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GRANITE CITY – Front Office Fiduciary Network and the Metro East Sports Podcast has named 2022 Granite City High School graduate Ella Stepanek their monthly Charitable Champion Award, as announced on Thursday. This program gives school districts within Madison County an opportunity to showcase their remarkable student-athletes. Once a month, the Front Office Fiduciary Network will recognize a “Charitable Champion,” a local student-athlete who epitomizes the qualities of academic and athletic excellence, leadership, compassion, and team-spirit. Once selected, the “Charitable Champion” will be invited to join the Metro East Sports Podcast for an interview in honor of this prestigious recognition. The nominated athlete will also be asked to choose a local charity to receive a $500 donation on his/her behalf. "We are excited to announce our next Charitable Champion of the month, Ella Stepanek from Granite City High School," said Chad M. Opel, Senior Wealth

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GRANITE CITY - At 4:40 a.m. on Sunday, August 7, 2022, the Madison County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call of a disturbance occurring at a residence in the 2200 block of Miracle Ave., Granite City. Upon arriving on the scene, deputies located two victims that had been battered and the suspect, who was still on scene at the residence. The suspect was identified as Kevin K. Streeb, 30, of Granite City. The Madison County Sheriff's Office said while assessing the scene and gathering preliminary information, it was determined that when Streeb arrived at the residence, he attacked the victims. Streeb was taken into custody at the scene. One of the victims sustained substantial injuries and was transported to a St. Louis area hospital. The victim was identified as: Michael John Reay, 25, of Granite City. On August 9, 2022, the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office charged Blake K. Streeb with multiple counts of Aggravated Battery and Battery in furtherance of the incident.

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BETHALTO - Bethalto East, a school for pre-kindergarten through first-grade students at 309 Albers Place in Bethalto, has undergone major renovations this past summer. Jill Griffin, superintendent for Bethalto School District #8, said there are a few finishing touches to be put on, but the school has largely been transformed. When school resumes on August 22, students will see updated lockers and cubbies, hand-washing basins in the bathrooms, new tile flooring, and more. Griffin said these renovations are meant to make the facility more age-appropriate for its students. “All the tile floor has been redone and updated to make it look more like an elementary school. Bethalto East was a middle school at one time … it these old, ugly middle school lockers and you’ve got 5- and 6-year-olds putting their stuff in them - it just didn’t have that elementary school feel,” Griffin said. “It wasn’t as developmentally appropriate for that age range

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EDWARDSVILLE – Around the same time multiple fire departments were responding to a blaze in the 800 block of St. Louis Street in Edwardsville, another call came out for an overturned vehicle in a crash on the street. Edwardsville Fire Chief James Whiteford described the crash as west of the fire scene. Whiteford said the two incidents were not related; it was all just coincidentally in the same vicinity. “We were dealing with the fire and three ambulance calls, including the crash,” the chief said. Other agencies assisted the Edwardsville Fire Department with all the calls at once.

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SOUTH ROXANA - On Monday, August 8, 2022, the South Roxana Police Department Sgt. Lewis Haines attempted to stop a motorcycle for traffic-related offenses, when the driver fled from the traffic stop, a short pursuit took place that ended at Madison and Illinois 111. The motorcycle was reported stolen out of Missouri. This is the second Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding case the South Roxana Police Department filed in two days through the State's Attorney’s Office. The subject, David Hallstead a 35-year-old male out of Godfrey, had multiple active warrants for his arrest. A brief struggle ensued trying to apprehend Hallstead where he was taken into custody and transported to Madison County Jail for lodging. South Roxana Police Chief Bob Coles said during his arrest a subsequent further investigation revealed a large amount of suspected methamphetamine was found in his possession. The case was presented to the Madison County State's Attorney’s Office today where formal charges

