Riverbender 🕸

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chair of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife, this week met with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) St. Louis District Commander Colonel Kevin Golinghorst, as well as USACE Rock Island District Commander Colonel Jesse Curry to discuss critical water infrastructure projects throughout the state. In separate meetings, Duckworth discussed the support from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) and inland waterways programs, including the Brandon Road Lock and Dam Project. “Protecting and strengthening our inland waterways is critical to growing our local economies and protecting the health and safety of our communities,” Duckworth said. “I was glad to meet with Colonel Golinghorst and Colonel Curry to discuss the importance of water infrastructure and the ongoing projects throughout the region

Continue Reading

EAST ST. LOUIS - The Illinois State Police District 11 released information that they responded to a report of an expressway shooting at 6:39 a.m. on Thursday, March 10, 2022, at Milepost 3, East St. Louis in St. Clair County. This is the ISP synopsis of the situation, which they say the investigation is in its infancy: Location: Interstate 70 eastbound at Milepost 3, East St. Louis, St. Clair County Brief Synopsis: Preliminary investigative details indicate the following occurred: District 11 Troopers responded to a reported expressway shooting at the above time and location. No injuries were reported in the incident. No further information is available at this time. Anyone who witnessed the shooting or has any knowledge of the incident is asked to contact Crimestoppers by phone at 314-725-8477 (TIPS). Witnesses can remain anonymous.

Continue Reading

ALTON - Daniel Strohbeck of Case Management is Alton Memorial Hospital’s Employee of the Month for March. He was presented with the honor March 9 by AMH President Dave Braasch and his manager, Meredith Parker. The nominations said that “Daniel is an inspiration to me. Every day he comes to the campus of Alton Memorial Hospital to work and does not complain. Each morning he flies through the halls in his electric wheelchair while he greets people on the go. He has an attitude ready to tackle each problem tenaciously. He is compassionate, respectful, and cares about each of his patients. "He desires for each of them to have a safe discharge plan and assists them as needed. He communicates with each patient and/or family, case managers, and doctors in order to help each patient obtain their goals. His hard work and commitment does not go unnoticed!” Congratulations, Daniel!"

Continue Reading

GODFREY - Lewis and Clark Community College students and team members showed their support of Ukraine during the Rally for Ukraine: Standing for Peace event Wednesday in The Grove on the college’s Godfrey Campus. After an introduction by President Ken Trzaska, Political Science Adjunct Mario Love spoke about the situation facing the Ukrainian people. Students were given the chance to express their thoughts on the situation. The rally was hosted by Trailblazers Give Back and L&C Student Activities. For more information on Trailblazers Give Back, contact (618) 468-4730 or abunjan@lc.edu. Learn more about L&C Student Activities by contacting (618) 468-6400 or jhenning@lc.edu. Photo by Jan Dona, L&C Marketing/PR

Continue Reading

GODFREY - A man accused of crashing a pickup truck into a 2-year-old girl and her dog, killing both, has pleaded guilty to failure to report an accident involving injury or death. Paul Broadway, 64, of Godfrey, was charged after an Aug. 31, 2020, accident in which the pickup truck he was driving crashed into Ellee Grace Kiser, 2, of Godfrey. The victim ran into the roadway at Pine Grove and West Broadway. The child died at St. Anthony’s Health Center a day later of head injuries. Broadway left the scene but was arrested by Alton police the next day. Broadway pleaded guilty Monday in exchange for a prosecution agreement that he be sentenced to no more than eight years in prison. A sentencing hearing will be held at a later date. At a press conference shortly after the accident, Sheriff John Lakin said that, after the accident was reported, the Sheriff’s Office was flooded with calls from the public. Police obtained a description of the truck, and the accident

Continue Reading

FLORA - On March 9, 2022, Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Zone 8 announce the arrest of Phillip Blaine Henson, a 52-year-old male from Flora, IL, for Drug Induced Homicide (Class X Felony). On November 17, 2022, at approximately 1:26 p.m., the ISP DCI - Zone 8 was requested to conduct a death investigation in Flora, IL. A female, later identified as Stephanie L. Harrell, a 54-year-old of Flora, IL, was found deceased in her vehicle parked in an agricultural field entrance on Olive Street, just north of US Highway 50 in Clay County. On March 8, 2022, Phillip Blaine Henson was charged with Drug Induced Homicide (Class X Felony), filed in the Circuit Court for the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Illinois in Clay County. Henson is currently detained at the Vanderburgh County Jail in Evansville, Indiana with bond of $1,000,000 / 10 % to apply. No further information is available at this time. ISP DCI - Zone 8 was assisted by the South Eastern Illinois

Continue Reading

ALTON - Alton School District is working on the last leg of renovations at Alton Middle School located at 2200 College Avenue and is offering up novelty auditorium seats to anyone interested. As a part of their renovation, they are getting new seating, new carpet and paint, a larger stage, new sound and light equipment and more. Each party is limited to small number of seats. Pickup time has been updated to avoid the before and after school traffic. Please call to schedule your pickup time. Appointments will be available between 9 am and 2:45 p.m. and between 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. this Friday, March 11. No tools are needed, they will even help you load your truck or trailer. To schedule your pickup or for more information contact Ann Norman at 618-433-7850.

