Discover Alton & Godfrey 2026

Welcome to Alton!

In 1818, Alton was created as a river town. It is seated among the confluence of three navigable rivers: the Illinois, the Mississippi, and the Missouri. The town, designed to be a ferry port, was created by Col. Rufus Easton, who named the city after his son.

It became a bustling city, due to its location right along the water, where trade, shipping, and commerce thrived. For many years, it rivaled neighboring St. Louis and fellow Illinois city Chicago in size.

There are beautiful sights of the mighty rivers all over the Alton area. One of the many great places to view the peaceful water and to learn its history with Alton, as well as the United States as whole, is the National Great Rivers Museum.

Located at the Melvin Price Locks and Dam, it is a beautiful facility, with educational opportunities for adults and children alike. There is both a museum and outside areas for viewing.

This is a fantastic place to learn about the impact that the rivers have on the history of Alton and the surrounding area, as well as the impact it has on us today. There are interactive and computer-animated exhibits, as well as a theater and a gift shop. There is also an art gallery, where both local and non-local artists show their works.

It is a perfect spot to look for bald eagles, because they often look for fish to feed upon near the dam. In fact, it is a great location for looking for all types of local birds, due to a bird sanctuary located across the river.

The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. There are also tours of the Melvin Price Locks and Dam available at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.; these tours are free and open to the public. For more information on the National Great Rivers Museum, call (618) 462-6979.

Another great way to take in the natural beauty of Alton and its surrounding area is to take

a drive or a bike ride along the Great River Road. One side provides the view of the river and area surrounding it, the peaceful flowing water, natural woodlands, and wildlife provide excellent photos and views.

The other side of the road showcases the limestone bluffs. This soaring natural structure is a true sight to behold. Just north of Alton is the fierce Piasa Bird of Native American legend, an image of the serpent-like bird painted into the walls of the cliffs.

Riverview Park, located in the historic Christian Hill District, is another great local place to view the adjoining rivers. It is open from dawn until dusk daily, and is a great place to take in views and have a picnic, weather permitting.

Due to its geography, there are great places all over the city of Alton to view the waters that split the United States and have been so pivotal in local and national history.

Alton Main Street

2026 Calendar of Events

The mission of Alton Main Street is to engage our community in the continued renewal of our historic downtown district and Mississippi River heritage by cultivating an attractive center of economic and social activity.

Here’s our 2026 event calendar:

Alton Farmers’ & Artisans’ MarketEvery Saturday from May 9th – Oct. 17th

Pop-Up Clothes SwapSunday, April 6h

Alton City-Wide Litter Clean UpsSaturday, April 11th & October 3rd

Pup CrawlSaturday, May 30th

All-Wheels Drive-In Car ShowSunday, June 7th

Night Market on BroadwayEvery Thursday from June 4th – July 30th

Mississippi Earthtones FestivalSaturday, Sept. 19th

Downtown Chili Cook-OffSunday, Oct. 18th

First Fridays Late Night Art & ShoppingOct. 2nd, Nov. 6th, Dec. 4th

Tree Lighting at Lincoln-Douglas SquareFriday, Nov. 20th

Chonese Pembrook’s dream of owning a restaurant has come true. Beyond Taste started as the night kitchen for Pour Decisions, and it’s now taken over the entire 204 State St. building since the closure of Pour Decisions with the closing of Pour Decisions at the end of September.

The Alton local and Kansas City native felt “caught in the crossfire” with the closing of Pour Decisions.

But Pembrook has turned Pour Decisions’ closing into a second chance and opened Beyond Taste as a standalone restaurant on Oct. 21

Beyond Taste is an alcohol-free and family-

Beyond Taste opens alcohol-free, family-oriented restaurant in Downtown Alton

oriented restaurant that serves as a workspace, event venue, and clothing boutique. Its hours are Tuesday to Saturday from noon to 8 p.m.

This business will be rented from Pour Decisions owner Brian Trust through Family Ties LLC and serve as a chance for Pembrook to break the negative stigma created online from the late-night liquor license revocation.

“Social media is cruel sometimes,” Pembrook said. “At the time, I couldn’t be happy about this because someone else was going through it, but once I signed the papers and started putting things together and decorating, I was feeling better.”

Beyond Taste serves comfort food, zeroproof drinks

Pembrook wants to continue serving her personal favorite comfort foods like the “smothered pork chops” and “fried catfish fillet,” with locally sourced ingredients and recipes that have been perfected over her years of cooking for family.

Beyond Taste will offer non-alcoholic beverages, mocktails, and the trendy “dirty sodas,” in addition to soft drinks.

“People were really concerned about bringing their children down and into a space like this,” Pembrook said. “They only consider it as a bar, but it's more than that.”

Along with in-person

service, Beyond Taste can be ordered online through Uber Eats.

Beyond Taste offers workspace, $25 event rentals

Customers at Beyond Taste can relax and enjoy the space for its food items, or for the several offerings that Pembrook has combined into one. With free Wi-Fi and complimentary coffee, any of the booths or tables can be used as a workspace for students or professionals.

“I want this to be a space where people can come, people can relax, and can sit on their laptop,” Pembrook said. “It's a comfortable space where everybody is inviting.”

