Riverbender 🕸

COTTAGE HILLS - On May 6 and 7, more than 30 local and regional bands will take the stage for Trinity River Festival at VFW Post 7678 in Cottage Hills, Ill. to help raise funds for the local nonprofit Trinity’s Way. Tickets are $10 per day at the gate, cash only. Festival-goers can also purchase a weekend pass, online only, before the day of the event. Advance tickets can be purchased using debit card, credit card, or PayPal on the Trinity’s Way website or by using this link https://www.trinitysway.org/event-details/trinity-river-festival-2022 . Trinity’s Way formed in 2018 after 17-year-old Trinity Buel was killed in a tragic car accident. The nonprofit was started by her mother, April Gray, and her godfather, Chris Unthank, to carry on Buel’s kindness and compassion for animals and the environment. That same year, the group hosted their first annual Trinity River Festival. The organization uses funds raised from the festival to provide support for area animal-related

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GRANITE CITY - School Districts and teachers have continued to battle the distraction of cell phones in the classroom. Bill Henricks, a teacher at Granite City School District has developed a solution to help maintain the privacy of the student but cut back on the distraction they bring to the learning process. Bill founded Jordiam, a company that manufactures phone lockers, to help solve a problem he has seen in his own classroom. These are not just any electronic storage device, they are designed with the student, teacher, administrator, and parent/guardian in mind. These electronic storage devices are clear and controlled remotely by the teacher by the push of a button. They can be mounted to any wall, desk, or table. Teens spend an average of seven hours and 22 minutes on their phones a day, kids ages 8 to 12, are not far behind, at four hours and 44 minutes daily, according to a report by Common Sense Media. “After a case study I did during my classes, I found that

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KEWANEE - When pop star Britney Spears recently announced her new pregnancy, she also openly shared that she struggled with perinatal depression during a past pregnancy more than 16 years ago. In the social media post, Spears says “women didn’t talk about it back then” and that “some people considered it dangerous if a woman complained” when pregnant. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), perinatal depression is a mood disorder that can affect women during pregnancy and after childbirth regardless of age, race, income, culture, or education. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), one in seven women experience perinatal depression during pregnancy or in the first 12 months after delivery. “It may occur sooner in the pregnancy if a patient has a history of major depressive disorder, general anxiety disorder, anxiety, depression, or even bipolar disorder. If they have these prior to pregnancy,

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URBANA – In 2019, farmers across Illinois launched into the first growing season for industrial hemp with mixed results. Hemp is one of the newest and fastest-growing specialty crops in the Midwest, and the University of Illinois Extension is helping producers keep up by providing cutting-edge research updates straight from the field. By collecting data from more than 180 hemp growers over the past two years, Illinois Extension researchers now have a better understanding of how to produce hemp and are sharing that information directly with growers through the Midwestern Hemp Database . Illinois legalized the growth of industrial hemp, which is used for fiber and food, in 2018. Demand for the new crop outpaced the data. Phillip Alberti , Illinois Extension commercial agriculture educator, recognized that producers did not have basic information about how to grow the newly available crop. The database project is a collaboration between Midwestern researchers and growers. “

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URBANA – Over the years, there has been a growing demand for organic-based fertilizers to use in the garden and landscaping. There are of course ways to manufacture these organic fertilizers, but what if we could use a byproduct of the manufacture of a different product? It is an efficient use of our natural resources and perhaps even creates a sustainable source. “This has given rise to many different types of organic fertilizers appearing on the market that are the “leftovers” of some other type of industry,” says Chris Enroth , University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator. For instance, corn gluten meal is an organic fertilizer that is a byproduct of the corn milling industry. Milorganite is a hybridized trade name of an organic fertilizer. “Mil” means Milwaukee, “orga” shortened from organic, and “nite” for nitrogen. Though I was originally taught “nite” came from the term “night soil”

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EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville High's distance runner Ryan Watts recently had a weekend to remember. On a Friday night in a showcase meet at Carmel, Ind., Watts broke the school's 3,200-meter run record previously held by Stephen Pifer since 2003 when he won the race at 8:54.09, then came back on Saturday to win the 1,600 meters at the Winston Brown Invitational meet at home, winning with a time of 4:19.93, with teammate Geo Patrylak coming in second at 4:27.49. Watts is the iCAN Clinic Male Athlete of the Month For Edwardsville High School. Watts was very happy with the outcome of the record on that Friday. "I'm feeling good," Watts said in an interview that followed the 1,600-meter race. "It's been a full day to recover. Now, this meet is nice to get a good mile in." The race Watts competed in had a loaded field, with a pair of state champions running with him and Patrylak. "It was great competition down at Carmel," Watts said. "Two All-Americans, a couple of state championships

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BRIGHTON – The Piasa Southwestern baseball team picked up a 13-3 win over the Pana Panthers to remain undefeated in South Central Conference play and boost their season record to 12-9. Sophomore Marcus Payne started on the mound for the Piasa Birds and pitched the entire six-inning game throwing nine K’s along the way while only walking one. “Pretty much everything was working today,” Payne said postgame. Payne is the Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Male Athlete Of Month for Southwestern High School. His mixture of pitches proved to be troubling for the Panthers as he held them to just three runs. “We we’re really productive at the plate today, we had a couple sac flies,” he added. He produced one of them in the second inning that tied the game back up at 2-2 after going down 2-0 in the first inning. Offensively he went 1-2 with a hit and two RBIs. He mentioned that these conference wins are huge saying that Piasa Southwestern