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ALTON - Join us on Saturday, August 13th, for the Alton Owls Club 80th Anniversary Party. Doors open at 7:00 and HOOKiE will be rocking the stage from 8:00 PM to Midnight. Bailey Blair, from Bakers & Hale, will be bartending the event as their newest member. Blair said, “I am excited to have been offered the option to bartend the event and hope to see a lot of familiar faces. This will be my first event working with the club and I hope some new faces for the club can also come see what the Alton Owls Club has to offer!” The Alton Owls Club was started in 1942 and remains to be a non-profit social club available for wedding receptions, fundraisers, banquets, and any other party you can dream of. Feel free to contact us online at altonowlsclub.com or via phone at (618)-462-4331 if you have any questions or concerns or if you just want to book your next party with the Alton Owls Club.

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BELLEVILLE - On Aug. 11 Illinois American Water is reminding Illinois residents to contact 811 before any digging project to have underground utility lines marked. Every few minutes an underground utility line is damaged because someone decided to dig without first contacting 811. When calling 811, homeowners and contractors are connected to the local 811 center, which notifies the appropriate utility companies of their intent to dig. Professional locators then arrive at the digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint, or both. Location marking includes locates for critical water system infrastructure as well as other utilities. Beth Matthews, Vice President of Operations for Illinois American Water, said, “Calling 811 is really the only way to know which utilities are buried in your area so that you can dig safely. It helps to protect not only critical infrastructure but also residents and neighborhoods.” She added, “Striking

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BETHALTO - 1 st MidAmerica Credit Union recently awarded five, $1,000 scholarships to local area high school graduates Anya Wilkie, Alexis Buckner, Kennedy Bickmore, Haileigh Lenger, and Monica Wendle. Anya Wilkie is a graduate of Classical Academy of Academic Excellence. She plans to attend Emmaus Bible College to pursue a degree in Computer Science and Counseling Psychology. Alexis Buckner, a graduate of Blue Springs South High School, plans to attend Missouri State University and earn a degree in Nursing. Kennedy Bickmore is a graduate of Civic Memorial High School. She plans to earn a degree in Nuclear Medicine from the University of Missouri. Haileigh Lenger, a Southwestern High School graduate, plans to attend Illinois State University to earn a degree in Electrical Engineering. Monica Wendle is a graduate of Marquette Catholic High School. She plans to attend Lewis and Clark Community College to study Elementary Education. 1 st MidAmerica Credit Union has a mission of exceeding

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GODFREY - Lyons Glass Company has been selected as the August 2022 RiverBend Growth Association Small Business of the Month award recipient. Located at 2400 Belle Street in Alton, the business was founded by Jim Lyons in 1929. Lyons started the business as a salvage yard, but “there was so much demand for glass that he converted to a glass retail and installation business shortly thereafter,” noted current owner Perry Hill. In 1982, Hill bought the business when Lyons retired at age 82. Hill had grown up next door to Lyons and began working for him after school at age 14. Since its beginning and throughout its 93 years thus far, Lyons Glass Company has focused on customer satisfaction while providing quality products and services at a reasonable price. Now with six employees, it continues to do so today and into the future. The experienced staff is trained to meet customers' auto, home, and commercial glass needs. Lyons Glass offers automotive glass replacement and

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ALTON - Calling all leaf peepers and history buffs: the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau is now offering a series of guided Fall Color and River Road History Tours in Grafton and Elsah starting in late October and running through early November. The first-ever Fall Colors and River Road History Tours are 20-passenger guided shuttle tours that will highlight the stunning fall colors found on the river bluffs flanking the mighty Mississippi River and include visits to the historic Village of Elsah, Principia College and Pere Marquette State Park. The three-hour tours are scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 20, Friday, Oct. 21, Thursday, Oct. 27, Friday, Oct. 28, Thursday, Nov. 3 and Friday, Nov. 4. “These are one-of-a-kind tours that can’t be found anywhere else in southwest Illinois,” Cory Jobe, President/CEO of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau said. “We want to be able to give people the chance to drink in the beauty of the region and learn more about

