Riverbender 🕸

EDWARDSVILLE - Soon, Captain Kris Tharp of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office will be retiring. He officially retires on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023, after a 26-year career in law enforcement. Twenty-four of those years have been of service in the sheriff’s office. Kris has not decided on a next move and said his passion lies in serving others and any future pursuit or endeavor will involve that. “I want to continue to be a big part of the community,” he said. Kristopher “Kris” Tharp has had a remarkable life and career. His story has always served as an inspiration for those who worked with him in the sheriff’s office and everyone around him. Kris was raised by a single mother in Wood River. He graduated from East Alton-Wood River High School in 1994 and is a local product. After high school graduation, he immediately began serving the community as a law enforcement cadet with the Wood River Police Department at age 18. Kris said his wife,

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ALTON - Enjoy the sounds of smooth jazz and the taste of great wine as the successful Alton Jazz & Wine Festival returns to the Alton Amphitheater on Saturday, September 2, 2023 with gates opening at 6 p.m. The Alton Jazz Confluence, featuring up and coming Alton/Godfrey student musicians, will again kick off this year’s festival. Following this exciting group of future jazz stars will be The Jason Swagler Group. The headliners for this year’s Alton Jazz & Wine Festival will be the Trumpet Trio, three top-notch players in the St. Louis area: Danny Campbell, Kasimu Taylor, and Dawn Weber. These three occupy the summit of the region’s jazz trumpet talent and experience. The Amphitheater Commission is privileged to host them in both collective and individual settings, featuring trumpet pieces from Alton-born Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, and others. All three have starred at recent Festivals and ceremonies in the Riverbend. Dawn played at the first

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College empowers students by making a high-quality education more accessible through the offering of various scholarship opportunities. Over 300 students from throughout the college’s district applied for scholarships for the 2023-2024 academic year. These scholarships provide opportunities for people of all ages, abilities, levels of academic achievement, and career paths. Approximately 160 scholarships were awarded from the college’s Financial Aid department and the L&C Foundation. In total, the scholarship amounts awarded exceeded $520,000. “Scholarships are investments that produce life-long returns,” said Financial Aid Director Angela Weaver. “Scholarships help make getting a college education both accessible and affordable for many, some of whom could not attend school otherwise. An investment in the lives of the students who attend Lewis and Clark Community College is an investment in their future

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ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones' today issued the statement below regarding the closure of South City Hospital: "I have been briefed regarding the closure of South City Hospital and have been working to minimize its impact on our community. South City Hospital was a healthcare safety net, supporting many uninsured St. Louisans, and our city must grapple with losing this longstanding healthcare anchor. "Yesterday, I convened a meeting with the leadership of our most highly recognized regional hospital systems, our Health Director, Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis, and my staff on this issue. Patients hospitalized at South City Hospital have been routed to those hospitals and will continue to receive excellent care. "To the employees affected, my heart goes out to you as this is painful and unexpected news. I also thank you for your tireless efforts to care for the patients of South City Hospital. We are working with our healthcare partners to stand up a job fair so you can continue

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GRANITE CITY – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that repairs on eastbound Interstate 270 between Illinois 3 and Riverview Drive in Missouri will require lane closures starting, weather permitting, at 9 p.m., Friday, Aug. 4. One lane will remain open at all times. All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 7. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this closure. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all construction signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling through the work zone. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.

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HILLSBORO – Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Internal Investigation (DII) officials arrested 66-year-old James Dawson of Hillsboro, IL., 66, for Custodial Sexual Misconduct (Class 3 Felony) and Criminal Sexual Abuse (Class 4 Felony). On July 13, 2022, ISP DII initiated an investigation on Dawson, an Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) contractual employee. Dawson is a sonographer and was contracted by IDOC to perform sonograms on individuals in custody throughout the state of Illinois. Dawson’s charges involve seven separate victims. After a year-long investigation, ISP DII agents took Dawson into custody on August 1, 2023. Dawson was transported to the Montgomery County Jail where he is being held on a Fulton County warrant with a $50,000.00 bond (10% to apply) and a Johnson County warrant with a $4,000.00 bond (no 10% to apply). This is an active and ongoing investigation. No additional information will be released at this time. Anyone with additional

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ALTON - A Pet Food Drive this Saturday honors the memory of a late Alton teen. A local nonprofit, Trinity’s Way, is hosting a pet food drive from 10 a.m. to noon on Sunday, Aug. 6, at Piasa Park in Alton. The drive will benefit the pet food pantry operated by Metro East Humane Society. This pantry program provides free pet food to eligible applicants who are in need of assistance. Trinity’s Way was formed in 2018 after 17-year-old Trinity Buel was killed in a car accident on Feb. 17, 2018. 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. The pet food drive is a fitting way to honor Buel’s memory for her birthday on Aug. 6. “When Trinity was a little girl, instead of presents for herself, she’d ask for pet food and supplies for her birthday so that she could donate those to local animal shelters,” Gray said. “She was always