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GLEN CARBON – Junior Jackson Rodgers and the Father McGivney High School baseball team are on a tear right now winning 15 straight with their last loss coming a month ago against Alton Marquette. Since then the Griffins have outscored their opposition 181-32. Rodgers has been named the Griffins' Byron, Carlson, Petri and Kalp LLC Male Athlete of the Month. “It was tough to go out and loss to Marquette, especially with the rivalry that goes on with the two schools, but we’ve really buckled down,” Rodgers said after a 17-6 win over Metro-East Lutheran. “Guys are playing selfless now and we’re winning games as a team. I feel like early in the season we were playing as individuals but when we’re playing as a team, we’re hard to beat.” They just recently beat the Metro-East Lutheran High School Knights by a score of 17-6 Friday afternoon (April 22). Rodgers went 2-3 on the day with two runs and three RBI’s. The highlight of th

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MURPHY, MO. - The U.S. Geological Survey said Friday night a 2.8-magnitude earthquake was recorded in Murphy, Mo., west of Fenton, Mo., around 5:30 p.m. Friday. Several near the Murphy, Mo., region reported they felt the earthquake. The U.S. Geological Survey initially reported it as a 2.5 magnitude earthquake but changed it after 6 p.m. to a 2.8. The St. Louis Fire Department and St. Louis County Emergency Management Agency said there were no reports of injuries as a result of the recorded earthquake. St. Louis County said there were a large number of emergency calls directly after the earthquake. So far, there are no immediate reports of damage.

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GRAFTON - The Sierra Club Illinois’ Three Rivers Project is calling for volunteers for the Spring 2022 Pere Marquette Preservation Project. The Pere Marquette Park Preservation Project, which will take place from May 21 to 22, has been restoring historically significant cabins in the Park’s Upper group camps since 2012 and is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year! Local carpenters, roofers, and interested volunteers are invited to register for the event by Tuesday, May 17, 2022 via bit.ly/PM3PSpring22 . Over the past decade, volunteers have restored eleven structures at Camp Ouatoga to ensure the group camps remain open to the public. This year, the Three Rivers Project will be returning to Camp Ouatoga to complete restoration work on Unit Lodge #3. This restoration project began in fall of 2021, when volunteers spent a weekend in October repairing, roofing, and painting one half of Unit Lodge #3. Volunteers will finish up this project this spring. “The

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EAST ST. LOUIS – Between preparing healthy food, adhering to strict nutrition standards, navigating student food allergies, and offering service with a smile, East St. Louis School District 189 nutrition professionals have a lot on their plate. To celebrate their hard work and commitment, East St. Louis schools will celebrate School Lunch Hero Day on May 6. This day, celebrated annually since 2013, was designated by The School Nutrition Association and Jarrett Krosoczka, author of the “Lunch Lady” graphic novel series. School Lunch Hero Day provides an opportunity for parents, students, school staff and communities to thank those who provide healthy meals to nearly 30 million of America’s students each school day. All across the school district, school nutrition professionals will be honored and recognized from students, school staff, parents, and the community. “School nutrition employees must balance many roles and follow numerous federal, state

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ALTON - For many people, a cancer diagnosis is nothing short of devastating, For Elizabeth Denis, it helped her create a clearer picture of her life. And now those pictures are works of art she does for the benefit of her caregivers at Alton Memorial Hospital as well as fellow patients. Denis, 58, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 and had a bilateral mastectomy. She is on treatment indefinitely at the AMH Cancer and Infusion Center, but even long after she isn’t coming her influence will be felt – and seen – in that office. “I had a blood clot about two and a half years ago and almost quit,” Elizabeth said. “Then I met Misty Biciocchi (a nurse practitioner with Washington University Physicians of Illinois in the Infusion Center office). There was just something about Misty. And also Dr. Alfred Greco in that office is just the kindest, most laid-back guy in the world. I wanted to do something for them.” But even Elizabeth didn’t

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The sinking of the British liner Lusitania remains one of the world’s most famous shipwrecks, claiming 1,201 lives. A southern Illinois couple was among the casualties. What some may not know is there is an Alton connection to the Lusitania sinking. May 7 marks the anniversary of the loss of the Lusitania , which cost the lives of Frank and Alice Tesson, an Alton couple who were among the 128 American casualties on the ship, one of the grandest liners of its day. A torpedo from a German U-boat caused the disaster, and increased calls for American entry into World War I. The Tessons both grew up, and were married in Alton. Their remains were never found, a stark ending for two people who had built a life of affluence. Alice Tesson’s father had owned 130 acres of prime real estate along South Main Street in Alton, while Frank was an executive with the famed Wanamaker department stores of the East Coast. Frank Tesson was born on Jan. 14, 1866 in La Crosse, Wis., the

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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) are urging the Illinois Appellate Court to overturn a circuit court’s order barring employees of a Chicago manufacturing company from recovering overtime wages and penalty fees they argue should have been paid. Raoul, along with the IDOL, filed an amicus brief in Mercado v. S&C Electric Company (S&C) to ensure that the Illinois Minimum Wage Law protects employees’ right to earn fair compensation for overtime hours worked, as well as their right to recover lost wages and penalties in court. “Employees have a right to be fairly compensated for all the hours they work. In the event that their employer violates Illinois’ Minimum Wage Law, employees also have a right to recover penalties, in addition to lost overtime wages,” Raoul said. “I am committed to protecting Illinois workers and ensuring that employers that violate the law are accountable to their employees.”