For customers looking for more excitement, Pembrook rents out the building’s main dining space for the “low price” of $25 an hour. This space is supplemented with fog and bubble machines and a 360 booth for various events like birthday parties and other celebrations.

Before owning Beyond Taste, Pembrook sold clothing items as a vendor at the Route 66 Flea Market in Granite City. Once she could focus on her dream, she moved her booth to the building’s upstairs lounge space. There, customers can shop from a selection of new, name-brand clothing

items for children and adults.

“I could have left that as a lounge, but I love clothes and giving stuff away,” Pembrook said. “I think it gives the restaurant a different kind of feel.”

Beyond Taste owner steps away from hospice to grow restaurant

With Pembrook on the path of living her dream, she can temporarily step away from her work in hospice care, where she found a deep connection with serving others. As a caretaker, she was loved by many of her patients, one of whom donated

$10,000 after passing to help Pembrook start Beyond Taste as a night kitchen.

These funds helped Pembrook buy her equipment and build her brand into what it is now. As a full-time business owner, she is breaking away from her shy personality and providing a space that is safe and dependable.

Currently, Pembrook has used those savings and is paying her rent and her two employees out of pocket. She hopes to hire more employees as the business grows and continue serving patients in hospice.

“I love what I do, but I need a good place before I can continue with the hospice,” Pembrook said. “I’m really working hard to just try and keep afloat. I just really need the customers."

Pembrook aspires to bring families to Downtown Alton businesses to see the “good” that can happen in a place that has been tarnished by social media. Someday, Pembrook imagines having a Downtown Alton, familyfriendly block party for families and children.

“That would make me so happy,” she said.

What you need to know about the Piasa

The Piasa, now depicted on limestone bluffs near Alton, looks like a dragon from long-ago Indigenous culture with wings, a beard, deer antlers, a scaled body and a long tail ending in a fork like a fi sh.

However, that depiction of the Piasa is not in keeping with the actual Indigenous legends. Instead, what John Russell, a professor at Shurtleff College and fi ction writer in 1836, created from a description by French explorer and Jesuit missionary Father Jacques Marquette, is likely another indigenous cryptid from around the middle of the continent and which has appeared everywhere

from Pictured Rocks near Lake Superior to South America, the underwater panther. According to a speech given to the East Central Illinois Archaeological Society on Jan. 15, 2015 by Duane Esarey, director of the Illinois State Museum Dickinson Mounds, the underwater panther across the country is now classifi ed as a Piasa incorrectly.

While the Piasa now has wings and is said to have the ability to fl y, the underwater panther, as an aquatic cryptid, has neither. In fact, nothing about the Piasa is correctly attributed. The word payiihsa, which comes from the Miami-

Illinois language, actually refers to a completely different cryptid within a story Russell may have heard from the indigenous peoples of the fi rst being in mythology, the Trickster, killing an underwater panther before being assaulted by two supernatural dwarves. Those twin dwarves are what were referred to as the payiihsa by the Miami and Illinois tribes.

"Although Jacob P. Dunn (a foremost expert on the Miami-Illinois language in the late 1800s and early 1900s) once defi ned Miami-Illinois payiihsa as a 'small supernatural who is supposed to guide departed spirits'... in the Peoria story the payiihsaki are malevolent… MiamiIllinois payiihsa is clearly the origin of the word Piasa," wrote David Costa, now the foremost authority on the Miami-Illinois language and professor at Miami University in Ohio.

Russell wrongly created the Piasa myth out of the Illinois tale of the underwater panther.

There was no chief Ouatoga, the protagonist of Russell's myth and the slayer of the Piasa bird, rather the Illinois version of the Trickster was named Wissakatchakwa. The Trickster was a fi gure in American

Continued on page 10

This version of the River Bends famous Plasa Bird, undated, is from Telegraph history files. It was painted on the bluff below the foot of Prospect Street many years ago. The bird has taken many forms, the latest on the bluff close to the original site, now named Piasa Park. Many Alton artists, including Ruth Means and Jack Buese, restored the cliff painting over the years. The first bird was blasted away when the River Road was continued in 1961.

The late Emil E. “Bud” Mulligan took this photo of an early Piasa Bird in 1953. It was blasted away during construction of the Great River Road in 1961. It was within the city limits of Alton. The original pictograph was mentioned in the journals of Pere Marquette on his mission trip down the Mississippi River in 1673. The painting was restored by Alton artists over the years. Jack Buese, Eldon Grove and Ralph Owens painted this version in 1952. Photo submitted by Carol N. Wanick, daughter of Bud Mulligan.

indigenous mythology which provided an instruction on how to live properly by living improperly, suffering the consequences for each mistake. When Wissakatchakwa and a timid Frenchman who was going to trade furs with Wissakatchakwa stumble into the cave, the Trickster acts confident and unafraid, as the underwater panther ignores him. He then frees the panther's captives after the panther falls asleep and kills the underwater panther with gunpowder and a rag. Eventually, as Wissakatchakwa keeps the cave for himself, he is attacked by the payiihsa, or payiihsaki.

This is one of several tales from across the continent of the underwater panther. The payiihsa, also thought to be recorded throughout the continent in iconography as footprints with a different number of toes than humans' five, associated with supernatural beings, continually appear as a pattern consistent with legends of the payiihsa.

