Riverbender 🕸

EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville senior softball catcher Lexie Griffin has delivered many key hits for the Tigers in her career, and one was on May 24 in the IHSA Class 4A regional semifinal at the Edwardsville District 7 Sports Complex. She hit a leadoff double over the left fielder's head that nearly left the park, then saw courtesy runner Grace Blakemore score the winning run on a squeeze bunt in Edwardsville's 1-0 win over Quincy. The win allowed the Tigers to advance to the final on May 27, and for the feat, along with all her other contributions, Griffin has been named an iCAN Clinic Female Athlete Of The Month. Edwardsville's girls won 1-0 over Belleville East in the sectional semis on Tuesday and now play in the sectional championship game against Bradley-Bourbonnais at 4:30 p.m. Friday in Pekin. Griffin, who plays for head coach Lori Blade, felt very good after the occurrences when interviewed recently. "I'm feeling really good," Griffin said. "I think I was getting a little

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - U.S. Congressman Mike Bost has offered his endorsement to Jeff Connor as the next Madison County Sheriff and had the following to say regarding him. “Our Police have faced great oppression over the past few years. Police work has changed drastically, and we need the right leader with the right experience. That is why I am endorsing Jeff Connor to be the next Sheriff of Madison County. Connor has over 36 years of experience as a police officer, ranging from working patrol, detectives, to middle and upper management within his departments. Connor retired from Granite City as the Assistant chief to become the Chief Deputy of Madison County, where he serves today. Connor is the commander of the Major Case Squad of Greater Saint Louis, working to help solve some of the most heinous murders on both the Illinois and Missouri sides of the river. This is a critical election. We need you to get out and vote on June 28. Vote Republican. Vote Jeff Connor for Sheriff.”

Continue Reading

CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today released new guidance to ensure that the public and members of law enforcement understand Illinois' legal protections for abortions. Attorney General Raoul’s office released “Know Your Reproductive Rights,” a free online resource to ensure that the members of the public understand their rights. The guidance explains that Illinois law protects the right to have an abortion and treats abortion like other kinds of health care. The Attorney General also issued a letter to law enforcement to clarify that Illinois law does not criminalize abortion. “It is important for women to know that, regardless of whether federal protection for reproductive health care continues, Illinois law protects their rights,” Raoul said. “As a number of neighboring states enact draconian laws to restrict or eliminate reproductive freedom, Illinois is a proud reproductive health care oasis that will not infringe upon a woman’s

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Robin Kelly, Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth have introduced a Congressional resolution establishing June 3, 2022, as “National Gun Violence Awareness Day” and designating June as “National Gun Violence Awareness Month.” This Friday, communities across the country will participate in a Gun Violence Prevention Day of Action. Every day, 321 people are shot in the United States according to Brady United. This resolution asks citizens and community leaders to give heightened attention to gun violence during the month of June, as gun violence typically spikes at the start of the summer months, and to work together to make our communities safer long-term. Kelly and Durbin have introduced the resolution each year since 2016. This resolution, in part, also honors the life of Hadiya Pendleton. Just days after performing at President Obama’s inauguration in 2013, she was shot and killed in a park, a place where young

Continue Reading

GRANITE CITY, IL – Today, Joe Hackler, Republican candidate for State Representative for the 112 th district, announced he is hosting an Election Integrity Roundtable on Thursday, June 9, 2022. The event will be hosted at the Hilton Garden Inn located at 360 Regency Park, O'Fallon, IL. This free event will provide voters an opportunity to learn about Illinois House Republican initiatives to make elections more secure, receive an update on new election laws passed since 2020, and allow voters to ask questions about election law and process. “Every voter deserves to know their ballot is private and secure,” Joe Hackler said. “Elections in the Metro East have historical precedent for wrongdoing, so we must be extra vigilant in providing oversight and education to all who are engaged in the electoral process.” Hackler will be joined by resident election legislation experts within the House Republican caucus, State Representatives Tim Butler (R-Springfield)

