Riverbender 🕸

SPRINGFIELD – As the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) approaches the halfway point in resuming customer Medicaid redeterminations following the end of the pandemic-era continuous Medicaid coverage requirement, Illinois has the highest renewal rate among states, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Medicaid Enrollment and Unwinding Tracker . The tracker relies on renewal data that the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) collects from states. Following the end of the continuous coverage requirement earlier this year, states resumed Medicaid renewals, or redeterminations, which are regular customer eligibility verifications. According to the data tracker, at this stage of the unwinding process, Illinois and Maine have the highest renewal rates among all states, at 90%. HFS credits robust preparations and ongoing process improvements to being able to preserve health care coverage for Medicaid-eligible individuals across the state.

Continue Reading

ALTON - The National Great Rivers Museum (NGRM), in partnership with Meeting of the Rivers Foundation (MTRF), is extending the deadline for entries for their third annual “Winter on the River” Photography Contest. “We’re still getting a lot of questions from the public regarding the contest, so we’ve decided to extend the deadline through January 2 nd ,” said Elise Ratcliff, Natural Resources Specialist and Photography Contest Coordinator. “That will give everyone through the holidays to get their submissions together.” The exhibit, featuring community photography, is still planned to open on January 6 th , in conjunction with the region’s Eagle Ice Festival. As part of the Festival, the NGRM will have eagle spotting scopes, eagle crafts, eagle films, and eagle-watching tours on top of Melvin Price Locks and Dam every 30 minutes between 10am – 2pm. “This free event is a great way to kick off Eagle Season, with several

Continue Reading

GODFREY - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Upper Mississippi River Restoration (UMRR) Program continues to make progress on the Piasa and Eagles Nest Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Project, which has been taking place 8 miles upstream of Alton, IL since 2021. The focus of this project is to deepen both side channel and backwater habitats as well as create three new islands, all of which will benefit a multitude of fish and wildlife species. The project will also enhance boating access from Piasa Creek to the Mississippi River. Currently, construction has been put on a fall work stoppage due to waterfowl hunting season, but work is scheduled to resume on December 27 th . Once resumed, the work will focus on dredging the side channel between IL Rt. 100 and Piasa Island. The dredged material is being used to fill rock rings to create the three new island habitats. Completed construction of this project is scheduled to conclude in 2025. During construction, the river will

Continue Reading

GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College’s Video Game Club is the largest club on campus, with over 200 members. The club meets weekly to celebrate the love of video games and the community. The club’s mission is to bring students together as a family and provide them with an outlet to share their interests in video games, board games and more. The club meets at 5 p.m. on Tuesdays in the Commons Café, Math & Science Complex, on the college’s Godfrey Campus. L&C Recruiter and Club Advisor Daniel Nosce says the Video Game Club believes in welcoming students, no matter their background. “Diversity, equity, inclusion and academic excellence are the club’s focus points,” Nosce said. “The club is a safe and comfortable place where students can have fun without judgment, bullying, or peer pressure.” The Video Game Club prides itself on being a resource for students, a family to lean on when times get tough, and an example o

Continue Reading

GLEN CARBON - After tabling the item at their last meeting, the Glen Carbon Village Board voted earlier this week to exempt village employees from the Illinois Paid Leave For All Workers Act, which takes effect on Jan. 1, 2024. Trustees unanimously voted to pass an ordinance clarifying the village already has a paid leave policy in place for its employees. Employment Attorney Tom Berry said there is also new language adding paid leave for part-time village employees. “The first item is to amend the handbook so that all employees moving forward will have some form of paid personal leave,” Berry said at the meeting. “We can then exercise our right to exempt .” New amendments were made to the Village Personnel Handbook regarding personal days. Since the Illinois Paid Leave For All Workers Act requires that all workers, including part-time, receive paid leave, the amendment provides part-time village employees with eight hours of leave per year. Glen

Continue Reading

ALTON - Sierra Club Illinois is celebrating the success of its Wednesday Invasive Species Management Training and Work Day, thanks in large part to our partnership with the Village of Godfrey Parks and Recreation Department and the hard work of local municipal leaders and community volunteers. The workshop, made possible through an Illinois Forestry Development Commission grant, attracted 25 participants from across the Riverbend and as far as Maroa, Illinois, to learn how to identify and remove invasive species. “Sierra Club appreciates the efforts of the Village of Godfrey and Parks and Recreation Director Chris Logan in securing the Illinois Forestry Development Commission grant that made this workshop possible,” said Three Rivers Project co-Coordinator Virginia Woulfe-Beile. “The workshop gave our community the opportunity to learn and feel empowered to take action in their backyards to remove invasive species. We’re grateful for the efforts of local

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) spoke at the opening ceremony of the U.S.-ASEAN Center, an initiative dedicated to building deeper habits of cooperation between the full range of U.S. departments and agencies and the countries that make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In her remarks, Duckworth emphasized that shoring up this partnership involves more than just providing security support—it also means working together to take on the other unique challenges of the 21 st century that don’t recognize national borders, including climate change, artificial intelligence, international economic instability and global health crises. “For more than half a century now, the United States and ASEAN have learned from and leaned on each other—helping one another adapt to an era in which technology allows allies half a world away to be there for each other in half an instant,” Duckworth said. “Now, in