"They are both associated with water," Esarey said in 2015. "There are footprints on a pot found on a 2,000-year-old pot

The Piasa Bird has appeared on Alton’s limestone bluffs in many forms, from the primitive pictographs seen by Pere Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet in 1673 to this metal sculpture mounted on the bluffs at Norman’s Landing in the mid-20th century. This version of the mythical bird-beast was created through the work of the Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club. The sculpture was sold to Southwestern High School for a dollar. The school placed it at Knapp Field, where it remains today. This version was photographed by Bernice Baumann in 1988.

from Havana, IL and there is an abundance of footprints along waterways that is obvious and must certainly have held a special meaning within that context. These footprints are especially common in the mid-continent and have a concentration in southwestern Illinois and are always found along watercourses."

While Marquette's original map of the area, commissioned by New France (now Quebec) in the early 1670s, was lost due to a canoe tip-over involving Louis Joliett, a later Joliett map showed a depiction of the underwater panther, with scaled body and long, forked tail, near present-day Alton.

“We’ve taken a 340-year detour with iconography," Esarey said, "and the first historic description of this image and it’s something you could have asked anybody who lived in Illinois in 1673 what this meant and they could have told you.”

On the rock face along the river the Piasa Bird has been reproduced, which Marquette sketched and located during his trip down the river; nearby is Lover’s Leap, scene of an Indian legend. The site of the Wood River massacre is located on the Fosterburg Road west of the Wood River monument which is near Hilltop Sales Barn. The Lewis and Clark encampment where recruiting and training took place was near the mouth of Wood River within the area of the Standard Oil property.

Before this painting, travelers saw a 9,000-pound sheet steel version of the bird (based on earlier artwork by Ruth Means) that had been bolted to the cliff in 1983. By 1995, concerns over rust, safety, and traffic congestion led the city to remove the metal sculpture. The 1998 project was the city's solution to restore the landmark as a permanent mural on the rock face in the newly established Piasa Park.

We are your neighbors, your friends, and your bankers –

Welcome to Godfrey! A safe haven that

Incorporated in 1991, the village of Godfrey is one of the newest municipalities in Illinois. It is a great place to settle down and plant your roots.

Despite it being one of the newest municipalities, the area has lots of interesting history. A family from Kentucky was the first to make Godfrey their home, but when “Yankees” disagreed with them based on slavery and engagement in whiskey making, the Southerners left.

New Englanders came to the area next, growing crops and partnering with neighboring Alton. There

is growing by the day

was still strife between the locals, especially about the issue of slavery.

Benjamin Godfrey was a man who had made his riches in the slave trade, and came to the area with money to spend on development. He began a commercial empire, and philanthropic reform projects.

In 1850, Godfrey began construction on the longawaited Alton-Sangamon Railroad with the help of the Illinois Senate, including one Abraham Lincoln. It was completed in 1852 and renamed the Chicago and Mississippi Railroad.

It helped to bring new opportunities and hope for the area.

One part of Godfrey has stood as a safe haven for the marginalized for hundreds of years. The Rocky Fork area was a refuge for runaway slaves, where Native Americans provided safety until the end of the War of 1812. Abolitionist whites also assisted the enslaved that were escaping for freedom, with the area eventually becoming a significant part of the Underground Railroad.

Godfrey is one of the safest towns in Illinois.

LendEDU, a website that provides educational resources and does research for the likes of The New York Times and Forbes, recently released a ranking of the top 100 safest places to live in each state. In Illinois, Godfrey was ranked third.

This statistic, coupled with its proximity to a major city, signals that the village will be growing over the coming years.

More and more people are looking for homes outside of major cities for several reasons, including safety, affordability, and privacy.

Godfrey offers all of these things and more.

There is plenty of room in the area as well. There are 36 square miles of land in the village, making it the eighth-largest municipality by geographic size in Illinois. There is plenty of space for more families and businesses.

Several highway projects are being completed, such as Illinois Route 255. These highways will serve to increase the ease of travel to and from the area, as well as the commercial potential of Godfrey. Another signal that this village is primed for

expansion in the next few years.

Many religions have a place of worship in the area, and there are two private schools that offer pre kindergarten through eighth grade, as well as one that offers pre kindergarten through seventh grade. There is also a local community college, Lewis and Clark, that has a campus right in Godfrey.

The town motto is “You can see your future from here.” This is a perfect description of this quiet area north of Alton.

I nterstate 70 @ Exit 30 Pocahontas, IL 62275

618-654-5799

Welcome to the MCT Trails

Spanning more than 135 miles and connecting twenty communities, the 12 bikeways in the MCT Trails system, form one of the most extensive and interconnected trail networks in the country. Developed, owned, and maintained by the Madison County Transit District (MCT), the scenic MCT Trails have transformed Madison County, Illinois into a haven for bicyclists, runners, walkers, and nature lovers. Running through and alongside a variety of natural landscapes – prairies, forests, lakes, the bluff-line and even the Mississippi River – the MCT Trails are linear parks, comprising nearly 1,600 acres of greenspace.

