickerson praised Beaber’s work ethic and character. “He is an incredible athlete and fun to be around and a great kid,” Dickerson said. “These

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BETHALTO - Max Weber of Civic Memorial High School made history on Oct. 25, 2025, by becoming the first athlete from the school to win three consecutive Illinois High School Association Class 2A Cross Country Regional titles. Weber secured the championship at the Taylorville IHSA Class 2A Regional with a time of 14 minutes, 29.6 seconds. Weber is a Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Male Athlete Of The Month for the Eagles. The senior athlete has demonstrated consistent excellence throughout the season. He claimed first place at the Mississippi Valley Conference Championship and the Madison County Championships, both with a time of 15:06.3. Weber also won the Peoria High School Invitational on Oct. 4, finishing in 14:37.5. Earlier in the season, on Sept. 6, he placed second at the Granite City Invite with a personal record of 14:28.9 amid strong competition. Weber's progression includes a 13th-place finish at the Class 2A State Meet in Peoria in 2024. Looking ahead, he aims to

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ALTON - The East End Improvement Association hosted the annual Halloween parade and grand masquerade dance on October 30, 1925, as they had done every year since 1916. The first Alton Halloween parade and dance in 1916 was held to celebrate the completion of the long-drawn-out East Broadway street-paving project, which went from Henry to Cherry Streets and was open for the first time on October 31, 1916. A new feature of the 1925 parade, however, was the children’s lantern parade. In early October, Playground and Recreation Commission superintendent John McWherter attended an East End Association Halloween celebration planning meeting to suggest adding a children’s lantern parade. The Playground and Recreation Commission furnished the cardboard, and McWherter made visits to local schools to display a sample lantern and explain the construction to fifth through eighth grade students. The idea was a success, and 1,000 children participated in the lantern parade. The lanterns

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They raised their right hands, served with courage, and came home to build the communities we love. This Veterans Day, help us say “thank you” by sharing the veteran in your life with the entire Riverbend region. RiverBender.com will once again be publishing reader-submitted tributes free-of-charge thanks to our community sponsors. How to submit Submitting a tribute is simple. You can fill out our Veteran Salute form at http://contribute.riverbender.com/page/veteran-salute, or email us at news@riverbender.com. What to include When you submit, please include the veteran’s full name; hometown or local connection; branch, rank, and years of service; and a brief story—highlighting their service, deployments, achievements, or the everyday moments that make them your hero. Add your name and contact information so we can follow up if needed. Attach a photo in JPEG or PNG format. Anyone can submit a tribute—family members, friends, coworkers, and neighbors.

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GLEN CARBON - Sarah Hyten recently won the IHSA Class 1A individual golf championship for Father McGivney Catholic, beating out Avery Arendale of Columbia by a shot, firing a two-over par 146 at Red Tail Run Golf Course in Decatur. On Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, she signed a letter of intent to attend Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Fla., to play golf for the Eagles in a ceremony held at the Griffins Den student lounge. Hyten is a Byron, Carlson, Petri & Kalb Female Athlete of the Month for the Griffins. The state championship was a great climax to her high school career in golf, and in a post-ceremony interview, Hyten was very happy with how things turned out, in both the state tournament and her decision to play for FGCU. "It's really, really an honor for me to be able to be the first state winner for the McGivney golf program," Hyten said. "I'm so proud of how far I've come, and all the help that's gotten me here has been really great." Her decision to attend FGCU

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STAUNTON – Community members are rallying in support of a Staunton business owner allegedly detained by ICE after dropping off his children at school as state officials seek further information. “My office has received deeply troubling reports that a beloved member of the Staunton community, local business owner, father, and resident of over 20 years, was detained by ICE after dropping his children off at school,” Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski announced on Thursday . Budzinski added that she and Senator Dick Durbin are “working urgently to obtain information about his status and to ensure he is released and reunited with his family immediately.” “This administration’s reckless misuse of ICE has sown fear and chaos in our communities,” Budzinski stated. “Our immigrant community doesn't deserve this and we must demand better.” The man reportedly detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is Ismael Sandoval,

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ALTON — Ja'Kayla Steen, a senior middle hitter for the Alton High girls volleyball team, has been recognized as the Auto Butler Female Athlete of the Month following a strong 2025 season in which the Redbirds recorded nine wins. Steen averaged 1.6 kills per set, totaled 125 kills, and contributed 25 blocks throughout the season. Beyond volleyball, she has also competed in Alton’s girls basketball and track and field programs, demonstrating her versatility as an athlete. As the Redbirds worked to rebuild their girls' volleyball program, Steen emerged as a key player, helping to guide the team in a positive direction. Reflecting on the season, she said, “I hope for the future, the girls continue to have a better season each year. I hope we improved as players and people during the season. I hope in the future that the girls continue to learn to work together more, which I think we improved a lot this year.” Steen emphasized teamwork as the most important aspect

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ALTON - The Upper Alton Association invites community members to join them for a litter cleanup this weekend. At 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, Upper Alton neighbors and community members can meet at Boost Mobile on Washington Avenue to begin the cleanup. Debbie Frakes, president of the Upper Alton Association, shared that the organization plans to host monthly cleanups, weather-permitting, on the first Saturday of every month going forward. “We will focus on different areas each time to try and get the Upper Alton area cleaned up a little bit,” Frakes said. “We always appreciate anyone that comes out to volunteer to help us.” She encouraged participants to bring gloves and trash grabbers if they have them. Frakes has “plenty of trash bags” and looks forward to filling them all. As an organization, the Upper Alton Association oversees beautification and engagement initiatives in the Upper Alton neighborhoods. They maintain hanging flower

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COLLINSVILLE - Collinsville Community Unit School District #10 has received its 2025 Illinois State Report Card, highlighting academic performance and areas needing improvement across its schools. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) released the report cards, which evaluate schools on multiple criteria, including academic proficiency, growth, attendance, and student success indicators. Webster Elementary School earned an "Exemplary" designation, placing it among the top 10% of schools statewide for student growth. Several other district schools — including Caseyville Elementary, Collinsville High School, Dorris Intermediate, Kreitner Elementary, Maryville Elementary, Renfro Elementary, Summit Elementary, and Twin Echo Elementary — received "Commendable" ratings for their overall performance. Collinsville Middle School was designated as requiring "Targeted Support" due to underperformance by two student subgroups: Native American students and children with disabilities.

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ALTON — The Riverbender building, a historic downtown landmark, celebrated its 100th anniversary on Oct. 24, 2025, with a morning gathering of tenants, community members, and building representatives on its renovated first floor. Originally opened in 1925 as the First National Bank, the building still houses the original bank vaults in its basement. Over the past five years, Skyline Commercial Real Estate, owned by John Muller and his Riverbender building partner Mark Jaffe, has overseen extensive renovations to restore and enhance the property’s value. Muller noted that the firm acquired much of the real estate in St. Louis about five years ago and has focused on revitalizing the Riverbender building as part of that portfolio. “Alton has a lot to offer, and we really like the building located in downtown, renovated and brought it back to life,” Muller said. “Skyline is a full real estate company — new tenants, improvements, and taking something

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