Riverbender 🕸

SPRINGFIELD - Jersey County's unemployment rate remained solid at 3.9 percent in May 2022, the same as May 2021 in the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor and Illinois Department of Employment Security statistics. Jersey's unemployment rate is the best in the area. Madison County is just behind at 4.2 percent for May 2022, compared to 4.6 percent in May 2021 and Macoupin County is 4.2 percent, compared to 4.0 percent a year ago at the same time. Greene County has a 4.3 percent rate, up from 3.8 percent in May 2021 and Calhoun County stands at 4.3 percent now compared to 4.4 percent in May 2021. St. Clair County has a mark of 5.4 percent in May 2022 compared to 5.8 percent a year ago. Edwardsville has a 3.4 percent rate, the lowest in the area for May 2022, up slightly from 3.2 percent a year ago. Alton has a 6.2 percent unemployment rate in May 2022, down from 7.8 percent in May 2021, a big positive. East St. Louis has an 8.1 percent rate, which pushes St. Clair County's mark up and was 11.8

Continue Reading

JERSEY COUNTY - The Illinois Department of Transportation announces a lane closure on Illinois 100 at Elsah Creek beginning on Monday, June 27, weather permitting. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in the eastbound direction. This closure is needed to perform bridge painting and it should be completed by mid-July. Immediately following the completion of that work, another lane closure will begin on the same road at Chautauqua Creek. Traffic will again be reduced to one lane in the eastbound direction. This closure is also needed for bridge painting and should be completed in by mid-August. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all construction signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling through the work zone.

Continue Reading

CHICAGO - Today Governor JB Pritzker signed SB3792 into law, amending the code of multiple acts and agencies to replace references to high school equivalency certificates to State of Illinois High School Diplomas. State Rep. Amy Elik (R-Alton) expressed pride to be the House sponsor of this new law. "This will encourage more individuals to complete their GED because their achievement will be the equivalent of a high school diploma," she said. "This will increase job opportunities and improve the future for people and their families,” she added. This change recognizes the equal value of a State of Illinois High School Diploma and will aid Illinois graduates in establishing reciprocity with educational requirements in other states. “Graduates of Illinois schools should never have to start their post-secondary career or schooling at a disadvantage,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This legislation reflects the high standards to which we hold our high school students

Continue Reading

MADISON COUNTY - The Madison County Sheriff’s Office and Madison County Coroner’s Office are involved in what is described by a captain as “a death investigation” near Illinois Route 157 and Pentecostal Lane in the county. Madison County Capt. Will Dimitroff said the 911 call came in at approximately 1:20 p.m. Friday. Multiple deputies are reported at the scene with other law enforcement, along with Madison County Coroner Steve Nonn and staff. Captain Dimitroff said he could not release any more information about the investigation at this time, but more will be released whenever possible.

Continue Reading

ALTON - State Representative Amy Elik (R-Fosterburg) issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade by leaving it up to the states to decide whether or not to make abortion illegal: “The Supreme Court's ruling will save innocent lives. In Illinois, the Democratic majority continues to expand abortion and take away the rights of parents. "I will continue my work to protect the life of the unborn and the rights of parents in their children's lives.”

Continue Reading

ALTON – The Illinois Department of Transportation announces that weather permitting, U.S. Route 67 (Piasa Street), from 20 th Street/College Avenue south to 3 rd Street in Alton located in Madison County, will be closed beginning at 7 a.m. on July 5, 2022. IDOT said today it is expected that this work will take one month to complete. "This closure is needed for Illinois American Water to upgrade its water and wastewater infrastructure," IDOT explained. "This work includes rehabilitating the sanitary sewer system and installing a new water main. A marked detour will be in place to safely guide motorists around the closure. The detour will utilize Illinois Route 111, Illinois Route 3, and Illinois Route 143 to circumvent the closure. Access for local businesses will be maintained throughout the closure." IDOT said motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. "To avoid the work area, when feasible, use of alternate routes should b

Continue Reading

ALTON, IL – The White Cross Auxiliary (WCA) of Alton Memorial Hospital is again having a mail-in fund raiser in 2022 instead of its usual “Girls on Grapes, Boys on Brew” event, which has been postponed for a third year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The deadline to donate is Aug. 1. For more information or to make a donation, please contact Irene McLaughlin at 618-530-8589 or Meg Dorris at 618-530-7006. Anyone who donates to the WCA will receive a gift certificate to a local business or restaurant. A donation of $25 to $50 will net a $10 gift certificate; a donation of $60 to $100 will net a $20 gift certificate; a donation of $110 to $150 will net a $30 gift certificate; a donation of $160 to $200 will net a $40 gift certificate; and a donation of more than $200 will net a $50 gift certificate. The White Cross Auxiliary’s mission this year is to provide more wheelchairs within the hospital as well as in the medical office buildings on the hospital campus.

