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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after the White House announced its intent to nominate Judge Nancy L. Maldonado to be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit, and Georgia Alexakis to be United States District Court Judge for the Northern District of Illinois. “We are pleased that President Biden is nominating Judge Nancy Maldonado to serve as a United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit, and Georgia Alexakis to serve as a United States District Court Judge for the Northern District of Illinois. These two Illinoisans have the qualifications, integrity, and judgment to serve with distinction. We look forward to their nominations being considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee and the full Senate and urge our colleagues to support them.” Judge Maldonado currently serves as a United States District

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ALTON - Alton High School math teacher David Dresch has received the Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award. During the Alton Community Unit School District #11 Board of Education’s regular meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, the Board recognized Dresch for his accomplishment. The Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award honors educators, from kindergarten instructors to college professors, in the Greater St. Louis region. Dresch has taught at Alton High School since 2006, and he was a student teacher in the school district before that. Alton High School Principal Mike Bellm noted Dresch’s commitment to his students and their success as a key reason why he is a deserving winner of the award. “At the heart of David’s teaching is creating excellent relationships with his students,” Bellm said. “He is a tremendous ninth-grade teacher because of his concern for the students and the way he gets to know them. He expects greatness out of his students

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ALTON - At 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, the Alton Police Department was notified of a traffic accident with injuries on College Avenue at the intersection with Main Street. Alton Police Officers and members of the Alton Fire Department immediately responded to the scene where they located an injured subject who was later flown to a St. Louis area hospital for treatment of potentially life-threatening injuries. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said a preliminary investigation revealed the injured individual, a 47-year-old male from Alton, was riding a bicycle through the intersection when struck by a truck traveling westbound. The driver of the truck remained on scene and is cooperating fully with the investigation. The cause of the traffic accident is still under investigation by the Alton Police Department's Traffic Division. Chief Ford said the injured male remains in the St. Louis Hospital in stable, but serious, condition.

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GODFREY - Godfrey is the next municipality in the Riverbend considering a camping ban on public property within the village. This follows similar ordinances passed in Alton and Wood River , though Godfrey stopped short of voting on the item at their meeting on Tuesday. Trustee Rick Lauschke said he’d like to table the proposed camping ban to have more time to review the item and weigh the “pros and cons” before casting a vote. He then made a motion to table the item, which was passed unanimously. The proposed ordinance would adopt an “anti-camping policy on public property within the Village of Godfrey,” with the intent to “maintain and further expand the economic vitality” of the village, and to “protect the safety of the general public,” according to the ordinance itself. Godfrey’s version of the ordinance contains similar wording to the one considered and passed last year by the Alton City Council

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MURPHYSBORO – The 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, announced today that he has endorsed U.S. Rep. Mike Bost in his campaign for re-election against challenger Darren Bailey. “Congressman Mike Bost is doing a fantastic job representing the Great People of Illinois’ 12th Congressional District. While I like and respect Darren Bailey, and was proud to campaign for him in 2022, Mike Bost was one of the first House Committee Chairmen to endorse my Campaign, and Mike was a stalwart supporter of our America First agenda during my record-setting Administration,” said President Trump. “As Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Mike is doing an incredible job providing our Brave and Patriotic Veterans with the care they deserve. He is working hard to Secure the Border, Champion American Agriculture, Strengthen the Military, Grow the Economy, and Protect and Defend our under siege Second Amendment. Mike Bost has my Complete

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COLLINSVILLE/MARYVILLE - Madison County Board member Paul Nicolussi recently appeared on “Our Daily Show!” at RiverBender.com to talk about the Madison County Conservative Caucus and the conflict and collaboration between Republicans and Democrats at the county level. Nicolussi, who identifies as “very conservative,” noted that it’s a “volatile time” within the Madison County Republican Party. He spoke about the conflict he has witnessed between “establishment Republicans” and other conservatives. The Conservative Caucus aims to provide a space for Madison County conservatives to come together regardless of party affiliation. “As a Republican, I just want to make sure I’m voting for a Republican, and that gets to the reason we started the caucus,” Nicolussi explained. “I think we are the gold standard of conservatism in Madison County now. We check all the boxes. We’re for parents’

