Riverbender 🕸

PIASA - The Southwestern Piasa Birds senior summer league team may have lost to the visiting Gillespie Elite, but senior catcher Hank Bouillon still got some work done. He went 3-3 with an RBI in the 11-7 setback at Schneider Park against Gillespie. "Not bad, but I mean we still didn't win. That's the main thing," Hank said about his performance. With the loss, the Piasa Birds are off to a 5-2 start in their summer league. In the spring high school season, the Piasa Birds split the regular-season conference championship with Gillespie, so the two are setting the groundwork for a potential rivalry of some sort. Bouillon had an excellent spring season for the Birds. Bouillon is an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Male Athlete of the Month for the Piasa Birds. "That's our motivation for next year," Hank said about splitting the South Central Conference with the Miners. Head coach Brain Hanslow mentioned that his team has some big shoes to fill with the departure of his senior

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS - One of Time magazine's icons listed in "The 100 Most Influential People of 2022" and the recipient of the 2022 "Billboard ICON Award," the undisputed Queen of Hip Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige, announces her Good Morning Gorgeous tour presented by Hologic in partnership with The Black Promoters Collective (BPC). GRAMMY Award-winning and Oscar-nominated Blige will perform in 23 cities with special guests, platinum-selling, GRAMMY Award-winning artist Ella Mai and platinum-selling rising star Queen Naija beginning on Saturday, September 17, in Greensboro, NC, and ending on Saturday, October 29 in Atlantic City, NJ. The tour also stops in Los Angeles, New York, St. Louis, and Atlanta. Before offering to the general public, the Good Morning Gorgeous tour tickets go on presale today with The American Express® Card Members beginning June 15 at 10 am local time through June 16 at 10 pm local time. Tickets will be available to the general public on June 17 at 10 am local and

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS - Night Life, the full-length directorial debut of St. Louis resident Seth Ferranti, is slated to have its world premiere as a centerpiece film at the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase on Sunday, July 17, 7:30pm at Washington University's Brown Hall. This call-to-action docu-drama focuses on Reverend Kenneth McKoy, known to St. Louis as the Pastor of the Streets, and his NightLIFE Ministry's mission to fight an epidemic of mental illness and drug addiction while they actively interrupt the gun violence crisis within a city notoriously known for being the murder capital of America. “I’m looking forward to headlining the Showcase with Night Life because I feel that premiering the film in St. Louis is important to the city as a whole and can have a big cultural impact on the community,” Ferranti said. “While this film highlights people like the Reverend Kenneth McKoy who have made it their mission to save their communities and their people, it is a microcos

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS - Today, Charter Communications, Inc. awarded $400,000 in scholarships to its newest class of 20 Spectrum Scholars, the company’s annual career development and scholarship program for underrepresented college students with financial need. Each student will receive a $20,000 scholarship, a professional Charter mentor, and the opportunity for an internship at one of the company’s corporate campuses in Stamford, Charlotte, St. Louis or Denver. “Through programs like Spectrum Scholars, Charter is committed to developing our workforce and to investing in the diverse communities we serve, both of which are key to our success as a leading broadband connectivity and technology company,” said Paul Marchand, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Charter. “This year’s Scholars are all outstanding, high-achieving students and we look forward to welcoming them to our offices and introducing them to the many career paths and

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS, MO – Filament is accepting applications from businesses and nonprofits for their third annual Thinksgiving® event. Thinksgiving® 2022 will take place on November 3 at Cortex . This award-winning initiative connects teams from St. Louis companies with local nonprofits for a day of creative problem-solving. “Thinksgiving® is so important to Filament. It allows us to multiply our impact and make a real dent in the challenges facing mission-focused nonprofits in our community. They are already doing a lot of the heavy lifting to improve our region,” says Matt Homann, Founder and CEO of Filament and inventor of Thinksgiving®. Thinksgiving® is an annual event that culminates on a single day. The schedule of events includes: Challenge Workshop (Nonprofits) – Early September - Nonprofits identify a challenge impacting their work for their community. Filament helps craft these into single-sentence challenge questions with the