Continue Reading

ALTON - Illinois American Water’s Work To Separate The Alton Combined Sewer System And Install New Sanitary Sewers Continues. Here is this week's update. Piasa Valley Area: 9th Street will be closed from east of Alby Street intersection east to George Street. 10th Street is closed between Alby Street and George Street with pavement restoration happening. Brick pavement restoration is currently occurring on 8th Street and some rework of the brick placement on 7th Street. The intersection of 10th Street and Alby Street will close early next week to all traffic for several days to facilitate a storm sewer repair. This work is scheduled to start Tuesday, 6/28/22. Please drive carefully in this area, as there is a lot of construction equipment moving around the different work areas. The sewer installation work in the area of State Street and Grand Avenue is nearing completion. The pavement restoration work will start early next week and should be finished by week’s

Continue Reading

GODFREY – For the first time since 2019, Lewis and Clark Community College’s Adult Education program was able to hold its commencement in person, June 9, in the Hatheway Cultural Center in Godfrey. For Associate Dean of Adult Education Val Harris, this year’s ceremony was particularly poignant. “This is my favorite event each year because these students found the courage to give education another try and succeed,” she said. “Like the rest of the world, we have all been through strange times the past two-plus years. Our students’ success is always meaningful; and this year is even more impressive as they have navigated virtual classes, COVID-19 testing, cancelled classes – and they persevered. I couldn’t be more proud.” Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) Senior Director for Adult Education and Literacy Kathy Olesen-Tracey was this year’s key-note speaker. She recognized the number of award-winning students L&C’s

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS – Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU), with support from the United Health Foundation, the philanthropic foundation of UnitedHealth Group, has developed a summer bioinformatics bootcamp for students interested in the bioinformatics field. HSSU is inviting media to showcase the bootcamp on June 28 where HSSU students will mentor 25 high school students, from schools in the St. Louis region, about the interdisciplinary field receive a Bioinformatics Certification upon completion. The boot camp curriculum will include speakers working directly in the bioinformatics field, notably Bilikis Oladimeji MD, MMCi Senior Director of Clinical Informatics and Innovation for Optum Health’s Center for Advanced Clinical Solutions (CACS). Other activities will include setting up computers and apps, an introduction to bioinformatics and prepping for a student presentation at the end of the week Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field that combines computer science, physics,

Continue Reading

LITCHFIELD - I am a huge animal lover and have spent my whole life in Litchfield, IL. I have always been curious about our local wildlife. One of the main birds of prey in this area is the American Bald Eagle. They are our country’s national symbol but they are also an attraction in my small community. Eagles represent strength, and are very predictable and majestic creatures. As part of an honors English project, I began to research American Bald Eagles. I did a survey of my freshman class and it was interesting to discover that so many students don’t know that eagles live right here among us. We don’t need to travel far to see the majesty of the American Bald Eagle that we see on everything from our state flag to our money. A family of bald eagles have lived on Litchfield's Lake Lou Yaeger since 2004. If you haven’t seen eagles before, you should start by looking near lakes and rivers. Eagles make giant nests in the tallest trees. On Lake Lou Yaeger,

Continue Reading

CHICAGO – Democratic Secretary of State candidate Anna Valencia released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court issued an opinion overturning Roe v. Wade: “Many advocates warned this day would come when Donald Trump was elected President and he filled three vacancies on the Court. That’s why I spoke out back then in favor of HB 40, which guarantees access to reproductive healthcare across our state, regardless of what the Supreme Court says, and I remain committed to protecting access to abortion for all Illinoisans. “At this frightening and dangerous time, we need elected leaders in Illinois and at all levels of government who have always protected and advanced reproductive freedom. I am honored to be the only candidate in this campaign who has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood, because they know I have always been and always will be a champion for reproductive rights. The road ahead will no doubt be a difficult one, but I will continue

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Madison County Treasurer Chris Slusser says Jennifer Korte is the candidate who will best represent Madison County voters and Madison County values in the race for State Representative in the 112 th District. “What I like about Jennifer Korte is she is authentic,” Slusser said. “She does not just repeat scripted talking points. She is sincere in her beliefs, and she genuinely wants to serve the people of the 112 th District. She got involved in advocating for kids during the pandemic arguing in favor of in-person learning against mask mandates and against woke curriculum in our schools. She has strong family ties to the District. She is one of us fighting for us. Jennifer Korte has my full support. On June 28 th , I urge voters to send a message to corrupt, career politicians in Springfield by voting for my friend Jennifer Korte.” Korte said she is honored to have Slusser’s support. “Chris is a true public servant who takes his

