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ALTON - Alton Main Street is launching a new video storytelling series called Choosing Alton, which shares the tales of why interesting and diverse people have decided to lay down roots in our community. Choosing Alton was conceived by Roger Lewis, who serves on the Board of Directors for Alton Main Street. “You never know who you are next to in line at the grocery store or who may be filling their gas tank on the other side of the pump,” he shared, adding “Your neighbor may have a compelling story of where they are from and how they landed next door to you, and it could be a story you never knew. We decided to start telling these stories.” Lewis served as Producer of the series, which was funded by Executive Producer John Simmons. Local media company Shift Agency was hired to film and edit the episodes which are between 15-20 minutes long. The entire 12-episode series is available for viewing now at www.DowntownAlton.com/ChoosingAlton . “Our aim with

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ALTON - The charity work of the Freer family again made Christmas Day 2022 a blessing for those who would not have otherwise had new toys, coats, hats, gloves, personal care items, new socks, non-perishable food, and blankets under their trees on December 25 morning. The Freer legacy with Community Christmas dates back to early work by the late David Freer and his brother, Tim. David Freer started Freer Auto Body in 1991 after he graduated from Ranken Technical College. The boys' mother, Margaret Freer, their father, Mike, and Tim's wife, Carrie, have all been involved in Community Christmas over the years along with Tim and Carrie's daughters, Lily and Taylor. Taylor has gone off to college, but over the summer she was part of an effort that raised a record $56,000-plus for the 2022 Community Christmas campaign. Margaret said Community Christmas was always David's favorite charity and that has motivated them to keep his legacy alive year after year and make sure children and families

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SPRINGFIELD – The Family Bereavement Leave Act will go into effect on January 1, 2023, expanding unpaid leave rights for employees across the State. As the New Year approaches, employers should be aware of the new requirements under the Act. The Family Bereavement Leave Act (FBLA) is an amendment to the Child Bereavement Leave Act (CBLA) that expands leave time requirements to cover pregnancy loss, failed adoptions or surrogacy agreements, unsuccessful reproductive procedures, and other diagnoses or events negatively impacting pregnancy or fertility. The FBLA also requires employers to provide leave time after the loss of family members previously not covered by the CBLA, including spouses, domestic partners, siblings, grandparents, and stepparents. Employees may take up to two weeks, or 10 working days, of unpaid leave time for any of the events covered by the FBLA to grieve, to attend a funeral, or to make arrangements necessitated by the death of a family member. Employers

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In November, Today Show weatherman Al Roker was hospitalized after a blood clot that formed in his leg sent clots to his lungs. After being discharged on Thanksgiving he was readmitted almost immediately because he started showing more symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), blood clots are a serious and growing health issue affecting an estimated 900,000 Americans each year resulting in nearly 100,000 deaths. Blood clots are a normal response to an injury where a blood vessel gets broken. If it doesn’t clot, you will continuously bleed causing a hemorrhage. The problem is when blood clots occur for the wrong reasons such as a piece of plaque breaking off in the artery to the heart which can cause a heart attack. According to Mark Meeker, D.O., an internal medicine physician and vice president of community medicine at OSF HealthCare, another example is in the legs. He says blood usually flows relatively rapidly through our body but if something

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EDWARDSVILLE - Senior center/forward Jonathan Stump scored seven points on the way to helping Edwardsville to a big 60-21 win over Gateway STEM of St. Louis recently in a basketball game played at Lucco-Jackson Gym, a win that put the Tigers back to the .500 mark at 5-5. Stump, who's listed at six feet, seven inches, came off the bench in the recent game to make a positive contribution to the Edwardsville win. It was an important one as well, as the Tigers play this week in the Mary Institute-Country Day Holiday Tournament. Stump is an iCAN Clinic Male Athlete of the Month for the Tigers. "I'm feeling great," Stump said during his postgame interview. "It's really fun to get a good win with the guys out there and it's always a team effort, so it's fun to do it together." Things are starting to come together for the Tigers. The Tigers won three of their last four games before the holiday tournament and played well in all four games and Stump is confident that the team is making vital

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JERSEYVILLE - Jerseyville Police Department is investigating a shooting in the 700 block of Liberty in Jerseyville, the police department said in a news release Monday morning, Dec. 26. “It is believed this was an isolated incident,” the department said. “The investigation is ongoing.” Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to contact the Jerseyville Police Department at (618) 498-2131. Because the investigation is ongoing at this time, the Jerseyville Police said no additional information could be released.