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College is meeting the changes and challenges in the growing real estate field by offering classes to help individuals enter that career field as brokers. An individual must pass a total of 75 hours of instruction to take the Real Estate Broker’s licensure exam. Lewis and Clark is offering three different classes of Real Estate, all of which are needed for the exam: Real Estate Brokerage (REAL 135-A6) – 7-9:40 p.m., Mondays and Wednesdays, Aug. 21 – Oct. 11, 2023 Real Estate Transactions (Two sections available) (REAL 136 - 01) – 9:25-10:40 a.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, Aug. 22 – Dec. 14, 2023, OR (REAL 136 – B6) ­– 7-9:40 p.m., Mondays and Wednesdays, Oct. 16 - Dec. 13, 2023. Real Estate Transaction Applications (REAL 137 - 60) – 6-9:30 p.m., Tuesdays, Nov. 21 – Dec. 12, 2023. All three classes are in-person or online on the Godfrey Campus and will be taught by local

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GODFREY - As a courtesy, the Village of Godfrey is now providing a drop-off location for yard waste for Godfrey residents. The site, located at 1433 Stamper Lane, will be open and accepting yard waste on Tuesdays and Saturdays beginning August 8 from 9 a.m.–noon. Located to the west of Glazebrook Park, residents can enter the fenced area where an employee will then verify residency and assist in unloading the bagged yard waste from the vehicle before proceeding around the circular drive and exiting back onto Stamper Lane. All yard waste (leaves, grass clippings, foliage, small branches, etc.) must be bagged in brown recyclable yard waste bags found at area hardware stores. Village of Godfrey yard waste stickers must be applied to each bag. These stickers are available for purchase for $1.75 at St. Peter’s Hardware in Alton and at Godfrey Village Hall in the Clerk’s office. There is no limit to the number of bags that can be dropped off. No unbagged items will be

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EDWARDSVILLE - Drunken Fish opens its doors today to Edwardsville customers eager for authentic Japanese cuisine. The restaurant will officially open at 5 p.m. tonight, Aug. 3. Drunken Fish serves sushi and other Japanese favorites. They encourage diners to make a reservation by calling 618-270-5006. “Edwardsville was a natural choice for us due to its thriving community and close proximity to our other brands in the St. Louis area,” owner Munsok So said of the brand’s choice to expand. “The region's wonderful growth potential presented a promising business opportunity for So Hospitality Group, aligning perfectly with our expansion plans.” Drunken Fish and Kimchi Guys are located at 6151 Trace Parkway Drive in adjoining suites. Kimchi Guys, which offers Korean cuisine and specializes in Korean fried chicken, opened on July 14. Both restaurants are owned by Munsok So’s So Hospitality Group and already have devoted followings in St. Louis.

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville City Council voted on Tuesday to purchase four new vehicles for the Edwardsville Police Department and a new ambulance for the city’s Fire Department, all of which will replace old vehicles soon to be out of commission. Supply chain issues have delayed the delivery of each new vehicle considerably. Four 2023 Ford Explorer Police Interceptors and their associated equipment will be purchased for no more than $211,395.73 from Morrow Brothers Ford, Inc. following a City Council vote in favor of the purchase. Ward 1 Alderman Chris Farrar said that unlike a growing number of Edwardsville Police vehicles in recent years, these models are solely gas-powered and not hybrids, adding delayed deliveries are likely due to “a supply chain issue.” “The delivery will be about six to 12 months,” Farrar said. “These are not hybrids, unfortunately, but there’s either a long wait time or unknown delivery time for these

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EDWARDSVILLE - Revity Credit Union on Plum Street in Edwardsville is nearing the end of construction. While there is not currently an opening date, a worker at the site confirmed that construction is in the “final stages.” The Southwest Illinois bank was previously known as GCS Credit Union, but changed its name to Revity Credit Union in July 2023. This building in Edwardsville already sports the new name. It will provide the same banking services as other Revity branches in the area. Construction is by Contegra Construction Company in Edwardsville. The property is managed by Wittenauer Properties in O’Fallon, IL. To learn more about Revity Credit Union, visit their official website .

