Riverbender 🕸

ST. LOUIS – St. Louis Area Foodbank has been selected for the 2022 Best of Bridgeton Award in the Non-Profit Organization category. About the Best of Bridgeton Award: Each year, the Bridgeton Award Program identifies companies that have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community. These exceptional companies help make the Bridgeton area a great place to live, work, and play. Our mission is to recognize the small business community's contributions to the U.S. economy. The St. Louis Area Foodbank celebrates being the recipient of this award and we are grateful for this recognition by the City of Bridgeton. The need for food is immense and continues to grow. In an average year, nearly 400,000 people rely on the St. Louis Area Foodbank for assistance, and during the pandemic, we’ve served more neighbors

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois is putting our fiscal house in order and paying off our debt. I applaud House Democrats for prioritizing legislation that will use our resources in the most fiscally responsible way: SB2803 will pay down more than $4.1 billion in debt. I especially appreciate the tireless work to dedicate additional revenues to one-time efforts that will produce a stronger budget for years to come, and I extend my gratitude in particular to Leaders Greg Harris, Marcus Evans and Jay Hoffman and Reps. Will Davis, Robyn Gabel, Lisa Hernandez and Michael Zalewski for advancing this priority. I’m disappointed that Republicans are putting their politics ahead of fiscal responsibility while Democrats in the General Assembly are taking the lead to put our fiscal house in order. SB 2803 Key Facts As amended in the House, SB 2803 accomplishes several key goals the Governor laid out in his State of the State and budget proposal, paying off $4.1 billion in debt: Dedicates a substantia

Continue Reading

GODFREY – The Nature Institute, located at 2213 South Levis Lane in Godfrey, IL, is happy to announce the trails will open on April 1 for public use. TNI has over 5 miles of trails of easy to difficult terrain. Most trails have a dirt tread, but there is one ½ mile paved trail which is home to the Hayner Library’s StoryWalk. The public is welcome to enjoy hiking the property between the hours of 7 am and dusk. Trail maps are available at the trailhead, and bathrooms will be available for use near the lodge. There are also picnic tables scattered around the trailhead and lodge that families are welcome to use, but please gather your trash and belongings and take them with you. Since The Nature Institute is an Illinois Nature Preserve, meaning everything is protected under state law, flowers and mushrooms should be left to grow and rocks and feathers should be left on the property. Pets of all kinds should be left at home as TNI does not allow pets on the trails. Also

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville High School student Sarah Meng is the Edwardsville Rotary Club Student of the Month Award for March. Sarah was nominated by her mathematics teacher, Tiffany McBride. Sarah achieved the honor roll last semester in her academic courses at Edwardsville High School. In her spare time, she enjoys playing the piano, dabbling in art, and baking. Sarah says she would like to attend the Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville after her high school graduation to major in psychology. The Edwardsville Rotary Club recognizes a student each month September through April. Each May, Edwardsville High School staff chooses one of the monthly winners to receive the $1,500 Edwardsville High School Rotary Scholarship. The awards have been given since 1996 and the Edwardsville Rotary Club has given out over $28,000 in scholarships to date.

Continue Reading

WOOD RIVER - Charlie’s Drive-In in Wood River is about to be back in business. Chastity and Aaron Niemeyer, and Fred and Jeri Shaw purchased the Charlie’s Drive-In business at 7262 Wood River Avenue in Wood River from the previous owners recently. The plan after some work on the building is to be open in mid-April, Chastity said. Chastity and Jeri are the main partners in the business. Chastity said the two became friends with their sons involved in East Alton-Wood River wrestling. “Our sons wrestled together from fifth grade through East Alton-Wood River High School,” she said. “We love East Alton and Wood River. I graduated from high school in 2001.” Aaron Niemeyer Jr. and Jason Shaw were the sons who wrestled together. The big question is will the famed homemade root beer and mini-burgers be part of the menu, and the answer Chastity says is “yes,” right at the top. Coffee and iced coffees may also be added at some point to the menu

Continue Reading

WOOD RIVER - Carlos E. Watson, 23, of East St. Louis, was charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm, aggravated assault, and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. He allegedly fired in the direction of another man on March 20. The other two charges involve the same conduct but different sections of the criminal code. Bail is set at $150,000. The charges were filed on March 21. GLEN CARBON - Rudy J. Hampton, 45, of Granite City, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine. He allegedly possessed less than five grams of the drug on March 19. Bail was set at $25,000. The charge was filed on March 21. EDWARDSVILLE - Calvin L. Heath, 46, of the first block of Devon Place, Edwardsville, was charged Wednesday with aggravated domestic battery and misdemeanor domestic battery. He allegedly choked a household member on March 18. He was also accused of domestic battery for striking the victim. Bail was set at $50,000. EDWARDSVILLE - Kolbe P. Hughes, 23, of Independence,

