Riverbender 🕸

ALTON - 2022 DAR American History Award Recipients Ninian Edwards, NSDAR in Alton is pleased to announce the following eighth-grade students who have won the DAR American History Award for outstanding performance in American History throughout the year: Alton Middle School – Mia Sanchez Cuellar and Jeremiah Harrison - Grace Massey and Haelee Moyer. Evangelical School – Marcus Hoffmann and Jessica Eales. Lewis & Clark Jr. High – Morgan Eberlin and Connor Strebler. Mississippi Valley Christian School – Remi Sapp and Emma Steinhauer. Our Lady Queen of Peace – Kaydie Everett and Allison Maher. Roxana Jr. High School – Lilliana Ray and Logan Prater. St. Ambrose School – Samantha Carter and Elisabeth Preston. St. Mary’s Middle School – John Hornsey and Stephen Stobbs. Wilbur Trimpe Middle School – Marlee Durbin and Jude Breyer. Zion Lutheran School – Lucas Lorenz and Laila Earney.

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS COUNTY - On Saturday, June 18, 2022, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued warrants on suspect Terrell Cooks, 37 years of age, of 5600 block of Greeg in St. Louis, Missouri 63115 for three counts of Murder 2 nd Degree, two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and two counts of Unlawful Possession of an Illegal Weapon. Additionally, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued warrants on suspect Seneca Mahan, 43, of years of age, of the 4100 block of Farlin Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri 63115 for three counts of Murder 2 nd Degree, two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and one count of Unlawful Possession of an Illegal Weapon. The deceased (four total) have been positively identified as: Christopher Jones 17 years of age, William Jones, 21 years of age, (addresses not listed) Travell Eason 16 years of age and Damario Cooks 18 years of age, both of the 6600

Continue Reading

ALTON - The State House Circle Project at College and Central Avenues is one that Pride, Inc. has put significant sweat equity into over the years. In 2016, Pride took on this beautification project, as part of its 50-year anniversary, to further improve this historic area within the Alton neighborhood. Several years ago, the Alton/Godfrey Rotary organization updated the fountains and planted trees at the location, which quickly became overgrown and unruly. Pride took over the project, laying stone edging and planting new shrubs and flowers. "It has since been the volunteers from Pride, Inc. that continue to pour their souls and hard work into keeping the area attractive and well-groomed," Pride, Inc., Executive Director Pat Stewart said. "The volunteers that came out in the heat last week were, Carolyn MacAfee, Pat Ackman, Brenda Darr, and John Meehan." The State House Circle area holds historical significance to Alton. The first capital of Illinois was located in Vandalia, Illinois.

Continue Reading

GODFREY - Last Thursday, June 16, Lewis and Clark Elementary School received a $5,000 grant from the YWCA. The money was used to buy new children's books depicting people with black and brown skin as well as lesson plans that go along with some of the books. The idea came from YWCA Racial Justice committee member Becky Cowart. "I created Diverse Story which is a story time where you read books that feature children with black and brown skin so that the people listening and enjoying the stories can see themselves and have positive images of black and brown people," Cowart said. "And then you have discussions about what you read about to get more people comfortable talking about things like racism." This was part of one of YWCA's yearly events called "Stand Against Racism." "Nana got in touch with me and asked if I'd come up with three or four lesson plans that revolve around some of the books. I did just that using a site called Learning For Justice, a site that helps teachers

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Persons detectives are currently investigating a homicide in the 2400 block of Stoney End Court which resulted in the death of an adult male. On June 20, 2022, at approximately 7:10 AM, St. Louis County police officers from the North County Precinct responded to a call for service for a shooting in the 2400 block of Stoney End Court. Arriving officers located an adult male suffering from an apparent gunshot injury. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. Preliminary investigation has revealed the shooting was a result of a domestic incident. The investigation is very active at this time. Additional information will be disseminated as it becomes available. Please contact the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210 to speak with investigators if you have any information regarding this incident. To remain anonymous or potentially receive a reward, please contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477).

Continue Reading

Letter To The Editor: I have known Major Connor, both personally and professionally, for over twenty-five years. During that time, I have found him to be a true law enforcement professional. Major Connor is an individual of the highest character and integrity. He has proven to be a natural leader with both common sense and the intelligence necessary to lead a professional and progressive law enforcement agency. As you review Major Jeff Connor's qualifications, you will find him to be loyal, dedicated, and determined to succeed. He thrives on challenges and enjoys working hard, and is always willing to go the extra mile to accomplish his goals. Graduating from the FBI National Academy, Lindenwood University Graduate Program, and being the Commander of the St. Louis Area, Major Case Squad are only three examples in which he has shown himself to be an asset and a team player in Saint Louis & Illinois Law Enforcement Community. In assessing Major Connor’s overall abilities, it