Continue Reading

WOOD RIVER - It's been said that of all the sports that anyone could take up, wrestling is perhaps the one sport that requires the most discipline and sacrifice of all. It's constant weight-watching, requires very hard work and a lot of sacrifices, both of self and for the team. It's not an easy sport to master. In the case of eight-year-old Karson Stoeckel of Wood River, he may very well be on his way to becoming a top high school and college wrestler in the future. Stoeckel recently won the Illinois Kids Wrestling Federation bantam state championship at 46 pounds in a tournament held at Bolingbrook High School in suburban Chicago. And to say that both his teams and his family are proud of him is just scratching the surface. Stoeckel is a Midwest Members Credit Union Male Athlete of the Month For Roxana. "I'm very, very, very proud of him," said Lindsey Quigley, Karson's mother, in a recent interview. "He has been working his tail off to prepare for this, and this was his third

Continue Reading

SWANSEA - Holland Construction Services President Mike Marchal is pleased to announce the promotion of Rob Ruehl to Project Executive. Ruehl has been with Holland since 2017 and has showcased his determination and work ethic on a multitude of projects. “Rob has been a tremendous asset to us and our clients over the past five years,” said Marchal. “I am very proud of the work he has done and the professional growth I’ve seen in him. We’re looking forward to seeing his continued success leading teams as a Project Executive.” With more than two decades of experience in the industry, Ruehl has been a part of major projects at Holland including Keystone Place Senior Living, The Villages of Twin Oaks, The Flats at Dorsett Ridge, and Heartland View Apartments. “I am looking forward to the opportunity to assist in guiding and growing our multi-family market and continue where we are strong and continue to grow our team,” Ruehl said. In the

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has received $1.5 million in funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) in support of a novel model for graduate education that removes financial barriers and increases diversity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The project, “At the Confluence: Supporting Critical Transitions for Graduate Students in Sustainable Watersheds Research,” is led by principal investigator (PI) Adriana E. Martinez, PhD, associate professor in the Departments of Environmental Sciences and Geography and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The program is now enrolling its first cohort, and will contribute to the national need for educated STEM professionals by supporting the retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need. Participating graduate students will receive a tuition waiver and a $10,000 scholarship for each of the two years of their

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD – With more than 150 wineries statewide, Illinois is a leader in wine operations. To offer financial relief to struggling makers, State Senator Rachelle Aud Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) advanced legislation to lower licensing fees for first-class manufacturers. “Wineries are unique small businesses servicing communities throughout the entire state,” Crowe said. “By re-implementing the previous licensing fees, we can offer financial support to wine operators as they work to bounce back following pandemic-related burdens.” In partnership with the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association, Crowe’s measure lowers the licensing fees for first-class wine manufacturers to $750 if renewed online and $900 for initial or non-online certification. Under a law passed in 2021, the fees were raised to $1,200 if renewed online and $1,500 for initial licenses and non-online. “Wineries in Illinois offer diverse experiences, but the industry endured

Continue Reading

EAST ST. LOUIS - Randy Goodwin, 56, of Belleville, Illinois, pled guilty today to a two count information charging him with making false statements to obtain federal disability compensation under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act. According to court documents, Goodwin began receiving federal disability payments after he was injured working for the United States Postal Service in 2013. After his injury, Goodwin began working at his family’s restaurant, Good Heavens BBQ, in East St. Louis, Illinois. Annual disability forms require recipients to disclose additional earned income and employment. However, to avoid a reduction of his benefits, Goodwin falsely reported that he had not worked for any employers or had any involvement in any businesses for several years. This caused the United States Postal Service to pay him more in disability than he truly deserved. As a result of his plea, Goodwin will lose all disability benefits going forward. He also paid over $20,000

Continue Reading

BENTON – Bryan Flanagan, 35, of Centralia, Illinois, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison on Thursday, March 3, 2022, on two counts of distribution of child pornography and five counts of interstate communication with intent to extort. Flanagan pleaded guilty to charges in federal court on September 16, 2021. Flanagan extorted multiple minor girls online to send him sexual videos and images. Beginning in February 2020, Flanagan used fake profiles pretending to be a teenage boy on Facebook to contact multiple underage girls across the United States. Flanagan pressured and threatened his victims into sending him sexually explicit videos and images. When some victims refused to do so, Flanagan lied and told them that he was babysitting a young child and would rape or molest the child unless his online victims sent him the requested images. Flanagan distributed images of child pornography to at least two of his victims. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood,

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Emily Rayburn is Lincoln Principal Jen Morgan’s secretary. But she’s also a former dancer, a dance company board president, and a sign language student. Rayburn has only been with Edwardsville School District #7 a short time, starting at Liberty in August 2020 as the attendance secretary before moving to Lincoln in late May 2021, but she’s made an impact on those who have worked with her and vice versa. “Lincoln is a wonderful school with amazing staff members. There is a lot of kindness, humor, sass and hard work ethic in our building.” The Edwardsville native began dancing when she was six years old at a local studio in town. Rayburn earned a B.F.A. in dance performance and choreography from Western Michigan and then moved to Chicago to begin her dance career. “I did freelance work for a while and then started my own 501(c)3 non-profit dance company called Hot Crowd in November 2017, which is a modern/contemporary dance company tha