Continue Reading

GRAFTON - Grafton Mayor Mike Morrow is proud to see one of the city’s treasures - the Loading Dock-Boat House - moving closer to the National Register of Historic Places list. Mayor Morrow said it was announced at the Grafton City Council Meeting that the historic Boat Works building has been approved as a historic site on the state realm and is now headed for those who decide on the National Register of Historic places buildings. The Allen family are the owners of the Loading Dock-Boat House. Peter Allen announced the state decision at the Grafton Council meeting this week. The National Register of Historic Places is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance. “I think everybody in Grafton is absolutely pleased to see it go to the National Historic Register of Places decision-makers,” Mayor Morrow said. “One positive is buildings

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced today that Jacob Godoy, 17, of St. Louis, pled guilty to one count of first-degree murder for the January 2021 killing of SIUE student Moneer Damra. “The Defendant turned the streets of Madison County into a shooting gallery that evening, and took the life of a wonderful young man, senselessly and brutally,” Haine said. “Such violence will be met with the strictest prosecution in Madison County. We continue to pray for Moneer’s family, the SIUE community, and the ROTC program as they continue forward in the face of this horrific tragedy.” On the evening of January 14, 2021, Damra was a passenger in a vehicle on Interstate 270 and Route 157 in Edwardsville when he was struck by gunfire. He was taken to a local hospital and passed away several days later as a result of the injury. The first-degree murder charge is a Class M felony, and the sentencing range is 20-60 years in the Illinoi

Continue Reading

ALTON - Alton Fire Chief Jesse Jemison expressed pride that the contract between the Firefighters and Teamsters unions and the City of Alton had been approved by the deadline and it seemed a fair agreement for both sides. In previous years, the chief said some of the negotiations had been very heated and it was hard to come to a compromise. The chief says the other good news is it is a four-year agreement that runs from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2026. Chief Jemison has been a firefighter for many years and remembers how difficult some of the negotiations had been in the past. He explained the pay raises as 3 percent in the first two years and 2.5 percent in the third and fourth years. “This is a very historic thing,” he said that the contract had been settled before the deadline. “My approach was not to argue about little things and keep me vs. you out of it. "I think we were able to come up with a fair contract and equipment for firefighters and Teamsters

Continue Reading

MARYVILLE - Anderson Hospital is proud to have been named one of the best hospitals in the United States by Newsweek magazine in their annual "World’s Best Hospitals" rankings released this month. The 2022 list lands Anderson Hospital in the top 6% of 6,090 hospitals in the United States. Newsweek is a premier news magazine and website that has been bringing high-quality journalism to readers around the globe for over 80 years. This is the fourth year of their World’s Best Hospitals rankings. “Many medical institutions struggled with challenges over the course of the pandemic, but what has set the world's leading hospitals apart is their continued ability to deliver the highest-quality patient care and conduct critical medical research even as they focused on battling COVID,” stated Nancy Cooper, Global Editor-in-Chief of Newsweek. This prestigious award is presented by Newsweek and Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry-ranking provider.

Continue Reading

GREENE COUNTY - The latest Greene County Jail Booking Report shows two Greene County residents were recently arrested on traffic-related charges - one was also arrested on gun-related charges, while the other was arrested for drug possession. Ethan Taylor of Carrolton was arrested at 8:44 p.m. on Tuesday night. He was charged with possession of a controlled substance and driving with a license that was revoked or suspended. Taylor is currently being held at the Carrollton Police Department. Angelina Kent of Beardstown was arrested at 8:40 p.m on Sunday. She was charged with possession of a firearm with an invalid Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) Card. She was also charged with operating a motor vehicle while registration is suspended. Kent was held at the Greenfield Police Department but has since been released on bond.

Continue Reading

ALTON - The Alton Amphitheater Commission is currently accepting applications from vendors interested in participating in Commission organized events at Liberty Bank Alton Amphitheater during the 2022 season. “As we prepare for an exciting season at Liberty Bank Alton Amphitheater, the Amphitheater Commission is committed to providing the opportunity for a wide-variety of vendors to introduce their products to the thousands of guests who attend events on our beautiful riverfront,” said Commission Chair Dan Herkert. Vendor applications for regular, yearly events such as Fireworks On The Mississippi, concerts, and the Alton Jazz & Wine Festival are accepted on a continuing basis and will be considered by the Amphitheater Commission as they are received. If approved, vendors will be notified promptly of their participation in scheduled events. Vendors wishing to participate in the 2022 Alton Expo in September must submit a separate application. For planning and marketing

Continue Reading

ALTON - The following is a statement from Cory Jobe, President & CEO of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau: “The Alton Riverfront is a gem and is the regional gateway to the Great River Road and unparalleled scenic beauty. I applaud the forward-thinking of Alton Mayor David Goins and members of the Alton City Council to see the need to form a commission which can ultimately transform and develop our coveted riverfront. Outdoor recreational opportunities go together with attracting travelers to southwest Illinois and the Alton Riverfront is key to those developments. Engagement with the residents, the business community, and stakeholders will in turn bring about transformational change to the region. “These changes will then place the Great Rivers & Routes region as a whole in a stronger position for future development along the Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway. We all need to be forward-thinking as we approach our rivers and byways. From Route 66

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville High School cheer squad hosted a Kindergarten to Fifth-Grade Cheer Clinic this past Saturday with a huge attendance. More than 350 K-5 students participated in the clinic. Those in attendance spent the afternoon learning jumps, sideline cheers, floor cheers, and dances from the varsity, junior varsity, and fall EHS cheerleaders. The day culminated with performances in front of a packed house. "It was a fun and spirited event," the cheer coaches said in a statement about the event.