Continue Reading

GREENVILLE, Il. – Greenville University recently honored four faculty members retiring this summer. GU Chief Academic Officer Brian Hartley, Professor of History Richard Huston, Professor of Spanish Brian Reinhard, and Professor of Physics and Engineering Hyung Choi will retire after a combined 88 years serving the GU community and its students. Brian Hartley retires in July as professor, dean of faculty, and chief academic officer, having served 29 years – 19 years as a faculty member and 10 years as an administrator. Ordained in the Free Methodist Church, Hartley served 10 years as a pastor before coming to Greenville. Hartley served in a variety of roles on campus including theology professor, chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religion, dean of the chapel, dean of arts and sciences, associate vice president for academic affairs, and chief academic officer. “I consider Dr. Hartley as one of the Greenville Greats,” says Suzanne Davis, GU president.

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS - In a ceremony surrounded by advocates and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones commemorated Pride month by signing her first Executive Order of the year to establish the City’s first LGBTQIA+ Advisory Board . “I believe that those closest to the problems are also those closest to the solutions,” said Mayor Jones. “The members of this advisory board will be tasked with collaborating, bringing together its resources, and helping my administration stay laser-focused on the issues directly affecting the LGBTQIA+ community, and to pursue meaningful policy changes.” The nine-person advisory board will be appointed by the Mayor and is tasked with developing a report within its first year to highlight disparities still affecting the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as action steps the City can take to ensure further protections. Of the nine members, at least one must represent the transgender advocacy community; at least one must

Continue Reading

CHICAGO – To address the increase in car part thefts, State Senator Christopher Belt supported a proposal requiring people to keep record of the sale of catalytic converters that was signed into law Friday. “Catalytic converter thefts have skyrocketed, leaving far too many working people without a reliable vehicle,” said Belt (D-Swansea). House Bill 107 adds catalytic converters to the definition of recyclable metal, requiring record keeping on the purchase of catalytic converters. The license plate number of the vehicle, photographs or video of the seller, a verified name and address of the seller, and a signed declaration by the seller stating that the catalytic converter was not stolen will be required. In addition, the new law prohibits a recyclable metal dealer from purchasing a catalytic converter with a value over $100 with cash. According to a recent State Farm study , Illinois ranks in the top five states in the nation for catalytic converter thefts.

Continue Reading

MACOUPIN COUNTY - The Illinois State Police has released information about a two-vehicle fatal crash Tuesday afternoon on Illinois Route 16 at County Line Road in Macoupin County. Grace L. Keeton, a 23-year-old female from Litchfield died in the accident. The crash occurred at 4:23 p.m. on May 31, 2022. The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by Illinois State Police District 18: VEHICLE: Unit 1- 2013 Maroon Ford Fusion Unit 2- 2018 Red Ram RTS Coach Bus DRIVERS : Unit 1- Grace L. Keeton, 23-year-old female from Litchfield, IL – Deceased Unit 2- Steven A. See, 33-year-old male from Litchfield, IL – Uninjured PASSENGERS: Unit 2- Jason M. Hoos, 49-year-old male from Litchfield, IL – Uninjured Unit 2- Michael C. Phipps, 30-year-old male from Litchfield, IL – Uninjured Unit 2- Kaleb L. Anderson, 30-year-old male from Fillmore, IL – Uninjured PRELIMINARY: A preliminary investigation indicates the following occurred:

Continue Reading

CHICAGO – U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $500,000 in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding awarded to Metra by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) through the Route Planning Restoration Program to help the transit agency continue to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. “Illinoisans in the Chicago area have relied on Metra’s services to get to work and visit the city. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, public transit agencies were hit especially hard which is why we worked to include this funding in the American Rescue Plan last year,” Durbin said. “Today’s announced federal support will ensure that Metra can continue to provide reliable, affordable service for people that live and work in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.” “Thanks to the efforts of Democrats, Metra will have more resources to improve services, protect jobs for working Illinoisans and get folks to where

