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COLLINSVILLE – Cole Wendler, 23, of Edwardsville, has been charged with two counts of Aggravated Driving With a Blood Alcohol Level of .08 or More Causing Death (Class 2 Felony) and two counts of Aggravated Driving While Under the Influence Causing Death (Class 2 Felony). The Madison County State's Attorney's Office approved the charges on Monday, July 10. At 1:41 a.m. on July 8, 2023, Illinois State Police (ISP) Troop 8 requested the assistance of the ISP Zone 6 Major Crimes Unit to investigate a fatal traffic crash on Interstate 55 southbound at milepost 15 in Madison County. The black Chevrolet Malibu, driven by Wendler, struck the rear of a silver Jeep Compass. The Jeep overturned ejecting the driver and front-seat passenger, who were both pronounced deceased on scene. On July 10, 2023, Wendler was placed under arrest as a result of the investigation conducted by the ISP Zone 6 Major Crimes Unit. The Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office approved th

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ALTON - After a few years off, Rock the Hops returns for "a celebration of music, art, and craft beer" taking place on Saturday, August 12th, from 2:00PM to 8:00PM at multiple venues in downtown Alton. Attendees can "hop" around between the 5 official venues and catch as many as 25 unique and creative music performances. The lineup will include a wide variety of genres such as rock, jazz-fusion, indie, folk, singer-songwriter, Americana, psychedelic jam bands, ambient, electronic and more. There will also be artisan booths featuring visual artworks and handmade goods available for purchase. Each of the 5 venues this year will play host to all three creative elements noted in the festival's tagline, creating a fun and celebratory atmosphere throughout the day. Ticket holders can choose from over 25 styles of craft beverages to sample, from seasonal summertime craft beers and citrusy IPAs, to refreshing ciders and seltzers. Not just a festival, the event brings awareness to, and heightens

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced today he has filed multiple charges – including felonies – against two men who unlawfully harvested several wild turkeys in the Cahokia Canal area. The charges filed by Haine’s office allege that Hunter D. Baxter, 28, of Lucedale, Miss., and Dustin D. Goldsmith, 38, of McCall Creek., Miss., unlawfully harvested turkeys in the Cahokia Canal area on multiple occasions in 2022. Both defendants are charged with a Class 4 felony count of unlawful possession of wild game. Those charges allege that Baxter and Goldsmith possessed multiple turkeys with a combined value exceeding $3,000, for profit or commercial purposes. “When people violate game laws, it’s cheating. It’s unfair to all of the ethical hunters who practice good sportsmanship and are good stewards of our natural resources, and whose fees support conservation efforts,” Haine said. “The State’s Attorney’s

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EDWARDSVILLE/GLEN CARBON - “If you knew Matthew, you loved him.” That’s what Matthew Butler’s loved ones want people to know about the former attorney who slept on the steps of the Madison County Courthouse. Butler died on Friday, July 7, after he was hit by a car the week before . Now, his family and friends are hoping to change the way people think about mental illness and homelessness by telling Butler’s story. “The thing about Matthew is that his heart was always good. I mean, his whole life, he was a sweet kid,” Chuck Youchoff said. While Youchoff and Butler were technically cousins, they were only 6 months apart in age and considered each other brothers. Youchoff explained that Butler was raised in a religious home by a single mother in Springfield. Butler rooted for the Cubs and debated baseball with Youchoff, who was a Cardinals fan. They collected baseball cards together. By high school, Butler already stood out for hi

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ALTON - Calvary Baptist Church in Alton is hosting their 2023 "Rise Up" Calvary Children's Music Camp later this summer from Monday, July 31 to Friday, August 4. They describe the camp as a great way to tune out distractions while learning about God’s word in a fun environment. Each day of the camp will run from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and registration is open for children ages 3 before September 1, 2022 through those that have completed fifth grade. Music Leader and Senior Adult Pastor Brent Syder joined Children's Pastor Mike Harrelson on a recent episode of Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com to discuss the camp and the mission behind it. One of their goals for the camp was to keep it affordable for families - the cost is $40 per child or $60 each for two children, and Snyder said the “max” cost is $75 for larger families. Harrelson said the camp includes songs and videos from Seeds Family Worship , a “music-based ministry,” which

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SPRINGFIELD - God is Alive, produced by Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, available to watch for free In a world full of selfishness, hardships, and despair, more and more people are asking, “God, are you up there?” God is Alive , an original documentary, created and produced by the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, answers that question in an adventurous, impactful, and local way. Andrew Hansen, host of the Catholic podcast Dive Deep , editor of Catholic Times , and former television personality on ABC, NBC, and FOX affiliates in Central Illinois, teams up with Father Michael Trummer, parochial vicar of St. Boniface Parish in Edwardsville and chaplain at Father McGivney Catholic High School in Glen Carbon, in a journey across Central Illinois, as they find five incredible stories of faith/miraculous events in five cities that will show God is alive and help move people to put their faith in action. “If you are full of faith, clinging to faith, o

