Today in Alton / Riverbend
The Alton Halloween Parade steps off at 7 p.m. Saturday, October 31, on Broadway downtown; Wood River's parade starts at 10:30 a.m. that morning.
Trick-or-treating in Godfrey runs 6 to 8 p.m. tonight and Saturday, October 31.
Early voting continues at Alton's Scott Bibb Center through Monday, November 2, including weekend hours; polls are open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3.
Alton says no application has been filed yet for a proposed data center campus at the former Alton Steel site.
East Alton's Village Board meets on Election Day, November 3, with a first reading of the 2026-2027 tax levy on its agenda.
Showers are likely Sunday morning, after a cloudy Halloween with a chance of sprinkles.
NEW: newly reported developments or upcoming opportunities. UPDATE: later substantive information on a covered story. ONGOING: continuing useful information. RESOLVED: the reported issue has ended. BACKGROUND: dated historical context, not a new development or confirmation of current availability. UNCONFIRMED: a story, continuing story or detail that could not be confirmed against its cited source on the edition date; the note under the headline says what is not confirmed. Today and countdown lines carry "(unconfirmed)" for the same reason. All local times are Central Daylight Time.
City, Roads & Planning
NEW
East Alton board meets November 3 on tax levy and a new police officer
The East Alton Village Board meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 3, at the East Alton Municipal Building, 119 W. Main Street, after a committee meeting at 5 p.m. Monday, November 2.
The agenda lists the appointment of Maria Ferrari as a police officer, effective November 4; Resolution 2026-27 for a sealed bid auction of a 2005 Chrysler 300; and two ordinances set for a first reading and lay over: Ordinance 1750, the 2026-2027 tax levy, and Ordinance 1751 on the Enterprise Zone. Items laid over are not voted on at that meeting.
Wood River's City Council had a resolution on its October 19 agenda for an agreement with Moran Economic Development for technical services and help with the Riverbend Enterprise Zone. Minutes from that meeting are not yet posted.
NEW
Godfrey asks residents not to blow leaves into streets
The Village of Godfrey is asking residents not to blow or rake leaves into the streets, saying in an October 28 notice that it has no curbside leaf vacuum program and that leaves can block stormwater flow in curbs and ditches and clog drainage pipes.
Leaf burning is allowed on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in October, November and December. The residents-only yard waste site at 1433 Stamper Lane is open Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon, with proof of residency. Yard waste must be in brown recyclable bags with village stickers, which cost $1.75 each; limbs over 4 inches across are not accepted.
The Village Board's October 20 meeting was canceled. The board and its Public Safety and Finance Committee next meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 4, at Village Hall.
ONGOING
Lane restrictions on Homer Adams Parkway expected through spring 2027
One lane is open in each direction on Illinois 3 (Homer Adams Parkway) between Bloomer Drive and College Avenue in Alton for bridge construction. The Illinois Department of Transportation says the restrictions began Friday, September 18, and are expected to stay in place through spring 2027.
IDOT encourages drivers to use alternate routes and to slow down in the work zone. Updates are posted by IDOT District 8 and on the state's GettingAroundIllinois.com traveler map.
BACKGROUND
Wood River testing found PFOS above the state standard
A City of Wood River notice says recent testing found perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), one of the PFAS "forever chemicals," at 6.7 parts per trillion in the city's water, above the Illinois standard of 4 parts per trillion. The city said a result above a standard "does not mean that our residents are experiencing an immediate health emergency."
The city says it is running a pilot study to find the best PFAS treatment for its system and is working with the Illinois EPA. It is also part of litigation against PFAS manufacturers, which it says has brought in money for future treatment. Questions go to City Hall at 618-251-3100.
Public Safety & Weather
NEW
Cloudy Halloween, then showers likely Sunday
The National Weather Service forecast for Alton calls for a partly sunny Friday with a high near 75 and a low around 59 tonight. Halloween, Saturday, October 31, looks cloudy with a high near 73 and a chance of sprinkles after 10 a.m. Showers become possible after 2 a.m. Sunday.
Showers are likely Sunday, November 1, mainly between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m., with a high near 67. Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, has a 60% chance of showers, a high near 74 and breezy conditions. The forecast issued late Friday morning listed no watches or warnings.
Clocks fall back one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday, when daylight saving time ends.
Elections
NEW
Final days of early voting before the November 3 election
Madison County voters can still vote early at the Scott Bibb Center, 1004 E. Fifth Street in Alton, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, October 31; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, November 1; and 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, November 2. All precincts in the county are served at every early voting site. Friday is the last day at Godfrey Village Hall, 6810 Godfrey Road, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Polls are open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 3. The county clerk says the Alton 2 precinct has moved to the Scott Bibb Center for Election Day. Grace period registration and voting run through November 2 at the County Clerk's Office. Mail and provisional ballots can be counted through Tuesday, November 17.
The county's list of ballot questions includes none from Alton, Godfrey, East Alton, Wood River or their school districts. The Madison County Clerk's office is at 618-296-6200.
NEW
Campaign signs can be recycled November 4 to 9
Corrugated plastic campaign signs can be dropped off for recycling November 4 through November 9 at IBEW Local 649, 3945 Humbert Road, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and at LaVista Park, 2421 W. Delmar Avenue, from dawn to dusk. Signs must be free of stickers, and metal bases should be separated into their own containers.
The collection is run by the Greater Godfrey Democrats, IBEW Local 649 and the Village of Godfrey.
Schools & Youth
NEW
Alton schools hold parent-teacher conferences
The Alton School District (Community Unit School District 11) has parent-teacher conferences on Thursday, October 29, and Friday, October 30, according to a district reminder posted October 22. Families with questions about conference times can call the district at 618-474-2600.