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CHICAGO – It’s going to be a very memorable and merry Christmas for a local Illinois Lottery player. That’s because they’re each holding a winning ticket worth $1 million. Three other lucky players also had winning numbers throughout the state with a significant prize of $50,000. The $1 million winning ticket was won playing the Lotto. The lucky player purchased the ticket at a Phillips 66 gas station, located at 1660 East Broadway in Alton, and matched all six Lotto Million 1 numbers in the Thursday, December 22 drawing to win the grand prize. The winning numbers were: 2-3-13-21-28-43. This is now the 13th Illinois Lottery player who has won a prize of a million dollars or more with Lotto so far this year. Christmas will also be very merry and bright for three more Illinois Lottery players after winning big with Lucky Day Lotto. A Lucky Day Lotto ticket worth $900,000 was bought at PK Pantry, located at 19771 S. Torrence Ave. in Lynwood. The winning ticket

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What is a better Christmas gift than a loving relationship with people that you care about? Christmas should just not be about exchanging gifts, but about spending time with family and friends, and expressing the love you share with each other. Christmas has been commercialized since before my time, and there is nothing wrong with that. It’s fun and exciting to buy and exchange presents and to see the reaction of the receiver, especially when it’s kids. I love the reaction of someone receiving a gift they didn’t expect, a gift they need, or a gift they wouldn’t have bought for themselves. Of course, the kids will play with their gifts all day and night, but after the adults open and exchange their gifts, they sit around and enjoy each other by talking, eating, playing games, and enjoying the Christmas spirit. Family and friends sitting around and enjoying each other’s company is the most impactful part of the holidays. Christmas is about love. The Christmas

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ALTON - Members of American Legion 354 handed out Christmas presents to veterans at Burt Shelter Care Home located at 1414 Milton Rd. Tuesday afternoon. They handed out presents to eight different veterans at the home and planned on handing out 20 more to other veterans that day. Pictured above is Earl Watts, a longtime member of American Legion 354 handing out a gift. He said he's been giving Christmas presents to veterans for over 20 years now. “That’s very important to still recognize people that have difficulties, and whatever the situation may be,” Watts said. “It’s our job to serve our veterans who have served the United States to help keep this country safe.” Also at Burt Shelter that day was another member of American Legion 354 Allen Bellevue and Alton NAACP President Michael Holiday Sr. Holiday had just been at the Oasis Women’s Center the day before handing out gift cards. He said that these things are ways of showing that th

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EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s School of Education, Health and Human Behavior’s undergraduate and graduate public health programs have received the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accreditation. The CEPH is an independent agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. To become accredited, programs must undergo a rigorous multi-year review. “We pursued CEPH accreditation for our students, and now they can be assured that their public health training is rooted in the highest standards in public health education,” said Alice Ma, PhD, MPH, CHES ®, assistant professor of public health and graduate program director. “This accreditation affirms our high-quality programs that can be recognized by employers and doctoral programs.” SIUE’s undergraduate program received the initial CEPH accreditation in 2015. The master’s program, having earned accreditation this year, now makes SIUE one

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EAST ST. LOUIS - Recently, East St. Louis School District 189 recognized one of its heroes in 2022. The school district honored Tarkus Ferguson, a security guard at East St. Louis High School. "Not all heroes wear capes: Please help us celebrate Tarkus, a security guard," the school district said. "He was the staff member who identified a gun and followed protocol to ensure the safety of the school earlier this year. "We thank him for his exceptional service and performance that kept the campus safe!" During the holiday season, it is important to recognize individuals like Tarkus, who make this region a better place to live with their efforts each day. (If you have a story idea about someone who has performed a heroic act, e-mail news@riverbender.com. Please include information about the person, a photo, and a phone number).

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EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Business’ master of business administration (MBA) program has been named the fourth largest MBA program in the St. Louis area by the St. Louis Business Journal. “The growth of our program is a testament to the top-quality learning experience our MBA provides our students,” said Janice Joplin, PhD, associate dean for academic affairs and director of the MBA program. SIUE’s fully online accelerated program is the fastest-growing MBA program. The flexible program meets the career goals of individuals in numerous fields, serving students from coast to coast. “The SIUE MBA program provides a flexible educational path, serving students from a variety of industries and geographic locations,” Joplin added. “Our graduates demonstrate interpersonal skills and specialized knowledge in various areas creating the ability to move on to higher levels of responsibility within their

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ALTON - Temperatures stayed in the near zero degrees range for most of the day on Thursday with a high of about 7 degrees and wind chills 20-25 degrees below zero, but residents still were performing many of their daily tasks. Josh Hannah and Cecelia, shown above, were out shopping for some food items and additional hats and gloves, and warmer clothes. Cecelia acknowledged it was definitely cold outside and was ready to get inside. Many with dogs still have to take their pets outside and Terry was shown with his dog, Romeo. Terry said it was windy, but they were making it OK for a brief walk. Others around the area shoveled some of the drifted snow so people get around safely. Those who had to work outside tried to stay warm with constant inside breaks in temperatures that were nearly unbearable.