Continue Reading

PIASA - Piasa Southwestern High School has announced the Honor Roll list for the 2nd semester. It is separated by grade. HIGH HONOR ROLL Senior Class of 2022 High Honor Roll List for Semester 2 Olivia Ahlemeyer, Tanner Albrecht, Thomas Albrecht, AmyDee Bachman, Jelsumina Biciocchi, Laini Bock, Dale Brandon, Joshua Eddington, Joshua Goff, Alexandria Goss, Grace Greenwell, Mackenzie Hampsey, Whitney Keith, Kayla LeMarr, Haileigh Lenger, Emily Lowis, Hannah Nixon, Quinn Owens, Kayla Rudolph, Ashton Seniker, Callie Stormer, Riley Tucker, Levi Unverzagt, Abby Van Doren, Megan Webb, Laina Wilderman Junior Class of 2023 High Honor Roll List for Semester 2 Brandon Adams, Timothy Alexander-Roberts, Jillian Beilsmith, Miraina Biciocchi, Hank Bouillon, Madison Bryant, Cassie Christian, Olivia Cody, Rylee Crane, Macaylin Day, Mason Day, Kennedy Dempsey, Casey Dugan, Melanie Goff, Audrey Gordon, Vance Hake, Madyson Henderson, Tyson Kahl, Samuel Marshall, Ryan Raymond, Taylor Richey,

Continue Reading

GRANITE CITY - Granite City Community Unit School District #9 broke ground Wednesday on a multi-purpose turf field at Granite City High School's Kevin Greene Field. Superintendent Stephanie M. Cann, GCHS Principal Daren DePew, GCHS Athletic Director John Moad and GCSD9 Board Members were present for the ground-breaking ceremony. ATG Sports, located in Festus, Mo., will oversee the project that is expected to last all summer. Kevin Greene Field and the track will be closed during construction. For more information about Granite City School District #9, visit www.gcsd9.net .

Continue Reading

ALTON - Olive Oil Marketplace will celebrate 10 years in business with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, June 3, and offer several product samples from vendors and in-store sales on both June 3 and 4 at their 108 W. 3rd St. location in Alton. Olive Oil Marketplace is co-owned by Julie Meeks and her husband Tim. Meeks said she considers the marketplace a “gourmet kitchen store” which specializes in olive oils and balsamic vinegars, but also offers much more. “We are proud to say that we are family-owned, and that’s the way we’ve always been for 10 years,” Meeks said. “We have almost 80 flavors of extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars, and we also house gourmet coffee beans, loose teas, my husband makes most all of our seasonings and rubs and we carry very fine pastas in several flavors, shapes and sizes.” Several of these items and more will be available to sample “all day” on Friday, June 3 and

Continue Reading

CHAMPAIGN, ll. – Busey knows the importance of a lasting promise. We’re pleased to offer financial support toward continuing education endeavors to applicants of all ages and educational backgrounds through the Busey Bank Bridge Scholarship. “We're proud to provide financial support to students through our expanded scholarship program,” said Sandy DeMond, Senior Vice President - Director of Community Banking. “By investing in the future of students in our communities, we’re not only helping the students themselves but our communities as a whole.” Through the Busey Bank Bridge Scholarship Fund, $25,000 in scholarships will be awarded annually. Available across the Busey footprint, funds will be disbursed through 10 scholarships of $2,500 each. Applicants must reside in one of the following counties within the applicable states below: Illinois: Champaign, Ford, McLean, Peoria, Tazewell, Macon, Will, Grundy, Cook, DuPage, Madison, St. Clair

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS – FOCUS St. Louis , the region’s premier leadership nonprofit organization, honored Filament’s Thinksgiving® at its 2022 What’s Right with the Region Awards for making a difference. Thinksgiving® was one of four honorees in the Demonstrating Innovative Solutions category, which recognizes initiatives that have demonstrated innovation and vision in making the St. Louis region a better place to live, work, or visit. Thinksgiving® is an initiative that connects teams from St. Louis companies with nonprofits for a day of creative problem-solving. Once paired, Thinksgiving® teams collaborate to identify innovative solutions to a broad mix of community-focused challenges – while building longer-lasting relationships between the companies and the nonprofits they’re serving. “While St. Louis has no shortage of big challenges, there are hundreds of nonprofits doing amazing work addressing those challenges and business