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FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS - IMPACT Strategies has established the Making an IMPACT Foundation - a charitable foundation that supports the local community with an emphasis on assisting non-profit organizations that focus on equipping and improving people’s lives. The Foundation’s mission is to support and engage employees of the IMPACT Strategies team to embrace the community and others by investing their time, talent, and resources. IMPACT Strategies has supported local community organizations including BackStoppers, Hard Hats for Hearts (American Heart Association), Boy Scouts of America, Pedal the Cause, Restore St. Louis, and others. The Making an IMPACT Foundation will concentrate on assisting families in need, aiding disaster relief efforts, supporting first responders, and helping veterans. Among the plans for 2022, the Foundation will hold an annual fundraising event, donate to local charities, and to provide opportunities for IMPACT Strategies employees to volunteer time

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ROCKFORD - While cancers such as breast, lung, and colon may get more public attention, head and neck cancer is certainly nothing to ignore. April is Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month, designed to put a spotlight on head and neck cancer, its causes, and symptoms. According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), more than 66,000 people will develop head and neck cancer this year, and more than 14,000 will die from this type of cancer. “Head and neck cancer is not a very common cancer but it still comprises about five percent of all cancers in the United States," says Dr. Iftekhar Ahmad, Radiation Oncologist, OSF HealthCare. "It is primarily due to tobacco use, smoking, and other forms of tobacco and alcohol. It is much easier to treat – you have a better prognosis – if it’s caught early so you want to be vigilant and aware of changes in this region – if it’s your voice, a sore, a lump in your neck, or things like that.” According

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URBANA – Illinois’ Cottage Food Law allows food entrepreneurs, local producers, and home cooks to sell non-potentially hazardous homemade foods and drinks to the public. Prior to 2012, those foods had to be prepared in a licensed commercial kitchen, an expensive option for those running a small business. Demand for locally produced food and a growing cottage food industry has spawned statewide conversations around food entrepreneurism, resulting in the Home-to-Market Act , a set of legislative updates to the Cottage Food Law. The amendment, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2022, gives owners the opportunity to grow their business by expanding the direct-to-consumer venues through which they can sell. Before this legislation passed, food operators could only sell homemade foods through farmers markets. Now, direct-to-consumer sales avenues also include fairs, festivals, public events, order pickup from the operator’s home or farm, delivery to customer, and online sales

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Two years ago, we remember announcing the delay of in-person celebrations of National Nurses Week and Hospital Week at our HSHS Illinois hospitals. Now, as we look forward to our annual spring celebrations, we cannot help but be grateful and relieved that we have finally made it here – to a place where we can once again start looking forward with hope. As the nursing leaders of nine HSHS Illinois hospitals, we ask that you join us in thanking the exceptional women and men who have shown character, resilience and strength beyond measure. When tested, the nurses and health care workers at all of our HSHS Illinois hospitals dug their heels in deeper and held their heads higher. They banded together and fought for our community. Through relentless waves of change, they continued to do what they do best – they cared for our patients. Health care never stops. Babies are always being delivered, emergencies and traumas are responded to swiftly, treatments are continuously administered,

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CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker today signed Senate Bill 3197, a piece of legislation that would expand access to health insurance benefits with no premium costs for the families of state employees who lose their life during employment. “There is no higher calling than the work to protect our most vulnerable children,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Deidre Silas was a distinguished public servant who devoted her life to that mission, and we miss her terribly. It is in her honor that we take action to expand health insurance coverage to survivors of tragedy and create a safer environment for those who do the crucial work of protecting our young people.” “In response to the fatal stabbing of Deidre Silas, we must ensure the families of those who serve our most vulnerable populations are cared for,” said State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield). “Ms. Silas died as a dedicated public servant, and this is the least we can do to honor her

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IDPH is Stressing the Availability of Therapeutic Medications to Treat COVID-19 And the Importance of Starting Treatment Quickly SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 24,646 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 46 deaths since April 22, 2022. Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 3,138,682 cases, including 33,614 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois since the beginning of the pandemic. As of last night, 732 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 75 patients were in the ICU and 32 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators. The preliminary seven-day statewide case rate is 193 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 Illinoisans. IDPH officials noted that the case rate has been slowly rising in the state and five Illinois counties are now rated by the CDC as having a Medium Community Level of COVID-19. These counties are DuPage, Lake, Champaign,

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