Located on former rail corridors, the MCT Trails are considered Class I bikeways, separated from the road –and with 48 bridges and 22 tunnels there are few at-grade crossings for trailgoers. The MCT Trails story began in January of 1993, when MCT received permissive authority from the State of Illinois to acquire, develop, and operate bikeways. Since that time, MCT has invested more than $50 million to preserve these vital transportation corridors and construct this one-of-a-kind community asset, the MCT Trails system.

mcttrails.org | trails@mct.org

MCT Confluence

MCT Goshen

MCT

MCT Monarch Valley Trail

MCT Nature Trail

MCT

MCT Quercus Grove Trail

MCT Riverbend Trail

MCT Schoolhouse Trail

MCT Silver Creek Trail

MCT Watershed Trail

Alton Refrigeration & Home Furnishings: A Hometown Institution Built on Trust

For more than nine decades, Alton Refrigeration & Home Furnishings has been woven into the fabric of everyday life in the Riverbend. What began as a modest storefront on Broadway in 1931 has grown into one of the region's most beloved retail destinations, a testament to four generations of the Crane family's unwavering commitment to their community.

When Bill Crane Sr. first walked through the doors in 1946 and eventually took ownership six years later, he set a standard rooted in service and reliability. His son, Bill Crane Jr., took the reins and continues working there today alongside his sons, Gary and John, and granddaughters, Mia and Macy. Together, they guide daily operations with the same family-first philosophy that has defined the business for over 70 years.

Step inside the expansive 26,000-square-foot showroom on Homer Adams Parkway and you'll discover just how far Alton Refrigeration & Home Furnishings has come. The major appliance selection is truly impressive, featuring trusted brands like Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, GE, and Hotpoint. Whether you’re searching for modern front-loading laundry pairs or innovative microwave drawers, there’s something for every home. On the furniture side, renowned names such as La-Z-Boy and Flexsteel fill the showroom with stylish options for living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and even outdoor spaces. Customers can stay cool and comfortable with the Tempur-Pedic Breeze Collection or get a closer look inside the Bosch French door refrigerator, blending quality and contemporary trends throughout the store.

What truly sets Alton Refrigeration apart, though, isn't the square footage or the brand roster. It’s the team. Service technicians are employed directly by the store, meaning customers never get shuffled to an anonymous call center when something goes wrong. Sales staff undergo continuous training to stay current with evolving technology, ensuring shoppers get genuinely informed guidance rather than a sales pitch.

At Alton Refrigeration & Home Furnishings, true loyalty means treating every customer like family, building nearly a century of trust and community one home at a time.

Barry Church has been a part of the Bubby & Sissy’s community for years.

“When I was younger, this was my place,” Church said. “It’s where I found a group of people that I felt like I belonged with, that supported me from Day 1.”

Church, who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, is one of the new owners of Bubby & Sissy’s bar, located at 602 Belle St. in Alton. The new owners took possession at the beginning of April of Alton's renowned LGBTQ+ bar.

It's special for Church to own the bar that supported him and the local LGBTQ+ community for decades. He is using his ownership to continue the bar's legacy, which he and the other owners, like Mike Klasner, agree is “important now, more than ever.”

“People are worried, especially in this community,” Mike Klasner said. “We want a safe space, with the political climate, which you can’t be oblivious to.”

The new owners of Bubby and Sissy’s are Church; Mike and Mikey Klasner; and Joe and Sarah Miragilotta. Husband and wife, Mike and Mikey Klasner, are cousins of the previous owner, Michael Paynic.

New owners take over Alton’s only LGBTQ+ bar, Bubby & Sissy’s

Bubby & Sissy’s is the only LGBTQ+ bar in the Metro East.

“This place really paved the way for the LGBTQ community in this area, everybody always knew that it was here and it was safe,” Mikey Klasner said. “There were never any issues; it was a little oasis.”

Bubby & Sissy’s bar reopens with new owners, major renovations

Michael Paynic, the previous owner of Bubby & Sissy’s, sold the bar after 23 years of ownership this spring. The majority of that time, he owned it with his sister, Debbie Paynic, but with Debbie’s death on Jan. 3, it prompted Michael to sell the business — something that had already been under consideration.

The bar’s last day of operation under Michael Paynic was March 30, and Bubby & Sissy’s closed for a few weeks to undergo renovations.

“We are really trying to find that balance of honoring (the Paynics) and the tradition, while also giving (the Bubby & Sissy’s community) a space and a place with all of the young people,” Mikey Klasner said. “They were the foundation here. We are trying to bridge the gap and appeal to a wider audience.”

Improvements include adding new tables and seating, redoing the bathrooms, and reinventing the bar’s main stage.

To enhance the stage, curtains have been added, and the brick wall at the back of the stage is now exposed.

“We brought a new life to the bar,” Mike Klasner said. “We cleaned it up and made it more inviting. The biggest thing that people notice when they come in here — it’s much more comfortable.”

Future improvements could see the upstairs renovated.

“The group of us is contemplating doing something upstairs,” Mike Klasner said. “So we are trying to focus on the first floor and the outside right now. Once we get that taken care of, then we are going to work on more.”

The five new owners are looking forward to continuing Bubby & Sissy’s legacy so it can be a place for both newcomers and longstanding regulars.

