Chris Rhodes is a photographer and reporter for RiverBender and EdGlenToday.com. He is a graduate of Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, IL with a degree in Criminal Justice. He also runs the Madison County Scanner Page.
Chris loves camping,fishing, and photography. Chris is an Eagle Scout and lives in East Alton.
ALTON — A helicopter installing marker balls on power lines clipped a power line and crashed into a barge in the Mississippi River near the Melvin Price Lock and Dam on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, officials said. The helicopter then caught fire. The helicopter ended up striking the barge, and two...
EDWARDSVILLE — An Alton man was sentenced to 14 years in prison for a May 2024 shooting that endangered residents of a Belle Street neighborhood. Rondell L. Sanders, 32, was found guilty in May on three counts related to the incident. After about two hours of jury deliberation, Sanders was...
WOOD RIVER — Families and first responders came together on August 5 at the Wood River Police Department for the 2025 National Night Out, fostering community engagement and providing an opportunity for residents to connect with local emergency services. The event featured participation from...
GILLESPIE, Ill. — Terry L. Swan, 42, of Gillespie, was charged July 28, 2025, with multiple offenses, including forgery, DUI, driving on a revoked license, fleeing, and illegal transportation of alcohol. According to the complaint, Swan knowingly delivered a false document, specifically a...
STAUNTON — A 45-year-old man faces a felony charge of Aggravated Battery by Strangulation following an incident earlier this week. Donald L. Lloyd, who is listed as homeless, was charged on July 28, 2025, for allegedly strangling a victim with his hands on July 26. The complaint states that...
STANDARD CITY — A 60-year-old man from Standard City faces multiple felony charges after allegedly striking two household members and making physical contact with a law enforcement officer, authorities said. Mark W. Wallace was charged July 28, 2025, with two counts of domestic battery causing...
EAST ALTON — A single-vehicle crash occurred at 12:35 p.m. Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at the intersection of Willow Way Avenue and Berkshire Boulevard. According to East Alton Fire Chief Jeremy Diveley, the vehicle left the roadway, struck a yard lamp, and came to rest against a tree, and one person...
ALTON, Ill. — Treiden Schleicher, a 20-year-old powerboat racer and recent competitor at the Alton Midwest Nationals Powerboat Championships, died Tuesday morning, July 29, 2025, in a boating accident at Champions Park Lake in Springfield, Ohio. Schleicher, a fan favorite who raced in th...
EAST ALTON — The 7th annual back-to-school event took place Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025, at the East Alton Keasler Complex, providing East Alton children with free school supplies, clothing, and other essentials ahead of the new academic year. Organizers offered a range of items, including haircuts,...
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