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ALTON - Too many community-building practitioners cling to the notion that jobs alone build community. But, are jobs enough to attract and retain talent? Workforce training, manufacturing plants, and warehouses are touted as solutions. Creating a day labor center is not community-building. There is more to livability than a job and there is more to community-building than roads, workforce training, and the next Toyota plant. Downstate Illinois continues to bleed population. One side argues the cause is lack of opportunity, while the other sides argues it’s taxes. But maybe, just maybe, downstate Illinois isn’t paying enough attention to livability. Some regions in downstate Illinois have the bones to host the best bedroom communities in the Midwest, if we can recognize and appreciate the connection between community-building and destination-building. Instead of prioritizing blue-collar employment centers and giving handsome tax breaks to encourage large out-of-state

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ST. LOUIS - All Schnucks Locations Hosting “Hydrate Our Heroes” Beverage Drive July 12 - 18. From Wednesday, July 12 through Tuesday, July 18, all 115 Schnucks stores across the Midwest will host a “Hydrate Our Heroes” beverage drive to support local firefighters, law enforcement and first responders. Those wishing to donate should look for a donation bin at the front of each store. The most requested items include: Sports Drinks Energy Drinks Bottled Water Sparkling Waters

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EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is pleased to announce that it is offering 2023-24 Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) scholarships, now with expanded eligibility for those pursuing or interested in pursuing a credential or degree in early childhood education. The scholarship is now available at participating community colleges and universities beginning in a student’s freshman year, and depending on the participating institution and its programs, can be used for certain associate and bachelor’s degree programs, as well as for advanced degrees and endorsements. At SIUE, the scholarship is available for students in the undergraduate early childhood education program . Detailed information about eligibility and a link to the 2023-24 scholarship application is available on the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website at isac.org/ECACEscholarship . “Our dean, Robin Hughes, PhD, did not hesitate

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CARROLLTON – Good food, great music, free parking and room to spread out are major highlights of an evening in Carrollton on Friday, July 14, 2023, when the Carrollton Lions Club will host a fun-filled family event. Activities will begin at 5 p.m. when Bernie Faul opens her sandwich stand on site to sell rib eyes, porky burger, hot dogs. Proceeds from Bernie’s sandwiches will be donated to the Carrollton City Cemetery to pay for upgrading and maintaining old and broken headstones. Participants can continue by visiting the Lions Club stand to purchase ice cream and Texas cake, then settle in and prepare to be entertained by the Outlaw Opry Band in a gazebo concert beginning at 6:30. Everyone is cordially invited to attend, enjoy the fellowship and support a most worthwhile project. The Carrollton Lions Club members thank you for your participation.

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ALTON - The Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau is boasting “record-breaking” tourism growth and statistics for the region, including increases in both the number of visitors and the amount of money visitors are spending during their time here. Cory Jobe, President & CEO of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau, responded to a recent announcement from Governor J.B. Pritzker that there has been strong tourism growth state-wide - Jobe said the same is especially true for the Riverbend region. “In our Great Rivers & Routes region of Southwest Illinois, we have seen amazing tourism growth over the last 18 months,” Jobe said, adding that 2022 was a “stellar year” for the six-county region. “We saw a 6.5% increase in hotel revenues coupled with a 26% increase in visitors to Southwest Illinois.” The theme of the organization’s marketing campaign for the area has been ‘The Great Outdoors Inside the Midwest.’ Jobe

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EAST ST. LOUIS - This is one of those stories that people often don't want to hear about — a story about a highly regarded athlete and how his fate was turned upside down with a summer crime spree. Such is the case of Jamariante N. Burgess, now 21, of East St. Louis. Burgess and his co-defendant, Armon R. Simpson, 19, of St. Louis, have admitted to participating in a string of violent carjackings in the Metro East. Burgess received a 192-month sentence, meaning he will serve 16 years in prison. Simpson will serve 208 months in his sentence. Both men pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit carjacking, one count of carjacking and one count of use of a dangerous weapon to commit a crime of violence. At the time of the crimes, Simpson was 17. He was certified by the Court to be treated as an adult in the case. Burgess was 19 years old at the time of the crime spree in the summer of 2021. Burgess was a member of East St. Louis' football team that went 14-0 and won a stat

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COLLINSVILLE - The Collinsville Police Department is hosting its eighth annual 5K to support Special Olympics Illinois, but there’s a sweet, sprinkled twist. The 5K Run/Walk begins at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 29. Registration and packet pick-up begins at 6 a.m. that day. There will be three donut stops along the race route. The donuts are encouraged but not mandatory, so contestants can decide whether to forgo the stops and keep running, or eat a donut and shave one minute off their overall time. “We were trying to find something that was a little different than your normal 5K, so we’re kind of making fun of the stereotype of police and donuts,” Trent Ross, a Collinsville police officer and the race organizer, said. Ross works closely with Special Olympics Illinois . He wanted this fundraiser to help the organization and connect the community with the police department. Special Olympics is an important part of Ross’s life, and his experience

