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ALTON/GODFREY - For most drivers, cheaper gas is a good thing - so it makes sense to seek the gas station with the lowest prices. But in a market where big, corporate-backed chain gas stations can buy in bulk and undercut the local competition, saving a few cents at the pump could cost drivers their beloved independently-owned gas stations, like Hit-N-Run in Alton. Hit-N-Run owner Dwight Fowler said there’s no way local, independently-owned gas stations can compete in this gas market. “We’re actually having issues with certain stations in this area that are undercutting everybody just to steal the business - like Walmart and Sam’s, those guys are the big ones that do it,” Fowler said. “In this area up there on Godfrey Road, the Walmart is literally almost selling under cost just to pull the people in and it’s killing all the other independents. We can’t compete.” As of this writing, the Walmart on Godfrey Road is selling gas

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Police on Tuesday announced that it has been made aware of unknown persons calling residents with a proposal to "reimburse" them for utility services. The Edwardsville Police stressed to residents that this is a scam. "These callers are also using fake caller IDs that represent local government offices," the police cautioned. "Please use caution when taking unsolicited calls; never provide a credit card or bank information over the phone to an unknown person. "If you are concerned about your utility services, contact your provider via a number on your bill." Contact the Edwardsville Police Department if you have any information about this ongoing scam at (618) 656-2131.

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ALEDO, IL - Chris Sullivan, police chief in the city of Aledo, IL., was indicted Monday on a battery charge that allegedly occurred during an arrest. The police chief was also indicted on two counts of official misconduct. Sullivan surrendered to the Mercer County Sheriff's Office on Monday. Riverbender.com contacted Sullivan, and he said at this time he could not comment because it is a pending charge. Sullivan was a long-time Alton Police officer and former chief. He was also a former chief of police in Grafton. Sullivan had a bond set at $10,000, with 10 percent to apply.

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SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White tested negative for the COVID-19 virus and has returned to work at the James R. Thompson Center. Last week, Secretary White tested positive for the virus. He experienced mild symptoms and worked from home while in quarantine. White is double vaccinated and twice boosted.

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ALTON – OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center in Alton has a vision of strengthening the Riverbend community by providing accessible, affordable high-quality health care to all. In line with that vision and a recently-announced strategic affiliation with SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, OSF Saint Anthony’s, and OSF Medical Group - Pediatrics will be holding a free open house to highlight pediatric services. The event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 17 th , at the OSF Medical Group – Primary Care office in Godfrey (6702 Godfrey Road). Parents can learn about resources and best practices related to safe sleep, injury prevention, healthy eating, sports care, psychology, and other outpatient services for children. Parents can also learn about how to put a car seat in a vehicle safely. The Alton Police Department will be giving away gun locks to help keep kids safe at home. Free food will be available. First Mi

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ST. LOUIS - On the heels of his historic MTV VMA performance as the first male country artist to perform on the show, Multi-Platinum, 5X AMA award-winning entertainer Kane Brown today announced his Drunk or Dreaming Tour will arrive in the US next year. Produced by AEG Presents, the US tour will kick off in Grand Rapids, MI on March 16, 2023 and hit 23 US cities along the way before wrapping in Greenwood Village, CO at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre on Saturday, June 10 . The Drunk or Dreaming Tour will make a stop in St. Louis on April 14. During the tour, Brown will perform his first solo headlining arena show at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on March 31. The international leg of the tour will wrap up in Stockholm on January 31 after hitting cities including Sydney, London, and Toronto. The new tour follows the success of Brown’s Blessed & Free Tour in which he visited all 29 NBA basketball arenas, making the “breakthrough entertainer” ( AP) the

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ST. LOUIS - Today, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones will sign a proclamation declaring August 31, 2022, International Overdose Awareness Day in the City of St. Louis. The City joins the White House , St. Louis County, and other municipalities across the country in raising awareness about the dangers of opioid abuse and overdoses. “Opioid abuse and overdose take a heartbreaking toll on St. Louis families and communities,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “Addiction is a root cause of crime, and addressing it will make our neighborhoods safer in the long run. From funding for community violence intervention programs to the pivotal work at the City of St. Louis Department of Health, my administration is working to educate residents about opioid addiction while taking steps to prevent it from taking hold in our communities. County Executive Page and I have discussed how we can work together on this issue, and I’m ready to collaborate with all of our regional partners to protect