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Jaycie Rodgers is no stranger to Edwardsville School District #7. Her time with the District dates back to her college education when she completed her field experience at Hamel and her student teaching at Nelson. Upon graduation, she was hired as a long-term substitute teacher at Nelson. Rodgers then taught 13 years at Woodland, two years at Goshen, and one year at Cassens – all in cross-cat – before returning to Woodland, where she has been the last three years teaching SEL. “I have always known I wanted to be a teacher. I was blessed by some amazing teachers in my life that inspired me to want to teach.” As a high school student, she volunteered in a program called Peer Partners in an FLS classroom. It was that experience that led her to choose the field of special education. Originally, she had planned to teach FLS, but was hired as a cross-cat teacher. “I love the challenge of differentiating lessons to meet the needs of every student.

Continue Reading

JERSEYVILLE - The opening of Germania Brew Haus’s upcoming Jerseyville location, originally planned for mid-March, has been delayed. Owner Jared Brynildsen said cold temperatures have delayed the construction of the site’s parking lot. He also said the Illinois Department of Transportation took 60 days longer than expected to send back their approval for the drive-thru. Brynildsen said he expects the drive-thru construction to be completed by the end of the month, with official soft and grand opening dates for this location still pending. So far, he said the attached children’s play area is still on track to be completed along with the rest of the renovation. This delay comes just under three weeks after the opening of Germania’s Eastgate Plaza location in East Alton. Brynildsen has previously emphasized the company’s need to space out openings as a small business with limited training staff. For more information and updates on Germania

Continue Reading

ALTON - The Mississippi Earthtones Festival, co-organized by Alton Main Street and the Sierra Club, is a celebration of our river through art, music, and conservation that is held every 3rd Saturday in September. The 16th annual event falls on September 17th, 2022, and promises to attract thousands of people to Downtown Alton from Noon to 10:00 p.m. The “Halfway to Earthtones Artist Gathering” will take place on Saturday, March 12th from 1:00-3:00 p.m. at Jacoby Arts Center, located at 627 E. Broadway in Alton. Join us at this casual brainstorming session to get our creative juices flowing on the theme for 2022, and learn about resources that are available to help bring your vision to life. Artists of all mediums are being recruited to fill the grounds with beauty and creativity, while enhancing the festival for visitors through interactive art experiences. Organizers are seeking street artists, photographers, sculptors, textile & fiber artists, fashion designers, cosplayers,

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Fair is proud to announce Grammy-nominated and award-winning singer, actor, producer, and New York Times best-selling author Demi Lovato has been added to the Illinois Lottery Grandstand concert series at the 2022 Illinois State Fair. Demi Lovato will take the stage on Saturday, August 13 performing many of their unmistakable hits, among which include “Sorry Not Sorry,” “Sober,” “Skyscraper,” and “OK Not to Be Ok.” Lovato recently released their seventh album, Dancing with the Devil , which reached number two on the Billboard 200 chart. Lovato is well known as an advocate for their work on behalf of the LGBTQ community, vulnerable populations and an outspoken ambassador for improving mental health awareness. Lovato has been honored over the years with more than a dozen Teen Choice Awards, five People’s Choice Awards, an American Latino Media Arts (ALMA) Award, a Latin American Music Award

Continue Reading

CHICAGO — Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU) is partnering with City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) to better support students and increase access to higher learning. Saluki Step Ahead gives City Colleges of Chicago graduates who earn an associate degree automatic admission to SIU’s online accounting, business and administration, criminology and criminal justice, psychology, health care management, and radiologic sciences programs. Students in the program pay the community college rate for their first two years. In the third and fourth years, they receive an annual $4,000 scholarship. The goal is to allow students to earn their degrees for $25,000 or less. Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA to enter the program and remain eligible. City Colleges is the 11th participating institution in Saluki Step Ahead. “We are excited to have City Colleges of Chicago join Saluki Step Ahead and bring the SIU Carbondale experience to place-bound students,” Chancellor Austin

Continue Reading

SEE VIDEO : ALTON - The Alton-Godfrey Rotary Chili Chowdown is one of the group’s biggest fundraisers each year and this year’s event on Monday was very well-attended, Alton-Godfrey Rotary President Steve Schwartz said. Last year's event was not scheduled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The chili was served at lunchtime and then for a long dinner period from 4-7 p.m. on Monday. The event helps the Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club fund student scholarships and many other projects throughout the year. “We had a really good turnout and it seemed a fun experience for everybody,” Schwartz said. “The chili this year was great.” Schwartz said at around 1 p.m. Monday, the event organizers had distributed at least 40 gallons of chili with much more ahead later in the day. Many even placed take-out orders for chili, Schwartz added. See Riverbender.com video above for more on the Chili Chowdown.

Continue Reading