Continue Reading

METRO EAST - A quick area survey of gas prices in the past 24 hours from Gas Buddy on Riverbender.com revealed a wide range of prices, but all highly elevated in the Metro East. For those interested in keeping a daily gauge on prices, visit this link each day on Riverbender.com: http://www.riverbender.com/gasprices/ The lowest for regular unleaded gas was $4.43 at Walmart in Godfrey. Some of the highest prices in the past 24 hours were in Jerseyville, with $5.09 at a pair of Casey’s. The Casey’s in Wood River on Edwardsville Road posted a $5.08 unleaded regular price in the past 24 hours from Gas Buddy. Sam’s Club in Glen Carbon was also low compared to others with a price of $4.71 a gallon. The Circle K in Edwardsville on North Main had a price of $4.89. BP in Alton on College Avenue had a price of $4.79 a gallon. The Missouri statewide gas price average has set or tied new record highs for 22 consecutive days. The Center Square reported recently that the average

Continue Reading

WOOD RIVER - East Alton-Wood River High School senior track and field star Noah Mason is one who loves training, whether it is for track and field or in martial arts. Noah has been running track for two years now and says that his favorite thing about it is having to put in all the work needed to run races. Noah is a Midwest Members Credit Union Male Athlete of the Month for the Oilers. "Throughout high school, I have been able to develop the ability to stay focused to help me accomplish my goals which I got from track to break PRs," Noah said. Outside of track Noah is also a black belt in tae kwon do. His other hobbies include wrestling, art, music, carpentry, and drama club. Noah also succeeds inside the classroom being a National Honors Society member, academic challenge participant, and vice-presidential scholar thespian. He plans on attending Illinois State University where he thinks he'll study engineering. He does not plan to continue running track during college but

Continue Reading

ALTON - Dave Braasch (above), president of Alton Memorial Hospital, accepts a Perseverance Award at the Chamber Choice Awards on May 25. The awards luncheon was hosted by the Riverbend Growth Association. The hospital was honored for its courageous efforts during the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to the tireless devotion exhibited on a daily basis by an excellent staff of more than 900, the physicians as well as the volunteers, Alton Memorial has taken on the worst that COVID-19 could throw at it and continues to provide excellent care – to all of its patients, families, and the communities that it serves.

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Jewish Film Festival is hosting a movie screening of the documentary “Fiddler’s Journey to the Big Screen” on Sunday, July 14 at 4 pm. The film looks back at producer-director Norman Jewison’s 1971 feature version of the beloved stage musical, “Fiddler on the Roof”. The showing will take place at the J’s Staenberg Family Complex’s Performing Arts Center. Narrated by Jeff Goldblum, the film captures the humor and drama of Jewison's quest to recreate the lost world of Jewish life in Tsarist Russia and re-envisions the beloved stage hit as a wide-screen epic. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Daniel Raim puts us in the director's chair and in Jewison's heart and mind, drawing on behind-the-scenes footage and never-before-seen stills, as well as interviews with Jewison, actresses, and more. The film explores how the experience of making "Fiddler” deepens Jewison as an artist and revives his soul. Last year, marked

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS - People across the bi-state region using food pantries made difficult trade-offs to feed their families in mid-2021. A new report from the University of Missouri found that in the 26 counties served by the St. Louis Area Foodbank, 53% of food pantry clients had to choose between paying for food or utilities last year, while 40% had to decide between paying for food or medicine/medical care and 42% had to choose between purchasing food or paying for housing. That’s according to Food Assistance & Hunger in the Heartland 2021 which was conducted by the MU Interdisciplinary Center for Food Security to better understand the characteristics of food pantries and circumstances of those neighbors who rely on food pantries. “It is important to remind ourselves that food insecurity doesn’t happen in a vacuum,” said Bill McKelvey, co-author and project coordinator with the center. “People may also struggle to afford other essentials like housing, transportation

Continue Reading