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EAST ST. LOUIS – A U.S. District judge sentenced a Belleville man to spend 15 years in federal prison after he pled guilty to four counts of production, distribution, and transportation of child sexual abuse material. U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe had this statement about the case: "Zachary R. Dennert, 21, will serve 10 years of supervised release following his prison sentence. The defendant targeted young boys on social media, gained their trust by pretending to be a young girl and exploited his victims for sexual images. “His sentence reflects the severity of his manipulative behavior, and I applaud the investigative agencies for their work in bringing this offender to justice.” According to court documents, Dennert created social media profiles on several platforms purporting to be a teenage female in 2020. Using the profiles, he contacted numerous male minors and requested explicit images. Dennert received images from victims ranging in age from 11 to 15 years

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ALTON - Centerstone, a national leader in behavioral health and addiction services, has announced the release of its eighth comic book, Spark Demystified . The Spark comics are a series of comic books geared toward children and teens with each issue addressing common topics in an approachable yet factual way. The latest issue tackles teen vaping, while past issues have tackled other age-appropriate topics such as bullying, depression, online safety, relationships, drugs, and underage drinking. Spark Demystified , the latest issue from Centerstone’s comic book series, covers teen vaping and how the use of e-cigarettes is unsafe for kids and teens, and can lead to substance use disorders. The comic also addresses peer pressure, which is cited as the one of the most common reasons why middle and high school student try vaping or e-cigarettes. “I know things,” Spark the superhero says in the latest issue. “Vaping can be really, really addicting. It’s

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Municipal Band is delighted to announce its upcoming concert, showcasing a blend of captivating melodies from diverse folk traditions around the world. The concert will be held on the Cleaon Etzkorn Bandstand at City Park on Thursday, July 13 at 8 p.m. and is under the direction of Dr. Rubén Darío Gómez. The band extends a warm invitation to all music enthusiasts, families, and friends to join them on a musical journey spanning continents, as they bring to life the rich and vibrant sounds of Greece, Russia, the United States, Columbia, and more. Concessions available during the event will directly benefit the SIUE Suzuki Tour Group. For more information about the Edwardsville Municipal Band and its upcoming events, please visit them on Facebook, Instagram, or on the City of Edwardsville website.

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ALTON - Revity Credit Union employees joined together to raise $1,065.00 in the month of June to benefit Alton Pride through their Smile for Jeans Program. The Smile for Jeans Program is funded by Revity Credit Union employees who make monthly, monetary donations out of their own pockets to a local organization. By donating $15 or more to a specific organization, Revity employees are able to wear jeans and tennis shoes on Fridays and Saturdays during that month. Nothing gets better than seeing a smile on an organization’s face when Revity Credit Union presents them with a jeans donation check. Revity Credit Union’s 2023 Smile for Jeans Program focuses on supporting our local communities that we work, play and live in. During the month of June, Revity employees proudly raised $1,065.00 for Alton Pride. Alton Pride is a charitable and educational organization established to bring awareness, understanding, and advocacy to the LGBTQ+ community with an emphasis on th

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ALTON - A $5,312.50 payment to Alton Main Street was the subject of some debate before a split vote at the Alton Committee of the Whole meeting on July 10. Alderman Raymond Strebel raised further questions about the city’s proposed payment to the organization, which he called a “misappropriation of funds.” At the last meeting, Strebel made a motion to separate this bill from the rest and lay it over to this meeting, which passed. At this meeting, he said he had more time to look over the information but still couldn’t justify the payment because he believes the Tourism Tax funds can only be used for Riverfront Park improvements. A representative for the city attorney said whether or not the organization can be paid with tourism funds depends on how one defines efforts to bring visitors into the city - her interpretation was that these funds could be used for any project within the Alton area meant to enhance tourism. Strebel disagreed. “It says

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PEARL - The Pike County Sheriff's Office has reported that John M. Roos, a Jerseyville resident, 71, died in a fatal motorcycle crash on State Highway 100, south of Pearl on Sunday. Pike County Sheriff David Greenwood said the sheriff's office responded to a single-unit motorcycle crash on State Highway 100, approximately 2 miles south of Pearl. "The motorcycle was traveling northbound and struck a deer that ran into its path," the sheriff said. "The operator of the motorcycle was pronounced dead at the scene." Assisting the Pike County Sheriff's Office at the scene were the Spring Creek Fire Department and Pike County EMS.

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ALTON - Charges have been announced in the alleged bank robbery that took place on July 5, 2023, at the Carrollton Bank, 120 Homer Adams Parkway in Alton. "At 4:04 p.m. on July 5, the Madison County Sheriff's Office responded to Carrollton Bank, 120 Homer Adams Pkwy., Alton, in reference to a bank robbery," Madison County Deputy Police Chief Marcos Pulido said. "Preliminary investigation revealed that a Black male, wearing a light gray sweatshirt and light colored blue jeans, entered the bank, inferred he had a weapon and demanded cash. No injuries were reported. "The suspect then fled on foot. A witness observed a subject matching this description running nearby, on Martin Luther King Boulevard, in a wooded area, near the Alby Street overpass. "A short time later, a subject was observed in that area, quickly entering a black passenger vehicle, that immediately fled upon seeing law enforcement. A vehicle pursuit ensued in which the driver fled on West Delmar, in Godfrey, then continued

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