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS — Yesterday, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones joined her fellow co-chairs of Mayors Against Illegal Guns , a nonpartisan coalition of more than 1,000 current and former mayors that is part of Everytown for Gun Safety, applauded the agreement reached by a bipartisan coalition of 20 U.S. Senators on major gun safety, mental health, and school safety provisions. Mayors Against Illegal Guns Co-Chairs Mayor Brandon Scott (Baltimore, MD), Mayor Tim Kelly (Chattanooga, TN), Former Mayor Steve Benjamin (Columbia, SC), Mayor Quinton Lucas (Kansas City, MO), Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard (Mount Vernon, NY), Mayor Eric Adams (New York, NY), Former Mayor Michael Tubbs (Stockton, CA), Mayor Tishaura Jones (St. Louis, MO), Mayor Jane Castor (Tampa, FL), and Mayor Regina Romero (Tucson, AZ) issued the following statement: “Mayors are on the frontlines of our nation’s gun violence crisis, and for far too long, we’ve been urging our federal lawmakers to advance life-saving

Continue Reading

ALTON - The Alton Municipal Band enters week two of its 132nd season of Concerts in the Parks with a celebration of conductor Jennifer Shenberger, who has co-directed the band for a decade. The theme of the concert, “Jen’s Tenth Anniversary Playlist,” will feature some of Shenberger’s favorites: music that the band has performed before, and music that she remembers listening to growing up. Performing alongside the band this week is solo percussionist Noah Petti, who will dazzle the audience with his virtuosic musicianship. The band will present the concert twice: once on Thursday evening at 7:30 (Riverview Park), and once on Sunday evening at 7:00 (Haskell Park).

Continue Reading

ALTON - River Bend Yoga hosted the film, Mission: Joy – Finding Happiness in Troubled Times, at Old Bakery Brewery on Sunday, May 29 th . Through the donation of space from Old Bakery Brewery and the generosity of the attendees, $1,025 was raised for Be a Bridge. Be a Bridge NFP is a registered 501c3 focused on building relationships and fostering a peer community amongst youth. They provide programs such as adolescent support groups, fine arts experiences, and workforce development. As noted on their Facebook page , “Be a Bridge will soon be launching our newest program, Dance Haus! We want our youth to learn healthy self-expression and cultural awareness, and both can be found here. Middle school and high school students are welcome to attend.:” For more information on this or any of their services, you can contact them at beabridgenfp@gmail.com. Mission: Joy donated the film screening. Inspired by New York Times bestseller The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness

Continue Reading

GODFREY - The Rolling Hills Golf Course located at 5801 Pierce Lane, Godfrey, suffered a minor beam support failure in their clubhouse causing the Godfrey Fire Department to come and intervene. General Manager Rick Martin said a support beam rotted out causing the building to lower a couple of inches. The wooden part at the bottom of the beam deteriorated enough to cause the support beam to fail. Martin and the staff were forced to shut down the restaurant and bar area due to safety precautions. The pro shop and courses are still open per usual. The beam was located near the garage where all of the golf carts are stored but Martin says that staff were able to retrieve some carts before the fire department shut the area down. It's expected that there will still be enough carts for the course's regularly scheduled league. During this heat wave, the course is still able to sell bottled soft drinks and canned beer to its guests until the lounge reopens. "I mean, the golf course is

Continue Reading

ALTON - The City of Alton has been riveted by a pair of homicides the Chief of Police describes as a “monster” at work. A Litchfield man - 22-year-old Deundrea S. Holloway - on Monday was charged with the gruesome murder of pregnant mother Liese A. Dodd, also 22, in the 3400 block of Bolivar Street in Alton. Holloway faces charges of two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of intentional homicide to an unborn child, dismembering a human body, offenses related to motor vehicles, and concealment of a homicide death. Chief Pulido said in a video broadcast on Monday: “That monster had an on-and-off relationship with Liese for about two years. “She had an expected delivery date in late July and that ‘monster’ savagely decapitated her and brutally murdered the unborn child.” Pulido said today the Alton Police Department has a very experienced staff, but “unfortunately, this crime is one of the most horrific actions we have ever seen