“Every day we continue to take feedback and progress forward,” Church said. “Business has been great, and we are looking forward to the future.”

CASH LOW? GOLD IS UP!

Paying TOP D OLLAR

If you are lo oking for a cash loan, turn gold or items into cash, or shopping for a bargain, SAM’S PAWN SHOP is the place to b e! L o cated in the historic Antique District of Broadway in Alton, IL, we are the PREMIER FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED full service Pawn Shop in the Riverb end Area.

Knowledgeable and fair when considering your valuables and budget, we carry something for everyone and are always willing to make a deal!

Business is our Business

Starting a small business comes with big questions. The RiverBend Growth Association (RBGA) provides a trusted place to find answers, connect with fellow entrepreneurs, and access the resources needed to operate more efficiently and effectively.

Who We Are

The RBGA serves as the regional Chamber of Commerce for the Riverbend communities. Based in Godfrey, the organization supports businesses throughout southwestern Illinois, including Alton, Bethalto, East Alton, Elsah, Foster Township, Godfrey, Grafton, Hartford, Roxana, South Roxana, Wood River, and Wood River Township.

Our Mission

The mission of the RiverBend Growth Association is to attract, promote, and support new and existing economic growth throughout the Riverbend region.

Membership Value

The RBGA is committed to both recruiting new members and retaining its current membership by offering a wide range of benefits, including:

business development

• Sponsorship opportunities that elevate visibility

• Training and professional development programs

• Business to business resources and referrals

Annual Fundraising Events

To support its work, the RBGA hosts four major annual events:

• Chamber Choice

the RBGA Young Adults Committee and awards scholarships to local students.

• RiverBend Golf Classic — A day of golf, networking, prizes, and hospitality at a member golf course, with sponsorships available at multiple levels.

• LeadHERship Seminar — A professional development seminar focused on women’s leadership and workplace issues, offering education, networking, and prize opportunities.

• Fall Fest — A member appreciation celebration featuring free admission, food, beverages, games, music, and vendor booths from across the Riverbend area.

Supporting Entrepreneurs

For entrepreneurs launching a new venture, the RBGA offers a strong foundation of support, guidance, and community connections to help businesses grow and thrive.

Business is our Business

Whenever you start a small business, where do you go for help? Joining the RiverBend Growth Association (RBGA) is a place where you can network with other businesses and entrepreneurs to find some of the answers to questions you have and resources you need to run your business more efficiently and effectively.

The mission of the RBGA is to attract, promote, and support new and existing economic growth throughout the River Bend community.

The RiverBend Growth Association is the regional

Chamber of Commerce for the communities of the Riverbend.

Located in Godfrey, the Growth Association serves businesses in southwestern Illinois: Alton, Bethalto, East Alton, Elsah, Foster Township, Godfrey, Grafton, Hartford, Roxana, South Roxana, Wood River and Wood River Township.

The RBGA actively promotes the recruitment of new members and the retention of its current membership. They do this through a variety of benefits, such as their communication pieces, networking events, event

sponsorships, training opportunities, business-tobusiness resources, and referrals.

To raise funds to support the organization, the RBGA conducts four annual fundraisers.

The Chamber Choice Awards is an annual event that recognizes local businesses and individuals who have enhanced the Riverbend region. Awards are given to those who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the region. The RBGA Young Adults Committee is also spotlighted, and scholarships are presented to winners.

The RiverBend Golf Classic is held at a member golf course. Golfers enjoy a fun day of golf, networking, attendance prizes, and food and beverages. Sponsorships are offered at various levels.

The LeadHERship Seminar is a training professional seminar on women’s issues. Participants receive valuable information, network with businesswomen, and have the opportunity to win various prizes. Sponsorships are offered at various levels.

Fall Fest is a member

appreciation event where its members enjoy FREE admission, food, drinks, games, music, and more. Various vendors and organizations from the Riverbend area have booths.

The RiverBend Development Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that supports the mission of the RiverBend Growth Association.

If you are an entrepreneur and want to start a new business, the RBGA is a great place to get the support you need along the way.

New Alton pizzeria O/B Slices delivers $5 slices with local ingredients

Dee Jay Belden, owner of O/B Slices, stands at the front counter inside of Alton’s newest pizza place at 4 East Broadway on Nov. 5, 2025.

Dee Jay Belden never expected to own and operate his own pizza place, but after a backyard hobby became a family favorite, O/B Slices was born.

O/B Slices, which opened Wednesday, Nov. 5, is named after Belden’s two dogs — Olive and Basil. It is the latest addition to Downtown Alton at 4 East Broadway. This small one-man kitchen serves hand-stretched pizza by the slice or by the pie using locally

sourced ingredients.

The business will be open evenings starting at 5:30 p.m. with varied days of operation. This is due to Belden’s father-first mentality as a brand-new business owner, balancing fulltime plumbing work with a brick-and-mortar business.

“My daughter does a lot of sports, so I try to not miss any of her games,” Belden said.

To compensate for the variability, the O/B Slices website, obslices.com, allows customers to preorder food items in time for the order to be ready upon opening. With his daughter’s changing

sports schedule, Belden will keep his customers informed on hours and business updates through an online newsletter.