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD – People would be prohibited from burning toxic synthetic chemicals in Illinois, thanks to a measure sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) that passed the Senate Environment and Conservation Committee Thursday. “The risk PFAS chemicals pose to people and the environment has become clearer, which is why it’s important we are acting now to reduce the amount of these chemicals entering our air,” Belt said. “The Metro East is at an immediate risk of exposure to these potentially harmful substances.” House Bill 4818 would prohibit incinerating materials covered under the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Toxic Release Inventory that contain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, in Illinois. The measure clarifies that incineration does not include the use of thermal oxidation for the purposes of pollution control and includes an exemption for the combustion of gases at landfills.

Continue Reading

HIGHLAND - Highland Lions Club President Tom Mannion with Lions Gene Redman (Past President) (R) and Larry “Biddy” Essenpreis (L) accepted 390 pairs of eyeglasses, 17 hearing aids, and 3 cell phones from Jay Boulanger of Spengel-Boulanger Funeral Home. As a community service, and to help the Lions Club, the funeral home offers to collect the items from families they serve. Both Redman and Essenpreis work at the funeral home and help with the collections. Anyone wishing to provide donations is urged to contact Spengel-Boulanger in Highland and Marine or Dauderman Mortuary in Alhambra and Hamel at any time.

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD – A teddy bear. A set of dominoes. A jade pendant. Ordinary objects made extraordinary by owners who faced the worst that humanity had to offer but somehow managed to survive. Now these objects and dozens more have been gathered for “Stories of Survival: Object. Image. Memory.,” a special exhibit that opened today at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Using personal treasures and keepsakes, the exhibit tells the stories of people who survived the Holocaust, wars, genocide … and the stories of friends and family who didn’t make it. Why did the survivors keep these particular mementos? What role did they play in the struggle to survive? Visitors to “Stories of Survival” will see the objects as well as beautiful photographs of the treasures surrounded by handwritten notes from the owners or their relatives. Learn the stories of: Ursula Meyer, who hid her teddy bear during the Holocaust. She survived to reclaim

Continue Reading

BELLEVILLE – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that Illinois Rt 161 from St Clair Avenue to Dutch Hollow Road in Belleville will be intermittently restricted to one lane in each direction beginning Monday, March 28, 2022, weather permitting. This work will take place daily between the hours of 7:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Traffic in each direction will be maintained using flaggers and arrow boards. This work is necessary to complete pavement repairs. This work is expected to be completed by the end of Spring 2022. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices and be alert for workers and equipment. The contractor on this project is The Killian Corporation of Mascoutah, Illinois. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.

Continue Reading

ALTON - Alton Main Street business, River Bend Yoga, will re-open its doors at 100 W Third, Alton, IL in April. River Bend Yoga students have been saluting the sun in their current location for nearly eight years. The studio represents a sacred space for movement, but also a place for the community. Throughout the past few years, it’s become even more apparent that health and wellness are not trends, but essential components of daily life. As more classes were sold out well in advance, it was clear that the Alton community needed more space for transformation. In 2020, River Bend Yoga took the first step at facilitating that transformation with the opening of the River Bend School of Yoga. The school hosts a Yoga Alliance accredited 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training program. Graduates of this program are now well known in the yoga community. Several have gone on to open their own studios, furthering the penetration of health and wellness. River Bend Yoga will be working on implementing

Continue Reading

ST. CLAIR COUNTY - Illinois State Police released information about a fatal vehicle vs. pedestrian traffic crash that occurred at approximately 9:40 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, on Illinois Route 177 westbound at Eidmann Road, St. Clair County. WHAT: Vehicle versus Pedestrian Fatal Traffic Crash VEHICLE: Unit 2- Tan 1999 Toyota Camry DRIVER: Unit 2- 16-year-old male from Mascoutah, IL. PASSENGER: Unit 2- 15-year-old female from Belleville, WI PEDESTRIAN: A 46-year-old female from Freeburgh, IL – Name withheld pending family notification – Fatally Injured PRELIMINARY REPORT: A preliminary investigation indicates the following occurred: Unit 2 was traveling west on IL Rt. 177 at Eidmann Road, in St. Clair County. The pedestrian was walking in the roadway and was fatally struck by Unit 2. The driver and passenger of Unit 2 reported no injuries. The events surrounding the crash remain under investigation and no further information is available at this time

Continue Reading