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JERSEYVILLE - Several criminal charges including failure to register as a sex offender, resisting officers, retail theft, and more have been filed in Jersey County against several area individuals, according to recently released county court filings. Kyle D. Carter, 35, of Jerseyville, was charged with unlawful failure to register as a sex offender on Feb. 14, 2024. According to court documents, Carter failed to register with the Jersey County Sheriff’s Department within three days after establishing a residence in Jersey County, as mandated by the Child Sex Offender Registration Act. Carter faces a Class 3 felony and a warrant was issued for his arrest. According to a copy of his arrest warrant, Carter is to be held without pretrial release conditions in the custody of the Jersey County Sheriff until his initial appearance in court. Krisica L. Hancock, 35, of Wood River, faces two total charges including a Class 3 felony for attempted escape of a felon from a peace office

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ALTON – March, among other observances, is recognized as Lymphedema Awareness Month, and learning more about and promoting awareness of Lymphedema will be the focus at the March Lymphedema Education Meeting in Alton – sponsored by OSF Rehabilitation Services. Riverbend region residents are invited to join the OSF Lymphedema Therapy team for this free educational session about Lymphedema and meet other people with Lymphedema. The March Lymphedema education meeting will be held: Thursday, March 7, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. OSF HealthCare Rehabilitation Services 228 Alton Square Mall, Alton, IL (Enter the Rehab office from the upper Mall parking lot, facing Alby Street, under the "OSF HEALTHCARE" sign.) Interested individuals should direct questions or requests for additional information to OSF Rehabilitation Services at (618) 463-5171. Lymphedema refers to tissue swelling caused by an accumulation of fluid that is usually drained by the body's lymphatic

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ST. LOUIS - St. Louis County Police Department Bureau of Crimes Against Persons detectives and the Accident Reconstruction Unit are investigating a pedestrian fatally struck in the area of Mackenzie Road and Alpine Drive. The deceased has been identified as William Starr, 74 years of age, of the 9300 block of Mackenzie Road in St. Louis, Missouri 63123. At 7:16 PM, St. Louis County police officers from the Affton Southwest Precinct responded to a call for service for a motor vehicle crash in the area of Mackenzie Road and Alpine Drive. Arriving officers located an adult male that had been struck by a motor vehicle. Preliminary investigation revealed a motor vehicle was traveling southbound on Mackenzie Road when it struck the male in the roadway. The vehicle then left the scene. The male was pronounced deceased at the scene. The investigation is ongoing. Additional information will be disseminated as it becomes available. Please contact the St. Louis County Police Department at

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WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—lead sponsor of the Access to Family Building Act , which would protect every American’s right to access in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) services—issued the following statement after Alabama’s State Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos created during the IVF process are “children” under state law, threatening access to IVF for those who need it to start or grow their family: “Since the Supreme Court threw out Roe v. Wade, our nation has seen a wave of Republican-led states enacting strict abortion bans to severely limit their residents’ right to access basic reproductive care, leaving many hopeful parents—and those of us who relied on IVF to start and grow our own families—worried about whether access to these important technologies could be next. The ruling from the Alabama Supreme Court—effectively labeling

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WEST ALTON, MO. - Last week, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources conducted a prescribed controlled burn within the Edward "Ted" and Pat Jones-Confluence Point State Park. Many pointed out the smoke in the air to Riverbender.com and wanted to know the cause. Quinn Kellner, a parks superintendent at Confluence Point State Park, said the prescribed controlled burn is something they have done each year in recent years. “It is one time a year and it allows us to start fresh and it helps new things grow,” he said. “This does help us control willows and cottonwoods that are prevalent on the property. We think the prescribed burn was very successful and it has helped us get the appropriate plant species that belong there.” The park official said a lot of preparatory work goes into the prescribed burn. “We have plenty of staff available to cover the necessary areas and deal with the fire conditions that may come up. Believe it or not, some folks were