Continue Reading

CHICAGO - Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation into law requiring insurance and managed health plans provide coverage for continuous glucose monitors, an essential tool for diabetes care. SB2969 expands safe and affordable treatment options for thousands of Illinoisans. Continuous glucose monitors are essential devices for patients with both Type I and Type II diabetes to maintain safe blood sugar levels and prevent the need for emergency medical care. The bill was signed at Lurie Children’s Hospital, a major endocrinology center that treats thousands of diabetic patients each year. “No one—regardless of their socioeconomic status or insurance coverage—should go without the care they require,” said Governor Pritzker. “But for too long, diabetics have had to make the impossible choice between obtaining this necessary medical equipment or putting food on the table. That is an unacceptable burden to ask diabetics to bear, and this legislation

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met virtually with six public health organizations regarding the failure of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to fulfill its obligation to regulate e-cigarettes under the Tobacco Control Act . In 2019, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland mandated that FDA finalize its review of e-cigarettes on the market by September 9, 2021. As FDA has delayed for more than nine months past that deadline on finalizing its reviews, FDA has made the senseless decision to give a free pass for addictive e-cigarettes with kid-friendly flavors to remain on the market and hook children on nicotine. During his meeting with these health groups, Durbin discussed his recent statement for Dr. Robert Califf to immediately clear the market of unauthorized, kid-friendly e-cigarettes or step aside. “We know that kids are getting hooked on these flavored e-cigarettes that are specifically targeted to children, like

Continue Reading

GREENVILLE - The following students were placed on the Dean's List at Greenville University for the Spring 2022 semester. To qualify for the GU Dean's List, a student must successfully complete a minimum of 12 hours for the semester. Freshmen (0-29.5 credits) must have a semester GPA of 3.5 or above. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors must have a semester GPA of 3.7 or above. Alton, IL Kaitlyn Hutson, junior Kara Plunkett, junior Eva Schwaab, junior Moriah Summers, senior Elizabeth Sutton, junior Bethalto, IL Mariah Harned, senior Ian Heflin, sophomore Alyssa Jones, junior East Alton, IL Stephanie Kamp, junior Glen Carbon, IL Hannah Beck, senior Godfrey, IL Abbigail Van Voorhis, senior Hope Wind, junior Granite City, IL Alyssa Comer, senior Kristen Hall, junior Jerseyville, IL Molly Heitzig, senior Neasha Hill, senior Samantha Tallman, senior Wood River, IL Chance Foss, senior Ashly McElroy, senior

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke about the revelations the bipartisan Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol has shared in its first two public hearings. “After 11 months and more than a thousand interviews, the bipartisan Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol is sharing its findings with America and the revelations are so damning. In its first two public hearings, the Committee has shown that the attack on the Capitol was not a demonstration that changed spontaneously and became a riot. The attack on our nation’s Capitol, the attack on this chamber, was the result of a plan—a violent effort to prevent the peaceful transfer of power from the Trump administration to the Biden administration, to stop the peaceful transition of power in America for the first time in our history. T

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS - As the St. Louis Region experiences record heat this week, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones joined Cool Down St. Louis and Ameren this morning to commend the work of this important partnership, remind St. Louis residents of available resources, and emphasized key steps residents can take to beat the heat. St. Louis residents should avoid activity outside, and if they must be outside stay hydrated while taking frequent breaks; never leave children or pets in a parked car, even briefly; and check up on elderly neighbors and anyone they think may need help. “Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are real threats as we hit record-high temperatures. Limit your activity outside, stay hydrated, and check up on your family and neighbors who need it,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “Whether you’re looking for the City’s pool schedule or trying to find a spot to cool down from the heat, visit stlouis-mo.gov/summer for a list of available resources and tips to hel

