🌱 Ready to feel the river shake at Alton’s powerboat nationals?
Alton, Illinois Patch AM: a 4 min readHi Alton! We have the latest buzz right here. Let's keep you in the loop and get this morning started right! ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- Ready to feel the river shake at Alton’s powerboat nationals?
- Could your Alton event qualify for thousands in new city grants?
- Alton friends remember Nicholas Wachowe and his remarkable life journey
Also on today's calendar: The 3C’s of Life - Riverbend and 5 more events.
Today's riddle: What is seen in the middle of March and April that can’t be seen at the beginning or end of either month? 🤔 (Answer below!)
- Wednesday: Partly sunny and humid, with a high of 91 and low of 73 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
- Thursday: Humid; an afternoon t-storm, temps: high: 89, low: 73.
- Friday: Humid with a thunderstorm, with a high of 84 and low of 72 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
• Alton Powerboat Nationals Hit Mississippi River This Weekend (riverbender.com) — High-speed F1 powerboats roar back to the Alton riverfront July 17–19, with free Friday activities, downtown street party, and weekend races on the Mississippi. Residents can watch from Riverfront Park, buy general admission or VIP tickets, and enjoy a long-running local racing tradition that showcases Alton’s unique stretch of the river and community support. 
• Alton Finalizes Approval Of Festival/Event Grant Program (riverbender.com) — Alton has officially launched a new microgrant program offering up to $1,000 per event, with a $10,000 yearly cap, for local festivals and public events held in the city. Nonprofits and Alton-based businesses that pay into the Food and Beverage Tax can apply, with the first deadline on July 15, 2026 and additional chances on Sept. 1 and future dates.
• Wachowe, Nicholas Joseph (kutisfuneralhomes.com) — An 86-year-old longtime St. Louis-area resident with ties to the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Alton has passed away, and local friends may wish to pay their respects. His life journey spanned wartime Yugoslavia, refugee camps, U.S. military service, factory work, and a beloved small farm in Missouri. Visitation and funeral services are scheduled in St. Louis County this week.
📸 Around Alton
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓
Upcoming Events in
Alton
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
-
Branching Out 2026 Genealogy Classes →
Hayner Public Library: Genealogy & Local History Library, 401 State St, Alton
10:00 am
Thursday July 16
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
-
The 3C’s of Life - Riverbend →
Johnson's Corner Restaurant, 2000 State St, Alton
11:30 am -
Burlington Bees at Alton River Dragons →
Lloyd Hopkins Field
6:35 pm -
Blood Drive at Senior Services Plus - July 20th - Alton, IL →
Senior Services Plus, Inc, 2603 N Rodgers Ave, Alton
10:00 am -
School Board Meeting
Alton CUSD 11 Alton, IL 62002
6:00 pm -
Interactive Movie Night – Twister →
Hayner Public Library, 132 Alton Square, Alton
6:30 pm -
Cape Catfish at Alton River Dragons →
Lloyd Hopkins Field
6:35 pm -
Free AARP Tech Class at Senior Services Plus - July 29th - Alton, IL →
Senior Services Plus, Inc, 2603 N Rodgers Ave, Alton
12:00 pm
Friday July 17
Monday July 20
Tuesday July 21
Saturday July 25
Wednesday July 29
📣 Alton Shout Outs!
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🗓 Events Nearby
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Treehouse Wildlife Center →
Round House, 633 N Wood River Ave, Wood River
10:00 am -
Queen of Hearts
Wood River Moose Lodge #1349 730 Wesley Dr, Wood River, IL 62095
7:00 pm -
Hall-Lightening
Wood River Moose Lodge #1349 730 Wesley Dr, Wood River, IL 62095 -
Woodland D50 Board of Education Meeting
Elementary West School 7000 W Washington St, Gurnee, IL 60031, USA
6:00 pm
Wednesday July 15
Thursday July 16
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- A little advice to those struggling...
we can't help you if you give excuses for why you can't help yourself. People are pointing out resources and there's always some reason you won't… (Nextdoor Central Alton)
- Dollar Tree Family Dollar - Dollar Tree, Inc. posted a job opening for Customer Service Associate I in Alton. Apply here.
- The Home Depot, Inc. posted a job opening for Lot Associate in Alton. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Alton here.
🗞 Nearby News
East Alton
- Police Probe Fatal College Hill Shooting (riverbender.com)
- Oklahoma father, son identified in fatal plane crash in Illinois (oklahoman.com)
Wood River
- 100 Years Ago: Wood River Pool Opens with 1,000 Swimmers in the Water (riverbender.com)
- ImpactLife Announces Community Blood Drives Across Illinois for First Week of August (riverbender.com)
Godfrey
- Godfrey bartender shares what it's like behind the bar at Regal Beagle (thetelegraph.com)
- St. Ambrose STEAM lab project earns Girl Scout Gold Award (thetelegraph.com)
Ok Alton! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: The letter “R.” (Thank you Manuela A. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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