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ST. LOUIS - The Bommarito Automotive Group continues to expand its footprint in motorsports. Missouri’s #1 automotive group has signed as the primary marketing partner of AJ Foyt Racing’s No. 14 Chevrolet for the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway on August 19-20. Associate sponsors and friends over at Rebel Bourbon are also proud to be a part of the 6th Annual Bommarito 500 NTT INDYCAR Series race. A.J. Foyt, the first four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, started his race team over 50 years ago. He won three of his seven INDYCAR championships and claimed the final two of his Indy 500 victories while driving for his own team. Since he retired from driving in 1993, his team has continued to win, claiming two more national titles and the 1999 Indy 500 with Kenny Brack. At WWT Raceway, the team has five top-10 finishes, three of which were in the top five, including a fifth-place last year with Sebastien Bourdais and a third place in 201

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GRANITE CITY - Yesterday morning (August 10), a 5-alarm fire broke out at Interco Trading in Granite City, creating a plume of smoke so intense that it is registering on Doppler radar. The Interco Trading facility is a “metaltronics” recycling factory that recycles several non-ferrous metals, including lithium-ion and lead acid batteries. Burning batteries releases several toxic substances, including lead and sulfuric acid, that pose several public health and environmental risks. This is not the first time this facility has endangered the public—a similar fire happened at the facility in March 2020, and Interco was cited for Clean Air and Clean Water Act violations. Firefighters and first responders from eight separate departments are battling the industrial fire, and the Madison Illinois Police Department issued a shelter-in-place order for residents within a one-mile radius. Residents are urged to stay indoors with their windows closed, monitor any symptoms

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WASHINGTON — The United States Postal Service filed notice today with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) regarding a temporary price adjustment for key package products for the 2022 peak holiday season. This temporary rate adjustment is similar to ones in past years that help cover extra handling costs to ensure a successful peak season. The planned peak-season pricing, which was approved by the Governors of the Postal Service on Aug. 9, would affect prices on the following commercial and retail domestic competitive parcels: Priority Mail Express (PME), Priority Mail (PM), First-Class Package Service (FCPS), Parcel Select and USPS Retail Ground. International products would be unaffected. Pending favorable review by the PRC, the temporary rates would go into effect at 12 a.m. Central on Oct. 2, and remain in place until 12 a.m. Central Jan. 22, 2023. This seasonal adjustment will bring prices for the Postal Service’s commercial and retail customers in line with competitive

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ALTON - The Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP), sponsored by Medicare and the Illinois Department on Aging, has an office at Alton Memorial Hospital. The SHIP office provides free, confidential, and unbiased counseling for all Medicare beneficiaries. Counseling is available for all Medicare-related questions, including: Medicare Supplement Plans Medicare Advantage Plans Medicare Drug Plans SHIP serves people who are nearing Medicare eligibility and those wanting to review their coverage during the annual Medicare Open Enrollment period, which runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7 each year. The office is accepting telephone consultations and will soon be open again for in-person consultations. Appointments are required and can be made by calling the BJC Central Scheduling Department at 800-392-0936. Ask for Medicare insurance counseling at Alton Memorial Hospital. The direct office phone is 618-463-7182.

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O'FALLON, IL. - HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital recognizes National Breastfeeding Month in August, and the benefits of breastfeeding. A mother’s milk provides a newborn with vital antibodies and an immunity boost as the infant grows. “Whether breastfeeding is provided by the breast or by pumping breast milk, it can provide important protection to an infant from many short- and long-term illnesses,” said Amanda Schaefer, MSN, RN, manager of the Women and Infants Center at St. Elizabeth’s. “It also provides mom and baby with important bonding time.” Breastfeeding Benefits: Breast milk fights disease. The cells, hormones, and antibodies in breast milk protect babies from illness such as ear infections, asthma, type 1 diabetes and gastrointestinal infections, among others. Breast milk is easier to digest. For most babies, especially premature babies, breast milk is easier to digest than formula. The proteins in formula are made from cow’s