If customers forget to make an order, Belden can offer pizza by the slice to in-person customers; a unique quality of O/B Slices. During open hours, customers can purchase $5 slices from a variety of pizza flavors.

“Outside of the dough process, what sets it apart is the slices,” Belden said. “We definitely don’t have slices anywhere near here.”

Each O/B Slices pizza involves a 60-hour dough

proofing process. Once those 2 1/2 days are up, Belden crafts his pizzas with locally sourced ingredients, like meat from Volpi in St. Louis, candied and pickled food items from Granite City’s Earthcandy, and even flour from down the hill at the Ardent Mill.

The same can be said for the O/B Slices dip sauces and “fries and slices,” which involves flavored French fries and cheese bread.

“I want to keep it local, fresh, with everything made in-house,” Belden said.

With all the hard work and dedication that Belden puts into this brand new business, it’s

hard to imagine that this is his first time owning his own business.

When asked about making pizzas for his own business, Belden described it as “terrifying.” But that wasn’t always the case.

During COVID, the Bethalto-native kept himself busy with the enjoyable hobby of cooking pizza out of a personal pizza oven that he bought and used in his backyard. Using content from podcasts and YouTube, Belden honed his new craft and developed his own recipe. With praise from family and friends for his new skill, he considered the next steps.

From there, he found the concept of Cottage Law, where entrepreneurs were able to prepare and sell food items from home kitchens. Belden found inspiration from cooks who were making a living off of this law in California, but the same cannot be said for Illinois.

Illinois state law, as part of the Illinois Department of Public Health, allows Cottage food operations for home-based food businesses, but strict guidelines on cheese sales made the brick-and-mortar location necessary.

“That’s what sparked this,” Belden said of Cottage Law inspiration. “(In Illinois), you can’t

do that. You can’t have cheese, and that's a crucial ingredient for pizza.”

This prompted him to take the next step and build up equipment and purchase a food truck trailer to serve as the foundation of his future business. But once the Broadway property opened up with the closure of Comfort Cuisine, Belden pivoted to take on the terror and excitement that is owning his own brickand-mortar business.

Soft opening success for Alton’s hottest pizza spot

The business has already seen success from this year’s Halloween parade in Alton, where the O/B Slices shopfront became a popular stop for parade goers. Between that event and vending a Halloween show at Milton Schoolhouse, Belden sold out of pizzas as part of what he considered the soft opening of O/B Slices.

“It's really awesome,” Belden said. “I am super grateful for the people coming out for our soft opening. I didn't get a chance to step outside once until it was over, which is a good problem to have.”

This success has set a precedent for Belden as he looks to continue his business and serve his community, either by the slice or as Alton's newest business.

Dan King has won "Wheel of Fortune" with a grand total of $60,648.

It was a busier-thannormal night in Alton Sports Tap as over a hundred gathered to watch King compete on "Wheel of Fortune." With friends, family, customers, and even his personal hairstylist in attendance, King celebrated the big win with celebratory cheers.

“This is so crazy, oh my gosh,” King said. “It was an overall truly awesome experience. The

Alton’s

Dan King wins 'Wheel of Fortune,'

takes home $60,648

show was amazing, and the support here tonight was even more amazing.”

The support was clear the second the show started. As soon as the words “Wheel of Fortune” hit the screen, the whole restaurant silenced their conversations and erupted with cheers of excitement.

“That’s my boy,” one patron said as King’s face appeared onscreen.

As with most "Wheel of Fortune" episodes,

King competed against two contestants, Armen from California, and Brittany from Louisiana. From the start, King's money count climbed as he spun the wheel and made correct guesses on letters and phrases.

“He’s dialed in,” long-time friend Kyle Lankford shouted to friends at the bar.

Patrons shouted guesses at every question as King watched his wins with a secretive smile. After filming the episode in September, he was

required not to give away any details.

To keep the excitement alive, he had to keep quiet.

Before the other contestants could catch up, King had taken the lead by hundreds of dollars – then thousands as the game continued.

“Once I knew I was going to be on the show, I read every article and tip I could find,” King said. “I studied the statistical probability of letters in the bonus round, so

I wouldn’t have any regrets.”

King made sure that he made the most of his “once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

To make it onto the show, King shared that contestants must apply online and undergo an extensive interview process. Fortunately, King was able to “fast pass” this process after one lucky meetup at an airport bar.

“I was at the right place at the right time,” King said.

During a recent trip to Las Vegas with his girlfriend, Whitney Young, owner of Roasterz, the couple met a man wearing a Wheel of Fortune T-shirt with the man’s face on it. Later, in a friendly conversation, King learned that the man was a previous winner of the show.

As a winner, the man then used a Wheel of Fortune “submission ticket” to recommend King as the show’s next contestant.

Unbeknownst to King and Young, that ticket led to an email from Sony, which produces the show, requesting an interview with him.

“This is a one-time thing,” King said.

King proved himself in an interview and showcased his eccentric personality, a quality that producers look for in a contestant. That, combined with a background in farmwork, business ownership, and healthcare, allowed King to stand out with his quirks.

“If you know Danny, and you know his charisma and who he is, you know that he is fit for TV,” Lankford said over a loud crowd Thursday night.