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ALTON - Kailey Vickrey was one of the true leaders of the Marquette Catholic High School girls' track and field team in their highly successful 2023 season. She excelled on varsity from her freshman to senior years in both cross country and girls' track and field. Vickrey, a distance to a middle-distance runner, and sprinter/jumper Sammy Hentrich shared the spotlight for the Explorers this past track and field season and were key parts of Marquette's success. Marquette won the Gateway Metro Conference Girls Track and Field Meet in May at Alton High School, led by the girls. The Marquette girls captured first with 164 points, with McGivney second with 146 points. The Explorers' Vickrey is a Tucker's Automotive and Repair and Tire Female Athlete of the Month. Vickrey said she was glad to be able to return to form in the conference meet and also participated at state. She was very active in the 800 meters and relay events at the end of the season for the Explorers. Vickrey qualified fo

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MARYVILLE - Sami and Zoe Oller became stars in a new sport this past spring - track and field - in the shot put and discus throw for the Father McGivney Catholic Griffins. Sami captured the Gateway Metro Conference Meet shot put with a toss of 8.69 meters, while her sister, Zoe, had a throw of 8.57 meters. Zoe was the conference champion in the discus with a throw of 28.13 meters and Sami had a throw of 24.96 meters. Sami and Zoe have also been active basketball and volleyball players for the Griffins in summer play. Sami and Zoe are Byron, Carlson, Patri and Kalb Female Athletes of the Month. McGivney Athletic Director and head girls' basketball coach Jeff Oller, who is not related to the girls, said the two girls both had outstanding summers on the basketball court. The McGivney athletic director said Sami should be one of the area’s best basketball players, female or male, this winter. Greg Weiss, who was the weights coach for Father McGivney’s girls this past spring,

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CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a total of $14,772,472 in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grants for Illinois EPA (IEPA). The funding, split across two separate grants, will support IEPA’s mission to provide a clean, livable environment and clean air and water sources for Illinoisans. “Illinoisans deserve safe air to breathe and clean water to drink. Illinois EPA works diligently each day to make that a reality by preventing and addressing environmental threats,” said Durbin. “These significant resources that EPA has allocated to our state supports IEPA’s efforts to address environmental concerns and protect Illinois’ natural resources through data-driven and transparent enforcement and compliance initiatives.” “When we protect and clean up Illinois’s air and water, we are protecting the health and safety of our communities,”

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CHICAGO - Governor JB Pritzker signed HB2879 into law today, establishing the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program to expand resources for food bank systems across the state while supporting local farmers. The bill creates mechanisms for acquiring and distributing fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and poultry, dairy, and eggs to organizations providing free food for those in need. The program initially began with a pilot in 2021 with grant funding from USDA and is made permanent through this bill. “Illinois farmers are producing some of the finest food in the country, and now that produce, dairy, and meat can go directly to Illinoisans struggling with food insecurity,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “It’s good for our farmers’ bottom line, it’s good for those in need, and it’s good for our state—a win for everyone in Illinois.” The program, administered by the Illinois Department of Human Services with a $2 million investment in FY24, seek

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CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker today was joined by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, members of the Illinois congressional delegation, as well as business and industry leaders to call attention to the Chicago Hub Improvement Program, a proposed series of projects that will invest nearly $1.1 billion in regional rail infrastructure and upgrade Union Station. The funding would improve performance and reduce delays while strengthening the state’s and city’s position as the country’s transportation hub. The effort is supported by $50 million from the Governor’s Rebuild Illinois capital program, which is the largest and only one in state history that touches all modes of transportation. “The Chicago Hub Improvement Program is an opportunity for new federal infrastructure funding to catalyze the rail system this region deserves,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This proposal would not only make much-needed

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Futures Tournament attracted more fans than ever this year, Director Dave Lipe said on Thursday, despite probably some of the most difficult weather conditions ever for the event. The tourney winner said that it was "amazing for a small little city like Edwardsville to do such a great job with this. Blew my expectations out of the water for this place," Vandecasteele said after taking home the crown. Lipe, who has become renowned for not only success as Edwardsville’s boys and girls varsity tennis coach, but the Futures Tournament and the courts. The courts are exquisite, much above any other high school in the state, if not the nation. There have always been key contributors to the courts and the Pro Wildcard and Futures events. Lipe always mentions those supporters and key volunteers and coordinators and deflects attention from himself. Simply put, he sees the success of Futures as "because of the team of people involved." Lipe is also a

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EDWARDSVILLE — Two local elected officials have been selected among many leaders throughout Illinois to participate in this year’s Edgar Fellows Program. State Senator Erica Harriss and Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine have been chosen for this year’s elite program. Initiated by former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar, the leadership program provides chosen up-and-comers in Illinois public policy an opportunity to gain lessons, inspiration, and training in statesmanship and current issues while fostering and nurturing relationships that cross-regional, political, and personal experience boundaries. “It’s an honor to be selected to participate in this distinguished program,” said Sen. Harriss. “I’m eager to join a group of inspiring individuals to learn more about their perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. It’s my hope that I will be able to gain valuable lessons that ultimately make me a better public servant for

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COLLINSVILLE – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that repairs on the eastbound Interstate 55/70 ramp to Interstate 255 near Collinsville will require intermittent lane closures starting, weather permitting, at 6 a.m., Monday, Aug. 7. The two-lane ramp will be reduced to one lane. All lanes will be open between 3-6 p.m. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all construction signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling through the work zone. The closures are expected to last for approximately two weeks. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.

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