Arts, Culture & Events
NEW
Alton Halloween Parade steps off Saturday night on Broadway
The free Alton Halloween Parade starts at 7 p.m. Saturday, October 31, at Washington Avenue and Broadway. The route follows Broadway to Piasa Street, then turns onto Piasa and ends at Ninth Street. The event listing describes more than 40 entries, including floats, bands and costumed marchers.
Questions go to the parade at 618-972-8329.
NEW
Wood River Halloween Parade is Saturday morning
Wood River's Halloween Parade starts at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 31, with lineup at 9:30 a.m. The route runs from Emerick Sports Complex south on Sixth Street to Ferguson Avenue, west on Ferguson to Wood River Avenue, then north to the Recreation Center.
The Wood River Fire Department says the parade "is for the children" and asks that campaign materials not be handed out. Three $200 float prizes are awarded near the end of the route.
NEW
Godfrey trick-or-treating set for Friday and Saturday evenings
Trick-or-treating in the Village of Godfrey is allowed only on Friday, October 30, and Saturday, October 31, from 6 to 8 p.m., under a resolution the Board of Trustees adopted October 6.
NEW
Great Godfrey Maze ends its season Sunday
The Great Godfrey Maze at Robert E. Glazebrook Park, 1401 Stamper Lane, is open for its final weekend: 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, November 1. The haunted maze starts at dark, around 8 p.m., on Friday and Saturday.
The regular maze costs $8 for ages 12 and up and $6 for ages 6 to 11; the haunted maze is $10 and $8. Children 5 and under are free. This year's theme is the *Inside Out* films, and children 13 and under must be with an adult. Flashlights are required after dark.
NEW
Hayner Library shows Hocus Pocus tonight; Underground Railroad exhibit at City Hall
Hayner Public Library District shows *Hocus Pocus* from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. today at Hayner Library at Alton Square Mall, 132 Alton Square, with pizza and popcorn. Children are encouraged to come in costume. Registration is required at 618-462-0677, extension 2822. The library's fall scavenger hunt and the regional Library Crawl end Saturday, October 31.
The traveling exhibit *Journey to Freedom: Illinois' Underground Railroad* is at Alton City Hall through Thursday, December 31, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It includes the story of Isaac Kelly of Alton. A Lovejoy Day reader's theater program is planned for Monday, November 9, at the Genealogy and Local History Library, 401 State Street; registration is at 1-800-613-3163.
Sports
NEW
Roxana and Civic Memorial win IHSA football playoff openers
Roxana beat Massac County 60-23 in the Class 3A opening round on Saturday, October 24, and Civic Memorial of Bethalto beat Quincy Notre Dame 28-24 in Class 4A on Friday, October 23, Fox 32 Chicago reported. Both teams entered the playoffs as No. 16 seeds.
AI in Your Community
BACKGROUND
Lewis and Clark gets grant tied to AI advising tools
Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey received a $100,000 Gates Foundation grant in July 2026 for a 17-month national learning initiative on student success. The foundation's grant record describes the purpose as "advancing the effective and equitable use of AI-enabled advising tools in higher education."
In May, Lewis and Clark students hosted a panel on AI in education on the Godfrey campus, with about 80 people taking part in person and online. The college said a campus AI team is working on a policy for AI use in college business and in the classroom.
BACKGROUND
Alton police keep a voluntary registry of home and business cameras
The Alton Police Department runs a voluntary Private Video Surveillance Camera Registration Program. Residents and business owners register their address so police know where cameras are, and officers may contact them to request footage when a crime happens nearby.
The department says registering "does not automatically give the Alton Police Department access to your camera system." Footage that owners share may be used as evidence, and owners could receive a subpoena. Owners can withdraw at any time. Questions go to the department at 618-463-3505.
Still Developing
The latest confirmed movement, the open question and the next checkpoint.
OPENProposed data center campus at the former Alton Steel site
The City of Alton says Alton Steel Inc. and TerraWatt have approached it about buying and redeveloping the former Alton Steel property as a data center campus. The city said October 21 that no permit or zoning application has been filed. The site would need to be rezoned, with a detailed site plan going first to the Plan Commission and then to the City Council, each voting at a regular meeting. The city says it will seek a third-party consultant for engineering, planning and environmental review and takes resident comments through a form on its website. TerraWatt held an open house October 27 at the Wedge Building, 620 E. Broadway. The Waterways Journal reported that the mill covers 381 acres, that Alton Steel stopped operating in January, and that the property's owner, J&J Ventures LLC, is exploring a deal with TerraWatt, a Texas-based developer that the Journal said has not completed any data centers. On November 3, voters in Chouteau, Granite City, Nameoki and Venice townships will see advisory questions on whether new data centers may be built there. The proposal becomes news again when an application is filed and a Plan Commission date is set.
First covered October 30, 2026.
OPENUNCONFIRMEDAlton Public Works strike
Not confirmed against the source as of October 30, 2026: that the strikers had been working without a contract before the strike, and that no new contract had been announced; the union statement does not say either. Check the source before relying on it.
Alton Public Works Department employees represented by Teamsters Local 525 went on strike September 25 after working without a contract, according to an October 22 statement from the Alton Education Association, the teachers' union. The association said its members would support the strikers, wear red on Wednesday, October 28, and contact City Council members to urge a quick and fair settlement. No new contract had been announced as of that statement. The City Council meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 101 E. Third Street. A ratified contract or a return to work would make this news again.
First covered October 30, 2026.
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