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SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with the entire Illinois Congressional delegation, sent a letter to President Biden requesting that Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provide federal assistance to the State of Illinois to help St. Clair County respond to significant damage from the flash floods on July 26. “We write in support of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s request for federal assistance for the State of Illinois to help St. Clair County to recover from severe flooding that occurred last month. Governor Pritzker has indicated that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response and recovery are beyond the combined capability of the state and local governments. As such, he requests Individual Assistance for St. Clair County to help the residents clean up and rebuild amid this large-scale flood damage,” the lawmakers wrote. In their letter, the lawmakers

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul sent a letter to the administrators of Illinois colleges and universities highlighting new guidance from the U.S. Department of Education that allows students to be paid through the Federal Work-Study program for working to register voters. The Federal Work-Study program provides part-time jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial needs, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to the student’s course of study, whenever possible. The department’s new guidance allows students to be paid with work-study funds for participation in voter registration activities. “As we approach the 2022 election, it is vital that young people have a voice in the direction of our nation by exercising their fundamental right to vote,” Raoul said. “This guidance offers a way to engage students in the democratic process and instill a lifelong

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ST. LOUIS - Former news anchor Dick Ford died at his home on Tuesday at age 88 years old with his family present. In his long career, Ford was on KMOV-TV, KSDK, and KTVI. Dick Ford’s son Dean described his dad to one of the St. Louis television stations as “a loving father, who just happened to do news,” as a wonderful message about him. Dick Ford and John Auble were members of KSDK’s Newsbeat which was highly successful. He worked with several well-known broadcasters - Karen Foss, Deanne Lane, Bob Richards, and Mike Bush. During Ford's time, his respective station was always positioned high in the ratings. Ford left KSDK in 1992 and finished his career as the anchor of KTVI. He was with KSDK from 1969 to 1992. Ford graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in political science. All told, Dick Ford had 55 years in the broadcast field.

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CHICAGO - Today Governor JB Pritzker announced opportunities for organizations to apply for an additional $100 million in grants to fund gun violence prevention programs in municipalities across Illinois. This funding, part of the Reimagine Public Safety Act (RPSA), will support nonprofit community-based organizations and local governments in 16 municipal areas outside of the City of Chicago as they work to prevent and interrupt gun violence in their communities. This $100 million builds on $113 million in funding made available in May as well as $10 million in funding surged to Chicago and other areas of the state in advance of the summer. “This administration is delivering historic levels of violence prevention funding to interrupt violence and keep our communities safe,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I am grateful for the thoughtful work of our Local Advisory Councils in recommending community-specific solutions that can get at the root-causes of firearm violence.

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GREENVILLE, IL. - Greenville University’s new Robert “Ish” Smith Champion Scholarship awards students who have shown the ability to overcome adversity in their lives. GU recognizes there are students deserving of recognition based on what they have been able to accomplish in spite of the circumstances they have encountered. Robert “Ish” Smith (GU class of 1957), former GU baseball coach and president of GU, challenged students to be their best, often seeing their potential to be great before they saw it themselves. GU established the Champion Scholarship to continue recognizing champions, just like “Ish” did. Champion Scholars: Display determination in their pursuit of education Show they can overcome hardship, whether physical, mental, emotional or other Do not let their circumstances defeat or define them Inspire others because of their grit and perseverance Prove they can excel because they do not quit “At

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today applauded the U.S. Department of Education’s announcement that it will discharge all remaining federal student loan debt owed by borrowers who attended any Westwood College location or enrolled in its online program prior to its closure in 2016. Borrowers who attended Westwood before it stopped enrolling new students in November 2015 are entitled to full loan forgiveness, including more than 12,000 Illinois borrowers who owe over $228 million. Westwood borrowers will not have to take any steps to apply for forgiveness – the department will discharge affected borrowers’ loans automatically. “Westwood tricked students into enrolling, falsely promising that its criminal justice degree would help students find jobs as police officers after graduation. After graduation, students were instead left with a useless degree and a lifetime of student loan debt,” Raoul said. “Today’s announcement goes a long

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EDWARDSVILLE - Metro East Humane Society’s (MEHS) 2022 Woofstock presented by Carol House Furniture is back in action after having to be canceled for the past two years due to the pandemic. The fundraising event is set to take place on Sat., Sept. 17 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Triangle H Farm in Edwardsville, Ill. This year’s theme is “Stick It to The Man for Man’s Best Friend”. The proceeds from this family-friendly event will benefit the homeless animals that MEHS serves. "The return of Woofstock to Triangle H farms has been highly anticipated since we last hosted it in person in 2019. For starters, we have an incredible lineup of events for this year's festival-goers that really hone in on the Woodstock '69 vibe, and there's really nothing like the event space, a 300-acre farm on the outside of Edwardsville,” said Mady O’Reilly, Development Manager of MEHS. “All of us at MEHS are so excited to get back to celebrating peace, love