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FERGUSON, MO. - St. Louis County investigators said late Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, that the fire that took the lives of Bernadine Pruessner and her four children earlier in the day appears "suspicious in nature." St. Louis County investigators said Monday there was evidence of "criminal activity" at the fire scene. Preussner was an administrator at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey and well-respected in her role. The students, faculty and other administrators are in a state of grief on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, after the tragic fire. St. Louis County Police Department Bureau of Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating the fatal house fire that not only took the lives of the five individuals but three dogs. Elly and Ivy Preussner were 9-year-old twins who died in the fire and Jackson Spader, 5, and Miller Spader, 2, were the other two children who perished. Sgt. Tracy Panus, the St. Louis County Police spokesperson, had this statement Monday: "We don't really know

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EDWARDSVILLE - Play It Again Sports in Edwardsville invites athletes to come by for the gear you need to be successful in every sport. Located at 4 Club Centre Court, the store has new and used sports equipment for all sports. They also buy used equipment, a service that many growing athletes benefit from. You can trade in your gloves, cleats and other equipment and replace it that day at Play It Again Sports. The store will pay cash for quality used equipment, and they have all the latest styles and supplies for every sport. “No matter the season, Play It Again Sports in Edwardsville has the gear that athletes need to get in the game,” the store said. “We are your hometown sporting goods store!” As spring approaches and rec leagues begin, athletes of all ages need new equipment to start the season off right. Play It Again Sports will fit you for the gear you need to make sure you’re ready to go for your first game. Not an athlete? No worries.

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LITCHFIELD – Illinois Lottery player Lisa Tyrrell is on cloud nine. The Illinois native has always been optimistic and considers herself a dreamer. Now her dreams can become a reality, because she just won $250,000 on a scratch-off lottery ticket. “I scratched off the ticket and it showed I won $250,000. I said ‘No way, this can’t be real,’” chuckled Tyrrell. “Sure enough, I scanned it not once, not twice, but three times, and it was real after all!” The top-prize-winning $250,000 Crossword scratch-off ticket was purchased at Jumpin’ Jimmy’s, located at 517 East Union Ave. in Litchfield, IL, a small town located 40 miles south of Springfield and 60 miles northwest of St. Louis. The owner of the store recalls selling the winning ticket. “I actually sold Lisa the ticket the other day,” explained Chandresh Patel, owner of Jumpin’ Jimmy’s in Litchfield. “When I found out she won the top prize,

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FERGUSON, MO. - A beloved Lewis and Clark Community College Head of the Early Child Development and Education programs - Bernadine “Birdie” Pruessner - has been identified as one of the victims in the tragic fire in Ferguson, MO., early Monday morning, Feb. 19, 2024, with her twins, 9, a 6-year-old and 2-year-old. The fire occurred in the 500 block of North Clay Avenue in Ferguson, MO. The emergency report about the Ferguson fire came in at 4:30 a.m. to authorities on Monday. Lewis and Clark Community College President Dr. Ken Trzaska provided the following statement about the death of the 38-year-old Bernadine and her family: "Birdie was a dear colleague and friend to all. She cared so deeply about her students and about helping others. She brought an energy and illuminated such a bright light of positivity and kindness to our campus community. “We consider ourselves family at LC and we are all devastated and numbed by this tragedy. We will always carry Birdie's