After several commercial breaks, the energy was at a high as the game reached its end. By the final round, King had earned $20,648, nearly $10,000 more than either of his two competitors.

As the audience watched King meet host Ryan Seacrest at the final spin wheel, Young made an onscreen appearance to support her boyfriend in the episode's final moments. The couple, dressed in the same attire as their onscreen counterparts, watched with quiet anticipation.

Immediately, King selected his letters, leaving the board with few empty spaces.

Right as the quietest point in the night became the loudest, King guessed the answer “Fixing my hair,” a correct answer that won him more than $60,000 and an outpour of loving support.

“I didn’t care about the money, I just wanted this moment for him,” Young said. “He’s had a really hard couple of years, so for him to have a legitimate win like this — he just deserved this.”

“We’ve always watched the wheel, so I’m proud of him; he did so well,” said Jane King, Dan King’s mom.

After winning, King was met with hugs, pats on the back, and congratulatory remarks. Multiple audience members wanted to know his plans for the $60,000. For King, that answer was easy.

“It’s going towards my daughter’s education fund, so she can be on a good path,” King said. When Seacrest and Vanna White signed off, King was finally able to celebrate his big win with his friends and family.

It was a big moment for Alton, and an even bigger moment for the King family.

District Office 550 Landmarks Blvd. Suite A, Alton (618) 474-2600 Superintendent, Elaine Kane

Alton High School ................................4200 Humbert Rd., Alton .................................. (618) 474-2700 ................................ Principal, Stacie Franke

Alton Middle School 2200 College Ave., Alton (618) 474-2200 Principal, Brian Saenz

East Elementary School 1035 Washington Ave., Alton (618) 463-2130 Principal, Lanea DeConcini

Eunice Smith Elementary 2400 N Henry St., Alton (618) 463-2077 Principal, Jody Meggos

Gilson Brown Elementary 1613 West Delmar, Godfrey (618) 463-2175 Principal, Joanne Curvey

Lewis & Clark Elementary...................6800 Humbert Rd., Godfrey ............................. (618) 463-2177 .................. Principal, Latasha Leflore-Porter

Lovejoy Elementary 1043 Tremont St., Alton (618) 463-2057 Principal, John Ducey

Mark Twain School 907 Milton Rd., Alton (618) 463-2063 Principal, Stacie Franke

North Elementary School 5600 Godfrey Rd., Godfrey (618) 463-2171 Principal, Lisa Harris

West Elementary School 1513 State St., Alton (618) 463-2134 Principal, TaRael Kee

What Are My Choices for Child Care?

Choosing a day care is one of the most important decisions a young parent has to make. Fortunately, the Alton/Godfrey area has an abundance of choices for child care that promises a safe, enriching environment for you little ones.

• Alton Day Care & Learning Center, 3048 Godfrey Road, Godfrey

• St. Francis Day Care Center College Ave., Alton

• Marcia’s Child Care 1053 College Ave., Alton

• Maxines Daycare, Inc. 739 Silver St., Alton

• Noahs Ark Child Care Center 4500 Humbert Rd., Alton

• Riverbend Head Start 1802 East Broadway, Alton

• Step by Step 2400 Locust Ave., Alton

• Toddle Towne Learning Center 3839 Humbert Rd., Alton

• YWCA of Alton’s Child Enrichment Program 304 East 3rd St., Alton

• Upper Alton Baptist Church & Preschool 2726 College Ave., Alton

• Little Knights Daycare 1100 Airport Rd., Godfrey

• Kreative Kids Learning Center 3048 Godfrey Rd., Godfrey

• Bright Tomorrows 5518 Godfrey Rd., Godfrey

• Montessori Children’s House 5800 Godfrey Rd., Godfrey

• Faith Lutheran Preschool 6809

• Godfrey Rd., Godfrey

Where Can I Worship?

