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Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins has approved a referendum petition that could overturn new redistricting laws passed earlier this year. That means the group behind the petition can now start collecting signatures from voters to get the issue on the November 2026 ballot.

ALTON - Alton Main Street will host their Downtown Chili Cook-Off this weekend. From 12–3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025, community members can stop by FLOCK Food Truck Park for the chili competition. Entry costs $10 for adults and $5 for children. Each attendee will receive a two-ounce sample from every chili competitor and can vote for their favorite chef. “You just pay once to get in the door, and then you go around and eat to your heart’s content,” said Alton Main Street Executive Director Sara McGibany. This year’s Downtown Chili Cook-Off will feature 17 teams, divided into categories for individuals, businesses, organizations and restaurants. A panel of judges will decide on a winner in each category, who will receive $100. The best decorated booth will also receive a $100 prize. When attendees arrive, they receive a ticket that can be deposited at their favorite booth. Whoever collects the most tickets will win “the coveted silver

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ALTON - Riverbender.com's Ryan Schlueter provided a morning view of the remains of the home in the 1200 block of Seasons Drive in Godfrey on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. Charlie Schlueter and Ryan both contributed to the photos above. The fire started at about 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. The Godfrey Fire Protection Chief Eric Cranmer has described the home as "a total loss." Six fire departments fought the serious blaze valiantly to extinguish it. There was some damage to the siding and some other issues with a home next door during the massive blaze, but the fire department's efforts protected other structures in the neighborhood. Chief Cranmer said the fire spread into the attic of the home and eventually the roof collapsed. Thankfully, the family and neighbors were able to get out safely after the fire broke out.

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A St. Louis police officer is facing charges in a drunk driving crash that severely injured a scooter driver.

ALTON – Alton authorities have charged two area residents with obstructing justice after allegedly giving false information to police investigating separate shootings from earlier this year. Deveon J. L. Burger, 24, of East St. Louis, was charged on Oct. 10, 2025 with obstructing justice, a Class 4 felony. Burger allegedly gave police false information about Hosea J. Burgess, who was charged last June with a Class X felony count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a repeat offender in connection to the fatal shooting of Donald R. Lane of Alton on May 28, 2025. On May 30, 2025, Burger allegedly falsely told the police “that he did not see Hosea Burgess with a firearm” on the night of the shooting, according to charging documents. Burger was ordered released from custody pending trial in the case presented by the Alton Police Department. In a separate but similar case, a Collinsville man was also charged on Oct. 10, 2025 with a Class 4 felony count of obstructing

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO. — Detectives with the St. Louis County Police Department are investigating a homicide that occurred early Wednesday morning, Oct. 15, 2025, in the 8300 block of Eaton Place. Officers from the City of Jennings Precinct responded at 3:13 a.m. to a ShotSpotter activation in the area. Upon arrival, they found an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. No suspects are currently in custody, and the investigation remains active. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477), where a reward may be available. Additional details will be released as they become available.

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Bruno David presents in the Project Room, Broken, But Beautiful, by Jean Mason, an exhibition of photographs revealing the earth’s power over our lives, as demonstrated by the June 2025 […]

The post Jean Mason: Broken, But Beautiful appeared first on Explore St. Louis.

Bruno David presents in the New Media Room, Red Sky in Morning, a film by San Francisco-based photographer Lisa K. Blatt. In rare and expected circumstances, such as an eclipse, […]

The post Lisa K Blatt: Red Sky in Morning appeared first on Explore St. Louis.

Bruno David presents Recent Works, by Joe Chesla, an exhibition of several sculptures incorporating floating glass vessels that challenge our views of what is up and what is down.

The post Joe Chesla: Recent Works appeared first on Explore St. Louis.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the Senate floor to honor Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the chaplain of the Loyola-Chicago men’s basketball team, after she passed away last week at 106 years old. “The phrase ‘Cura Personalis’ is the lodestar of Jesuit education. It means ‘care of the whole person,’ and it emphasizes the need for teachers to cultivate not just a person’s mind, but their spirit as well. No one embodied this ethos better than Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt,” Durbin said. “For more than half a century, Sister Jean shared her faith with her community in Chicago. She was a professor at Mundelein College, before it affiliated with Loyola , where she then became an academic advisor,” Durbin continued. “Basketball fans might remember Sister Jean as the de-facto chaplain and mascot of the Loyola Ramblers of the City of Chicago. Her cheers were louder than

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Magnolia Ridge, located less than a half-mile west of Interstate 270, will feature 182 apartments.

Big honors for two St. Louis breweries at this year’s Great American Beer Festival. Side Project Brewing in Maplewood earned a gold medal in the “Dessert or Pastry Stout” category for its beer Marble Lions.

Rooster, a local breakfast and lunch restaurant chain, will close its Clayton location later this month.

ALTON - The Audubon Center at Riverlands and Alton Main Street will unveil their new mural in downtown Alton. At 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, community members are invited to 224 E. Front Street in Alton to celebrate the mural, enjoy site-specific dance, and then head to My Just Desserts for a reception. The new mural spotlights the Lesser Yellowlegs and aims to encourage bird conservation. “It is a beautiful mural that wraps all the way around the entire building down on Front Street right next to Mineral Springs as you’re going down Landmarks Boulevard,” explained Sara McGibany with Alton Main Street. “It's a nice sunset scene with these adorable yellow-legged birds. It’s a fantastic addition to our public art scene.” McGibany pointed to the partnership between Alton Main Street and The Audubon Center as a driving force behind this newest mural. Mike Kelly and Center Advisory Board members Penny Schmidt and Susan Flader collaborated

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ALTON — Detective Dan Jensen has been named Officer of the Month for July 2025 by the Alton Police Department in recognition of his exceptional investigative work and dedication to justice in cases involving crimes against children. Detective Jensen led a sensitive investigation that resulted in the arrest and charging of a repeat sexual offender. "His patience, professionalism, and interview techniques secured a full confession, holding a dangerous individual accountable," the Alton Police Department said. In a separate case, Jensen also led an investigation that culminated in the arrest and charging of a child pornographer. The Alton Police Department said Jensen’s compassion, persistence, and dedication reflect the highest standards of law enforcement and service.

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A filing in one of the many lawsuits challenging Missouri’s gerrymandered redistricting plan appears to cast uncertainty on Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe’s statements that the map was prepared by staff in his office. A lawsuit filed by the committee seeking to force a referendum on the map states: “Governor Kehoe prepared and provided to the […]