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS - The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile will visit The National Museum of Transportation, 2933 Barrett Station Road, Kirkwood, MO., on Wednesday, June 22, from 9 am - 1 pm. The hot dog shaped vehicle, 27 feet long and 11 feet high, was created originally for the company in 1936. The Wienermobile will be parked at the Museum in The William R. and Laura Rand Orthwein Education & Visitor Center Welcome Circle for those who relish the opportunity for a photo opp with this iconic car. Museum admission is not required to see this unique vehicle. For more information contact Jessica Hood at 314-858-1603.

Continue Reading

CHICAGO - Governor JB Pritzker signed HB209 into law today, restricting the use of latex gloves in food preparation and medical services and protecting thousands of Illinoisans from adverse allergic reactions. Latex allergies can range from skin irritation to severe anaphylaxis, preventing those suffering from patronizing restaurants that use the gloves in food preparation or serving or receiving care from many medical practitioners. “We want to make sure that our spaces are accessible to all Illinoisans—including those with latex allergies,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “With this legislation, we are preventing avoidable allergic reactions and subsequent hospitalizations. I am proud to sign this bill into law to help create a more accessible, considerate, and healthy Illinois.” Patients with latex allergies are negatively impacted by the prevalence of latex gloves in healthcare settings, but providers also suffer. Anyone who frequently uses latex gloves

Continue Reading

JERSEYVILLE - The Jersey County Arts Council will offer two fairy garden classes this month. Participants 10 and above will build a fairy home on Wednesday, June 22, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Guests are encouraged to bring an empty milk jug or soda bottle to serve as a foundation for their fairy home. This project will require the use of a hot glue gun. This is a great opportunity for a child and adult to partner to create an adorable fairy garden. During the second class, which will be held Tuesday, June 28, from 6 to 8:30 p.m., participants will create a beautiful garden for their fairy homes using found materials and miniature plants. Guests may attend either or both classes. Both events will be held in the basement of the First Presbyterian Church, located at 400 S. State in Jerseyville. There is no fee for either class, but registration is required. To register, visit the Art Council’s Facebook page at JerseyCountyArtsCouncil@facebook.com or phone 618-639-5232. The Jersey

Continue Reading

GODFREY – Future movers and shakers from the Young Adults Committee of the RiverBend Growth Association’s Class of 2021-22 recently wrapped up their year with an impressive scholarship award presentation after a recap of the year’s equally impressive portfolio of work. With a mission of teaching them the importance of giving back to their communities, 18 students from five Riverbend area high schools had the opportunity to work with mentors from RBGA member businesses over the past year. This year’s senior student representatives included Kamren Mason-El and Allie Schrumpf from Alton High School, Kennedy Bickmore and Allie Lively from Bethalto’s Civic Memorial High School, Addison Denton and Reaghan Williams from East Alton-Wood River High School, and Audrey Bosse and Thomas Strohmeier from Roxana High School. The YAC’s junior student representatives were Anbrielle Blake and Jayden Ross from Alton High School, Olivia Goodman and Benjamin Werts

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - The City of Edwardsville announced Monday it is working in cooperation with local facilities to provide cooling stations throughout the summer. Starting today through September 22, the facilities Edwardsville facilities below will be available as cooling stations when the heat index rises above 100°F. Additional sites and hours may be added as needed. Edwardsville City Library: 112 S Kansans Street – (618) 692-7556 Mondays - Thursdays: 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Fridays: 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturdays: 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sundays: 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Edwardsville Main Street Community Center: 1003 North Main Street – (618) 656-0300 Mondays - Fridays: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. YMCA Meyer Center: 7348 Goshen Road – (618) 655-1460 Mondays - Fridays: 5 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturdays: 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Sundays: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed on July 4 YMCA Esic Center: 1200 Esic Drive – (618) 656-0436 Mondays - Fridays: 5 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturdays: 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Sundays: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed on July 4

Continue Reading