Continue Reading

OMAHA, NEB. – To help drive Scooter’s Coffee's intentional expansion goals, brand excellence, and exceptional franchise support, Joe Thornton has joined the company leadership team as President, a new role at the rapidly growing drive-thru coffee chain. “Scooter's Coffee is expanding rapidly, and we are well on our way to opening over 1,000 stores. By the end of 2022, Scooter's Coffee will have over 600 stores open across 26 states and five distribution centers operating, including our newest in Atlanta. We also have a growing consumer packaged goods and ready-to-drink business with Scooter’s Coffee products in over 1,000 retail locations,” said Todd Graeve, Chief Executive Officer of Scooter’s Coffee. “As we continue to scale a course of rapid growth and deepen connections with our valued customers, we welcome Joe Thornton to our dynamic leadership team at Scooter’s Coffee.” With more than 38 years of experience in operations,

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) today applauded House passage of the Supporting the Resilience of Our Nation’s Great (STRONG) Veterans Act. This bipartisan legislation gives the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) important new resources to support veterans’ mental health and well-being. “Veterans deserve access to the health resources they need to thrive following their brave service, and the STRONG Veterans Act will help them get it,” said Bost. “This bill will help more veterans connect with crisis services and improve the delivery of mental health support for veterans and military families across the country. I am proud to sponsor the STRONG Veterans Act and look forward to seeing it passed by the Senate and signed into law soon.” If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive free, confidential support and crisis intervention available 24 hours a day,

Continue Reading

GREENVILLE, Il. — Greenville University and St. John’s College of Nursing are pleased to announce that the Higher Learning Commission has approved their partnership offering Greenville University students a four-year path to earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree on the Greenville campus. Currently, Greenville students complete their pre-nursing courses at Greenville University, then go to St. John’s College of Nursing to complete the final two years of study in Springfield, including clinicals at HSHS St. John’s Hospital. The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) has now approved a second pathway for Greenville University students allowing them to complete their pre-nursing coursework at Greenville, then enter the St. John’s College of Nursing program on Greenville’s campus. The clinical experiences will take place at HSHS Holy Family Hospital, Greenville, and other HSHS hospitals in the southern part of the state. With this HLC approval,

Continue Reading

EAST ST. LOUIS – The Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG) is investigating a homicide in the 1500 block of Baker in East St. Louis. The call to law enforcement about the situation occurred at 7:17 p.m. on Tuesday, June 21, 2022. The victim, Deangelo T. Johnson, a 27-year-old male of East St. Louis, was fatally injured when he was struck by gunfire. Anyone who witnessed the shooting or has any knowledge of the incident is asked to contact Crimestoppers at 314-725-8477 (TIPS) or PSEG Agents at 618-343-5239. Witnesses can remain anonymous.

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS COUNTY - On Tuesday, June 21, 2022, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued warrants on suspect Walter Hopson, 39 years of age, of the 2400 block of Mill Valley Drive in Florissant, Missouri 63033, for Robbery First Degree and Stealing from a Financial Institution. A mugshot of Hopson is attached. Hopson is being held on $100,000 cash only, no 10% bond. Please note, charges are merely an accusation and Defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. The probable cause statement reads: On May 7, 2022, the Defendant entered the US Bank (11100 Larimore Road) and threatened the clerk by stating that he had a gun while asking for money. The Defendant appropriated approximately $12,000 in that robbery. On May 14, 2022, the Defendant entered First Bank (4090 N Highway 67) and instructed the clerk to fill a bag with US currency. After the clerk complied, the Defendant jumped over the bank counter and instructed the

Continue Reading

CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker signed HB4434 into law today, expanding the options of professional sports team license plates Illinoisans can choose from at the Secretary of State. The change, which adds the Chicago Fire, the Chicago Sky, and the Chicago Red Stars to the list of options, brings women’s professional sports to the official license plates of Illinois residents for the first time in state history. “Last year, we welcomed the 2021 WNBA National Champions, the Chicago Sky, to our statehouse, and this law is another step toward honoring the joy they and our two professional soccer teams bring to Illinois residents,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Illinoisans are lucky to have such an incredible roster of sports teams to root for and this law offers them more opportunities to show off their spirit.” The Chicago Fire, the Chicago Sky, and the Chicago Red Stars will join the Chicago Bears, the Chicago Bulls, the Chicago Blackhawks, the Chicago

Continue Reading

EAST ST. LOUIS – Ruben Caraway, 46, described as "the ringleader" of a Houston-based cocaine trafficking operation has been sentenced in the Southern District of Illinois to federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, bringing to a successful close an investigation and prosecution that spanned several states and more than five years. On Tuesday, June 21, 2022, Caraway, 46, was sentenced to 360 months in prison and five years of supervised release for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that resulted in the seizure of $1.2 million dollars in cash, $72,000 in jewelry, and several kilos of cocaine. Caraway was captured in Texas in July 2021, after being a fugitive for more than three and a half years. An indictment filed on January 4, 2018, charged that Caraway was the leader of a Houston-based group responsible for distributing more than $4 million dollars’ worth of cocaine throughout Texas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Georgia. Caraway and eight co-defendants

Continue Reading