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Twisted Biscuit in Edwardsville celebrated its first birthday in style last week with a big celebration hosted by the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce. Matthew Fox, owner/president of FoxCo Restaurants, said Twisted Biscuit does things a little unique from other restaurants and is trendy. He said the restaurant was excited to share a celebration of its first birthday with the community. “We have a lot of traditional items, and we are a lot of fun,” Fox said. “We are grandma’s breakfast with a twist, we want to be fun and not necessarily do anything already done but do it a little more vibrant and in the Twisted Biscuit way. We hope to grow our name and ways to appeal to all individuals small and large from the small children to grandma and grandpa, we just look to continue to have fun in Edwardsville." Twisted Biscuit is located at 1071 South State Route 157, Edwardsville. “When you come to Twisted Biscuit, expect a great

Continue Reading

BETHALTO - Recent Civic Memorial High School graduate Claire Christeson was a two-sport standout athlete for the Eagles. She was a star on the girls' basketball team and also loved playing soccer come springtime. Because of injuries and the COVID-19 Pandemic, she had an absolute roller coaster of a high school campaign. With her career finish in both basketball and soccer and how she faced all the challenges and remained vital to her teams, she is a Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Female Athlete of Month for the Eagles. "Personally, I didn't expect it to go this way," Claire said. "Looking back at it I wouldn't change anything." She started off by making the varsity basketball team her freshman year and came off the bench, participating in 20 games. The following year she played in all 35 games. Her junior year was cut short due to the pandemic. The Eagles still managed to get in 17 games, only losing one of those. Claire played in all 17 and averaged 10.2 points per game. She gave

Continue Reading

BETHALTO - Bethalto Police Department responded to a serious rollover crash on I-255 right before the Bethalto exit Sunday morning. Bethalto Police Chief Mike Dixon said the Bethalto Police and Fire Department responded to the crash. One of the subjects involved in the one-vehicle crash was airlifted from the scene. Chief Dixon said Illinois State Police is handling the investigation and will release any further information. More to come.

Continue Reading

(BUZZ MAGAZINE) - Civil War soldiers from Illinois, as elsewhere, came from all walks of life, including a few college students. One was Joseph Howell, a Bond County native who died in the opening months of the war. Howell was killed in action at the Battle of Fort Donelson on Feb. 15, 1862, which was his first major action. Like most war casualties, Howell was cut down in the prime of life, at 22 years old. His death brought an untimely end to a promising future. Born on Sept. 1, 1838, Howell managed to pursue higher education in a time of low literacy. In 1860, he was one of ten members of the original graduating class at Illinois State Normal, which was renamed Illinois State University in 1964. “Normal” referred to a school to trains teachers, so Howell’s career path was obvious. By his final year, he was serving as an assistant in the university’s model school, which was founded just weeks after the first classes in 1857. Simply put, Merriam-Webster define

Continue Reading

GODFREY - Godfrey Mayor Mike McCormick released more information today about limb pickup from the recent storm that did significant damage to trees in the area. "In response to the storm of June 17, 2022, that went through the Village of Godfrey, Mayor Mike McCormick has activated the Public Works Department to assist with pick-up and disposal of yard debris," the Village of Godfrey said today. "Because employees are not permitted on private property, limbs and branches must be curbside and cannot be more than 8 inches in diameter. "To assure pick-up, contact Godfrey’s Public Works Department at (618) 466-3133 to share your address; if no answer, please leave a message. Pick-up will run from June 21, 2022, to June 28, 2022.

Continue Reading

CARLINVILLE - Early voting in Macoupin County for this year’s primary elections is off to a “slow but steady” start, Macoupin County Clerk Pete Duncan said. The early voting period in Macoupin County began on May 19 and will end on June 27, the day before Election Day on June 28. “Early voting in-person looks to be down considerably compared to past cycles,” Duncan said. “Right now, we’ve had 114 - our average number of in-person early votes over the last six primaries has been 388.” Duncan said he thinks there are two primary factors driving low turnout. “One, we have no local competitive primaries which usually is the driver of turnout,” Duncan said. “Two, I think the summer primary is unusual so people aren’t thinking it’s time to go vote.” Despite the low number of in-person early voters, Duncan said Macoupin County’s vote by mail program has been “extremely successful.”