Abundant Life

3986 Humbert Rd., Alton

Enjoy Church

3303 Homer M Adams Pkwy, Alton

The Bridge Church

504 E. 12th Street, Alton

Heartland Baptist Church

4500 Humbert Rd., Godfrey

Alton Church of God

65 E Elm St., Alton

Main Street United Methodist Church

1400 Main St., Alton

North Alton Southern Baptist Church

2245 State St., Alton

First Presbyterian Church

E 4th St & Alby St., Alton

First Christian Church

760 Washington Ave., Alton

River Church

3401 Fosterburg Rd., Alton

Word & Spirit Family Church

5012 Humbert Rd., Alton

Calvary Baptist Church

Church of Good Samaritan

3418 College Ave., Alton

College Ave. Presbyterian Church 1702 Clawson St., Alton

St. Peter & Paul Catholic Church

717 State St., Alton

Alton Community Church of God

2508 Johnson St., Alton

Beltline Christian Center

310 Oakwood Ave., Alton

Grace United Methodist Church

702 Henry St., Alton

1422 Washington Ave., Alton

St. Mary’s Catholic Church

519 E 4th Street, Alton

Alton Bible Church

3047 Alby St., Alton

St. Paul Episcopal Church

10 E 3rd St., Alton

Greater St. James Baptist Church 2016 Belle St., Alton

Bread-Life Fellowship Church

5000 Humbert Rd., Alton

Morning Star Baptist Church

1 E. 6th St., Alton

Union Baptist Church

320 E. 7th St., Alton

Victory Baptist Church 909 Brown St., Alton

Upper Alton Baptist Church

2726 College Ave., Alton

Alton Seventh-day Adventist Church

4870 Humbert Rd, Alton

The Church of the Living God 101 W Elm, Alton

Tabernacle Missionary Baptist 2621 Amelia St., Alton

Open Door Fellowship 929 Milnor St., Alton

Community Christian Church 2345 Union School Rd., Alton

Monroe Memorial Church

1901 Belle St., Alton

New Beginnings Outreach International 2201 State St., Alton

Messiah Lutheran Church

920 Milton Rd., Alton

St. Ambrose Catholic Church

820 West Homer Adams Parkway, Godfrey

St. John Missionary Baptist Church

427 Market St., Alton

Trinity AME Church

626 E. 4th St., Alton

Greater Glory Tabernacle Church 713 Washington Ave., Alton

Elm St. Presbyterian Church

101 W Elm St., Alton

Trinity Episcopal Chapel

1901 State St., Alton

Brown’s Faith Temple Church

2603 Main St., Alton

Brown Street Baptist Church

3125 Brown St., Alton

Evangelical United Church of Christ

1212 W Homer M Adams Pkwy, Godfrey

Where To Find Mental Health Resources

Centerstone

2615 Edwards St., Alton (877) 467-3123

Alton Mental Health

4500 College Ave., Alton (618) 474-3800

OSF St. Anthony’s Healthcenter Psychologist Services

1 St. Anthonys Way, 4th Floor, Alton (618) 474-6240

Alternatives Counseling

200 W. 3rd St., Alton (618) 288-8085

Angela McDowell Counseling Service

322 State St., Ste. 201, Alton (618) 558-0296

Community Counseling

307 Henry St., Ste. 407, Alton (618) 462-2331

Lovejoy Legacy Counseling

307 Henry St., Ste. 407, Alton (618) 374-0176

SIHF Healthcare

4 Memorial Dr., Bldg. B Ste. 2, Alton (618) 463-5905

Rekindle Drug Rehabilitation 602 E 3rd St., Alton (618) 248-0342

New Horizons Behavioral Health

611 W. Delmar Ave., Alton (618) 920-5212

Care and Counseling

1710 Clawson St., Alton (314) 688-8639

Calmwaters Counseling

5090 Humbert Rd., Godfrey (618) 466-0295

HEINZ FURNITURE AND FLOOR COVERINGS: 172 YEARS AND STILL STANDING

A Small Town Store That Outgrew Every Expectation

Founded in the 1850s in Carlinville, Illinois, Heinz Furniture and Floor Coverings is still operating 172 years later in the same location, run by the same family. The store even houses their original working wooden elevator from the 1800s. Century-old ledger books ago sit on the premises, and tickets are still handwritten to this day. In an age of digital transactions and disposable experiences, there is something quietly powerful about a place that still puts pen to paper.

That same devotion to doing things the right way extends far beyond the walls of the store itself. Walk into Heinz Furniture today and you will see the owner seated right by the front door. Greg Whitler, who spent two decades in lumber sales before taking the reins of the family business, understands intuitively what his customers are really looking for. "People want a connection," he says. "They want to build trust. In a small town, you cannot hide. Your reputation is everything — and we've had 172 years to build ours." That philosophy of accountability and authenticity is woven into every corner of the store.

That reputation has drawn not only loyal local customers, but a growing clientele from larger cities who seek out exactly what Heinz offers: the attentiveness, the craftsmanship,

and the genuine human engagement that big-box stores simply cannot replicate. Greg has observed the trend firsthand—people from metropolitan areas who are weary of anonymity, who want someone who will remember their name and stand behind what they sell. Heinz Furniture delivers that, and more. The store's focus on higher-end brands, including Cambria surfaces and Flexsteel furnishings, means that quality is never compromised, even as the service remains warm and personal.

Under Greg's leadership, the business has expanded well beyond its original footprint. The recent addition of expanded kitchen and bath offerings has positioned Heinz Furniture as a one-stop destination for full home renovation. The store handles both residential and commercial projects, offering furniture, mattresses, flooring, cabinets, windows, blinds, kitchen and bath design as well as installation, delivery, financing, and bulk discounts.

What started as a single storefront serving a rural Illinois community has grown into a full-service destination all under one roof, all backed by the same family that opened the doors in the 1850s. At 172 years old, Heinz Furniture is not coasting on its history. It is building on it.

Heinz Furniture and Floor Coverings Sponsors Carlinville Jubilee

On June 26, 2026, Carlinville will mark a unique occasion as its zip code, 62626, aligns perfectly with the date—a one-time event for the town. The town is marking this once-in-a-lifetime moment with the Carlinville Jubilee, bringing the region together in a way that only a place with deep roots and genuine community pride can. There is no more fitting backdrop for that celebration than a business that has stood at the same address since before the Civil War, still opening its doors every morning, still welcoming every customer like a neighbor. Carlinville has always been worth celebrating. So has Heinz Furniture.