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CARROLLTON - Criminal charges filed in Greene County over the past few weeks include aggravated battery, mob action, home invasion, and many more, according to the latest Jail Booking Report from the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. Ian M. Cummins, 20, of Carrollton, faces seven total charges, including two counts of assault, two counts of disorderly conduct, and one count each of aggravated battery, resisting a peace officer, and speeding 35 miles per hour over the posted speed limit. All of these charges were issued by the Greene County Sheriff’s Department on Feb. 6, 2024, and Cummins was released with a notice to appear in court. Corey M. Hardwick, 32, and Sandra M. Hardwick, 50, both of Roodhouse, were each charged with one count of Mob Action on Feb. 2, 2024. They were arrested by the Roodhouse Police Department and were both released with notices to appear in court. Hardwick had previously been charged on Jan. 15, 2024 with one count of retail theft by the

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CARROLLTON - Several individuals have been charged with DUIs and drug-related offenses in recent weeks across Greene County, according to the latest Jail Booking Report from the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. Kaleb S. Sprong, 33, of White Hall, faces three total charges: driving under the influence, leaving the scene/failure to report an accident, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle. He was arrested by the White Hall Police Department on Feb. 11, 2024 and has since been released with a notice to appear in court. Cody A. Crabtree, 22, of Jerseyville, was charged with adult use of cannabis in a motor vehicle as well as possession of a controlled substance. The White Hall Police Department arrested Crabtree on Feb. 9, 2024, and he was released with a notice to appear in court. Robert L. Sprague, 50, and Sherri K. Sprague, 53, both of Roodhouse, were both charged with meth delivery, possession of methamphetamine, and mob action. Both were arrested by the Roodhouse

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Rotary Club has chosen to honor Edwardsville High School student Joshua Anoke with the Student of the Month Award for the month of February. Joshua Anoke was nominated by PE/Health teacher, Mr. Sean Saylor, of Edwardsville High School. Joshua is the son of Joseph and Juliet Anoke. He is currently in the Air National Guard – Student Flight, in addition to EHS Track and Field. Additionally, he participated in the Science Olympiad in 2022 and currently participates in the Tiger Talk Podcast Network and War Games Club Joshua’s previous achievements include being awarded the 2023 SWIL Relay Athlete of the Meet, achieving DELL Tech Crew certification, and achieving 4 th place at the Science Olympiad Regionals. In his free time, Joshua enjoys gaming, worldbuilding, reading, biking, recreational games, and debate. In the future, Joshua will attend Illinois State University and earn a degree in Computer Science with plans to continue in the Air

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Over a hundred years after its destruction, the mention of the Lusitania still evokes a shudder. With a loss of 1,201 lives, it remains among the world’s deadliest – and most influential — shipwrecks. The loss of the British Cunard liner, and the 128 American deaths on board, on May 7, 1915, helped steer the United States into World War I against Germany. There was a central Illinois connection to the tragedy, one that is mostly forgotten today. Two youngsters from Gillespie, six-year-old James McKechan and his ten-month-old brother Campbell, lost their lives from the sinking of the Lusitania, joining several dozen other children who were killed on the ship. James went down with the liner and was never found. Campbell survived the initial disaster, only to die four months later from lingering effects of the horrific experience. The boys were part of the family of Robert and Elizabeth McKechan, who were Scottish immigrants living in the Gillespie area. They were

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MILLSTADT - State Representative Kevin Schmidt honored local gymnastics sensation Colleen Costello last Friday with a special sign from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). The presentation took place at St. James Catholic Grade School, where Colleen and her mother work. The sign will be proudly displayed at two entrances to Millstadt throughout the next calendar year. Colleen Costello made Millstadt proud by winning an incredible four gold medals and one silver at the Special Olympics World Games in Germany. She excelled in categories such as all-around, clubs, hoop, ribbon, and rope, showcasing her outstanding skills and dedication to the sport. After 26 years of hard work, she achieved something truly amazing. Rep Schmidt expressed his admiration for Colleen, saying, "Colleen's achievements are a source of pride for our community. Her dedication and resilience are an inspiration to us all." Colleen, who was a last-minute addition to the Special Olympics team in

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