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GRANITE CITY - Jayson Baker is in first year as Principal at Wilson 1-2 Education Center in Granite City and is featured in our segment of #MeetthePrincipal. A native of Freeburg, Ill., Baker talks about his excitement to return to a building, where he spent the past 16 years in education, and what his vision is for Wilson. Away from the office, Baker enjoys being outside and spending time with his family. VIDEO: https://youtu.be/_DZqESm8-bs

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MADISON - One employee is reportedly hospitalized with burns after a warehouse fire at Interco - a Metaltronics Recycler - near the World Wide Technology Raceway on Wednesday afternoon. Thankfully, no first responders were injured at the scene and two buildings have been reported destroyed in the terrible blaze. Cars that were parked near the warehouse did catch on fire. An estimated 200 first responders from Illinois and Missouri were at the scene. A roof collapsed around the lunch hour at the warehouse scene. While the Riverbender.com photographer was present at the fire, there was an explosion that released a huge boom during the fighting of the blaze. He said after the large boom, an official then came over the loudspeaker and warned the entire City of Madison residents to go to their homes, close the doors and windows, and turn off anything that pulls air from the outside. A stay-at-home order was issued at that time for the Madison residents. An emergency declaration has bee

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DOW - The Annual Olden Days Festival is back better than ever and set for Saturday, August 27, 2022, and Sunday, August 28, 2022, at 23946 State Highway 3, in Dow, IL The Olden Days Festival was held last year in 2021, and it was the first year back after the COVID-19 Pandemic. It was very successful, but organizers believe this year will be spectacular. This is the 31 st anniversary of the highly anticipated event. The Tri-County Antique Club was formed to promote the appreciation of agricultural history, through the restoration and preservation of antique, vintage, and classic automobiles, gasoline and oil engines, gas and steam tractors, farm machinery, and other equipment of historical value. The Olden Days Festival is the Club’s annual event to make these available for public viewing. The always popular tractor pulls are back this year. Sinclair Foods gift certificates, a Melaleuca Gift Basket, handmade pottery, and a Farm & Home gift certificate will all be available

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EDWARDSVILLE - Major Jeff Connor, current Deputy Sheriff and future Madison County Sheriff, given that he is running unopposed in the upcoming General Election, issued a ringing endorsement today of Tim Berkley for Madison County Circuit Judge. Berkley is running to fill the vacancy created by the announced upcoming retirement of Chief Circuit Judge Bill Mudge. Berkley, a lifelong Madison County resident and Roxana High School graduate, works for the State Attorney’s Appellate Prosecutor’s Office. Over his 30-year legal career, Berkley has experience at all levels of the legal system, working as a prosecutor, public defender, a private attorney, and for the Appellate Courts. Berkley previously held an elected position on the Roxana Board of Education, serving as the board’s vice-president. Berkley is also a patriot life member of the National Rifle Association, a life member of the Illinois State Rifle Association, and a member of the Edwardsville Gun Club. “I

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EDWARDSVILLE - Judge Martin Mengarelli and Judge Maureen Schuette from the Third Judicial Circuit coordinated efforts in the circuit to participate in a statewide initiative sponsored by the Illinois Conference of Chief Judges and the Illinois Judges Association to help a local organization’s students prepare for success in the 2022-2023 school year. The project Judge Mengarelli and Judge Schuette chose was to support Oasis, a local women’s shelter, in Alton, IL that provides assistance and services for families dealing with domestic violence. The Judges coordinated efforts to collect $1,100 in donations from the judiciary for Oasis to purchase needed school supplies for the children their organization assists. “The Third Judicial Circuit is happy to help our area students prepare for the upcoming school year with our donations. I commend Judges Schuette and Mengarelli for spearheading the effort. Their enthusiasm and desire to be active and volunteer within our community

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