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ALTON - Alton Fire Chief Jesse Jemison updated the Thursday night blaze in the 1800 block of Main Street in Alton on Friday and said thankfully there were no injuries in the incident. The occupants of the house and the firefighters were safe after the ordeal. "Our firefighters were just freezing while they fought the fire, but we rotated them in and out to keep them safe," the chief said. "All we have to go on is what the occupants said... that they were cooking dinner and using electric appliances in the kitchen. "The only gas units were hot water heater and furnace in the basement. She said she heard a loud "Woosh," and saw flames coming from the area of the kitchen." Chief Jemison said those in the house ran out the front door and across the street to the neighbor's house.

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WOOD RIVER - At approximately 6 a.m. Central time Friday, Kinder Morgan’s Wood River Terminal experienced a gasoline release at the terminal following severe winter weather in the area. Kinder Morgan's Senior Communications Specialist Katherine Hill said there was no fire or injuries associated with this gas release. Temperatures dropped to below zero degrees on Thursday night with a wind chill of 25 degrees below zero, which made the conditions very difficult for those present in the cleanup. "At this time, the tank associated with the release has been isolated and shut down," she said. "Local emergency responders are on site and air monitoring is being conducted. The gasoline is contained onsite, and we have mobilized resources to begin cleanup activities." She continued and said the appropriate regulatory agencies have been notified, and an investigation into the cause and quantity of the release will be conducted. "We are working closely with our customers on potential

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ALTON - The Alton Fire Department, along with Godfrey Fire Protection District, East Alton, and Wood River Fire Department members battled a serious fire in below-zero temps and about 25-30-below wind chill on Thursday night in the 1800 block of Main Street in Alton. Alton Fire Chief Jesse Jemison commended not only his firefighters but also those who joined them in the deplorable winter storm conditions to confront the serious blaze. "I always sing the praises of the Alton Fire Department and our mutual aid partners," the chief said. "It was 2 degrees outside and I have to order guys to swap out and stay warm because they won't quit! "My main concern in conditions like this is the health and safety of the firefighters. They are the ones that matter… always have been, and always will be so long as I have the privilege of being their Chief!"

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GODFREY – A yearly tradition returns to Hathaway Hall on the campus of Lewis and Clark Community College on Jan. 14. It will be the 45 th Annual Harman Bluegrass Concert, this year with special guests That Dalton Gang. The show starts at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20 and can be ordered over the phone with Lori Cummins at 618-259-0991. This concert has consistently sold out the 1,000-seat theatre so guests are advised to buy tickets as soon as possible. The show has been held every January since 1978 with various guest acts. The show originated with the first-generation talents of Mike, sister Lori, and brother Bull, and continues today with the second generation. The second-generation band consists of Mike, his wife Stacy, and their three boys Mark on guitar, Jeff on bass, and Johnny on mandolin. All five are on vocals. They will be joined on stage by Corrina and Jeremy Stephens a duet out of Nashville. The Harman’s will go on first before That

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ALTON - With extremely cold temperatures throughout the day, Overnight Warming Centers will open their doors early today beginning at 2 p.m. Overnight Warming Centers is located at Deliverance Temple at 1125 E. 6th St. in Alton. Follow Overnight Warming Centers Alton on Facebook for updates.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) secured more than $182 million through Congressionally-directed spending for Illinois projects in the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) Omnibus Appropriations Act. The bill passed the Senate and now heads to the House of Representatives. “This appropriations package makes significant investments in the future of Illinois,” Durbin said. “The use of Congressionally-directed spending provides Members of Congress, who know their states and districts better than federal agency personnel in Washington, with the ability to direct federal funding to priority projects in their communities. This much-needed federal funding will help localities in Illinois launch important infrastructure projects, improve access to health care, advance environmental conservation, strengthen community violence prevention initiatives, support our rural

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ST. LOUIS - The American Red Cross of Missouri and Arkansas is offering safety tips for the snow and dangerous temperatures and windchills. In addition, the Red Cross is coordinating with local emergency management officials and partners in the preparation of potential local community needs. Every year, hundreds of Americans are injured or killed by exposure to cold, vehicle accidents on wintry roads, and home fires caused by the improper use of heaters. “We urge everyone to take steps for the possibility of dangerous temperatures and windchills, and snow in some areas, so please plan ahead if you will be traveling or must be outside in these conditions,” said Chris Harmon, Regional Disaster Officer, American Red Cross of Missouri and Arkansas. “Also, be prepared for the possibility of power outages and have an emergency kit ready. Plan to take action now to avoid frozen pipes and to keep pets safe in the dangerously cold temperatures.” American Red Cross

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