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) recently convened the first meeting of the Commission on Implementing the Firearms Restraining Order Act (Commission). The General Assembly passed legislation in 2021 calling for the creation of the Commission to advise on strategies for the education and implementation of the Firearms Restraining Order Act. The Commission is charged with developing a policy that will serve as the overall framework for timely relinquishment of firearms whenever a firearms restraining order is issued. The Commission will consult with counties and other states with extreme risk protection order laws that have been successful implementing such laws. Once the policy is approved, ISP will work with local law enforcement agencies to design a comprehensive strategy using the model policy. The Commission, chaired by ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly, includes State’s Attorneys, chiefs of police, a sheriff, circuit court judge, representatives

Continue Reading

GODFREY - Liz Campbell and Jessica Grace of BRUSH Hair + Makeup are set to open the area’s first size-inclusive clothing boutique at their grand opening event on June 29, 2022. Housed at the salon in Godfrey, Illinois, BRUSH Boutique will offer hand-curated styles in sizes small through 3XL. BRUSH Boutique co-owners Elizabeth and Jessica aim to fill a need in the area for trendy clothing options for all women, regardless of size. “We are thrilled to offer our community a selection of size-inclusive clothing. Every woman deserves the opportunity to confidently express her own style through her clothing, no matter her size. At BRUSH Boutique, we know you’ll find something that speaks to you,” co-owner Elizabeth Campbell said. Most of the styles found at BRUSH Boutique will be available in sizes small through 3XL. Honeycut Creek Candles and Marigolds Boutique Cut Flower Farm will also be at the grand opening event held on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, from 4 PM to

Continue Reading

(CENTERSTONE) - “It was as if I had been trying to run on gasoline and I actually had a diesel engine.” That was a client’s description of how difficult it was to function effectively when he wasn’t making self-care a priority. But once he incorporated a method of maintaining good health that worked for him – found the right fuel for his engine -- it was truly transformative. Most of us know that self-care is essential, so why do so many of us find it so difficult to incorporate it into our daily lives? One reason is that our brains are hardwired to react more easily and quickly to negative stimuli – threats and fear – than positive ones, like the knowledge of the benefits of self-care. According to psychologist Alicia H. Clark, this “negativity bias” is the main reason why so many people spend so little time doing what we know would benefit our physical, mental, and emotional health. This bias, which helped keep our ancestors

Continue Reading

SUMMIT, Ill. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today celebrated the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program Argo Connections (B9) Project completion, a new double-track connection and crossover at Archer Avenue and 63rd Street. This will allow for increased rail speed and flexibility to reduce delays, increase capacity and lead to faster and more reliable travel times—creating jobs, making our roads safer and easing supply chain delays that can cause prices to skyrocket for everyday essentials. Duckworth was joined by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representative Marie Newman (D-IL-03), Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Omer Osman, Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski and other state and local partners. Photos from today’s event are available here . “For the past two decades, CREATE has worked to improve the way passengers and goods move over rail, making Chicago’s railroad network safer,

Continue Reading

CHICAGO — As our nation celebrates Juneteenth this weekend, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement to commemorate the day, which became a federal holiday last year. The Senator emphasized the importance of policies that help and empower Black families and communities, and encouraged racial justice allies to not only learn and recognize our country’s complex history, but also to push for a more just union for every American. “Black communities have long celebrated the importance of Juneteenth – the day that finally marked the end of centuries of unjustifiable enslavement of Black adults and their children,” said Duckworth. “Allies across this nation should remember that today is not only about learning and grappling with the history of our country, it is also a call to action for us all to keep pushing, prodding and dragging our nation until we’re all not just created equal, but treated equally as well.” Duckwor

Continue Reading

EAST ST. LOUIS – State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) released the following statement in response to the former Broadview Hotel renovation to accommodate 109 affordable apartments for seniors and veterans in East St. Louis: “Investing in affordable housing is crucial, especially for our local residents who have sacrificed a great deal throughout their lives. Redeveloping the former Broadview Hotel opens the door for over 100 residents to have sufficient housing in the Metro East and will provide seniors and veterans with essential services to better their futures.”

Continue Reading

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9) today led 12 of their Illinois colleagues in sending a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan urging him to expand eligibility for the new EPA Clean School Bus Program (CSBP) to improve its accessibility to Chicago-area schools and correct additional oversights in the implementation process. The program, a $5 billion effort established under the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act , aims to convert the nation’s school bus fleets to low- and zero-emission vehicles. “This new program offers an unprecedented opportunity to begin transitioning our nation’s school bus fleet to clean, low- and zero-emission vehicles, but it has come to our attention that the current design of the program may present challenges for Illinois schools,” the lawmakers began. Within CSBP’s implementation process, schools

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Lewis and Clark Affiliate Habitat for Humanity held its first annual Habitat Home Sweet Home 5K race at Township Park in Edwardsville. The race took place at 9 a.m. Saturday morning taking off from the park down the Madison County Nickel Plate Trail and back after a turnaround. A trophy was awarded to the top male and female. Medals were handed out for the fastest times in their particular age group for males and females. The age groups were 9 and under, 10-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70+. The race was professionally timed by Toolen's Running Start. Stephen Benicki won the race overall with a time of 21:48. The fastest female was Christy Sotoropolis clocking in at 28:56. She finished seventh overall out of 40 competitors. They each received trophies during the awards ceremony after the race. Jackie Helm was the organizer of this event and she said that it only took a couple of months of preparation. "A couple of months of planning, all hands on deck,

Continue Reading