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ST. LOUIS - St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating a homicide in the 9700 block of Portage Drive in Moline Acres which resulted in the death of an adult male and gunshot injuries to a second adult male. On August 30, 2022, at 8:01 PM, Moline Acres police officers responded to a call for service for a shooting in the 9700 block of Portage Drive. Responding officers located two adult males suffering from apparent gunshot injuries. Both males were transported to area hospitals for treatment. One male succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased. The deceased has been identified as Jerusal Cooper, 46 years of age, of the 9700 block of Portage Drive in Moline Acres, Missouri 63136. The second male is expected to survive. Preliminary investigation has revealed the shooting to be the result of an altercation between the two males who were shot. Detectives are not seeking additional suspects. St. Louis County Police Department’s Crimes

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ALTON - A semi-truck trailer struck a pole/power lines on Seminary Road at Edwards Street in Alton around 3:52 p.m. on Tuesday. Alton Police Department and Alton Fire Department responded to the scene. No injuries occurred, Alton Deputy Police Chief Jarrett Ford said. Ameren Illinois has been contacted to address the power lines that were knocked down. Ford recommended motorists and residents avoid the area until the power lines can be addressed and lanes cleared for traffic. He said Alton Police continue to investigate the crash.

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ALTON - Scarlett Eades and Lauren Massey are sophomores on the Alton High girls’ tennis team and head coach Jesse Macias has strong expectations for both of them. This past summer, the girls placed second in a double category in the Andy Simpson Tournament. The girls teamed up to win the Riverbend Open by defeating teammates Finley Haynes and Ellie Enos in the finals. "Both girls are multi-sport athletes at Alton High," Coach Macias said. "Both girls came out as freshmen and had not really played tennis at all. They were just two athletic girls looking for something to do in the fall. I could see that they had some potential but we had a really big team last year and I did not expect their season to go so well. But they both have great attitudes and work ethics and they just kept getting better as the season went on. "Scarlett and Lauren just kept winning wherever we put them. It was a lot of fun to watch.” Scarlett plays tennis, basketball, and soccer for Alton. Lauren

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GODFREY – Three full-time faculty members have joined Lewis and Clark Community College for the 2022-2023 academic year. “We’re excited to welcome three new professionals to our faculty,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs Sue Czerwinski. “Each will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the classroom and will be a great asset to our students.” Alicia Bolin, Dental Programs Instructor Bolin worked at Lewis and Clark as an adjunct before becoming a full-time Dental Assisting and Hygiene instructor in January 2022. She is a graduate of Lewis and Clark’s 1+1 dental program, earning her dental assisting certificate in 2007 and Associate in Applied Science in Dental Hygiene in 2008. Bolin holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, and Healthcare Management and is pursuing a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. She is dedicated to connecting oral health and overall health, as well as advocating for access

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GRANITE CITY - Emily Sykes is a powerhouse, multi-purpose student-athlete for Granite City High School. She was a top state finisher in the discus this past spring, a strong volleyball team member this fall for the Warriors and a basketball player in the winter. She is also an outstanding student - the future for Sykes could not be more bright. Sykes won seventh place in the IHSA Class 3A Girls State Track and Field Meet with a toss of 12.35 meters in the shot put. Her final toss also made her all-state in track and field. Sykes is a Stillwater Senior Living Female Athlete of the Month for Granite City. Her coach, Aaron Werths, said after the season this past year, she will be one of the top throwers in the state and has incredible potential. For now, Sykes is busy on the volleyball court and is one of the mainstays for the Warriors. Werths said Sykes is just “an all-around talented athlete.” “She backs everything up with her hard work,” he said.

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ROXANA - Roxana senior cross-country runner Riley Doyle has been a sensation for several years. She is also a track and field standout and was an IHSA Class 2A State Track and Field participant last year in the 1,600 meters. Doyle was the top Roxana finisher in the Civic Memorial Twilight Meet for the Shells with a time of 20:49.64 for fourth place as an individual. Doyle thanked her coaches and parents for their support and said her teammates are also always there for her. Julie Akal, one of Doyle's Roxana coaches, said Doyle trains hard and works on her running year-round between cross country and track and field. Doyle has said that cross country is a sport that helps her build strength both in a physical and mental sense and that she loves the sport. Doyle recorded a 1,600-meter time of 5:52.57 at state and is expected to have a strong girls' cross country season in 2022.

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