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD - Secretary of State and State Librarian Alexi Giannoulias is awarding more than $1.4 million to qualifying public school districts to the benefit of 2,713 school libraries throughout Illinois. The grants, awarded once every fiscal year, will support school library services for 1.2 million students enrolled in kindergarten through 12 th grade. Resources and services provided through the grant include library books, e-books, audiobooks, periodicals, multilingual materials, technology and programs. “It’s imperative that all Illinois students have access to necessary resources including reading materials and learning services at our public school libraries,” Giannoulias said. “School libraries serve as places of learning and discovery. These funds will ensure that our libraries are well-equipped to educate and inspire our future generations.” Based on a statutory formula, school districts receive $0.885 per student for their enrollment at eac

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL) today led 61 of his colleagues in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack expressing their disappointment in the recent dispute settlement ruling on Canada’s dairy tariff rate quota (TRQ) allocation measures under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The ruling raises significant questions regarding fair market access for American dairy producers and processors involved in the Canadian food and agriculture sector. “I am deeply disappointed with the recent USMCA ruling on Canada’s dairy trade measures,” said Bost. “This will make it harder for our dairy products to enter the Canadian market and poses a significant threat to Illinois' economy, as the third-largest U.S. dairy exporter to Canada. I am proud to lead this charge in urging the Biden Administration to take action and hold Canada accountable to protect our billion-dollar industry.

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg urging him to consider the Chicago Hub Improvement Project (CHIP) for additional grant opportunities to support the project’s mission to modernize Chicago Union Station (CUS). Durbin began his letter by acknowledging the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) recent announcement that Amtrak and its partners will receive $93 million for CHIP. These funds will support platform and ventilation upgrades as well as the reactivation of the Station’s old mail platform into tracks for passenger use. However, Durbin called on Secretary Buttigieg to allocate additional funding for the remaining aspects of CHIP that can improve travel times and intercity connections. “While this grant is a significant and long-overdue first step in funding CHIP by modernizing the physical station, I would like to express my disappointment that DOT chose no

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today applauded the passage of their bipartisan National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act, which reauthorizes relief for an additional four years for qualifying members of the National Guard and Reserves experiencing financial hardship. The legislation will protect a long-standing bipartisan carveout from means-testing restrictions in Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases. The legislation passed the House of Representatives earlier this week, and today, the legislation was passed in the Senate. The bill will now head to the President’s desk for his signature. “Declaring bankruptcy is a difficult choice for any American, and that option should be assessed using an accurate depiction of a person’s income and financial standing. Our National Guard members and reservists

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years and is a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), secured several important provisions to support our state in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that passed Congress this week. Some of the Illinois priorities Duckworth secured include supporting school districts near military bases by helping alleviate state and local tax base funding shortfalls and charting a sustainable future for C-40 aircraft—which are flown by the 932nd Airlift Wing at Scott Air Force Base. “The brave men and women in uniform who serve our nation at home and abroad deserve to know that our country fully supports them as they and their families sacrifice to defend our country and our Constitution,” Duckworth said. “While I do not support every provision in this bipartisan compromise, I’m proud of the many

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pressed for further investigation into systemic failures at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to ensure proper oversight of its medical care contractor, Loyal Source. Durbin is continuing his investigation in a series of three letters to CBP, Loyal Source, and the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The letters follow a report by a CBP employee whistleblower alleging years of deficient medical care at CBP facilities and CBP’s failure to ensure proper oversight, as well as the death of Anadith Danay Reyes Álvarez, an 8-year-old girl with sickle cell and congenital heart disease who died in CBP custody in Harlingen, Texas. In his request to CBP, Durbin requests answers to reported systemic issues with the agency’s oversight of medical services provided to migrants in custody. He writes: “As you know, Anadith Danay Reyes Álvarez, an

Continue Reading

CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today led a coalition of 19 attorneys general filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10 th Circuit supporting the state of Colorado’s prohibition on the sale of guns to individuals under the age of 21. “Under our nation’s Constitution, individual states have the ability to enact restrictions that protect the public from gun violence,” Raoul said. “Colorado’s prohibition on the sale of guns to individuals under the age of 21 is a commonsense restriction that enhances public safety by seeking to ensure responsible gun ownership.” Raoul and the coalition explain the Second Amendment allows governments to enact sensible and varied regulations to protect the public, including age-based restrictions on the purchase, possession or use of firearms. Although regulations vary based on each state’s needs, virtually every state has imposed some form of age-based regulations on firearms,

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Tina Smith (D-MN), today led ten of their colleagues in sending a letter to the Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Shalanda Young, urging the agency leaders to include strong funding for the Open Textbooks Pilot (Pilot) in the Biden Administration’s Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) budget request. The Pilot, based on Durbin’s Affordable College Textbook Act , is a competitive grant program to support the creation and expansion of open college textbooks – textbooks that are freely available under an open license, allowing professors, students, researchers, and others to freely access the materials. The grant program aims to significantly reduce the cost of higher education for students. The Senators began their letter by emphasizing the importance of open textbooks and how they lower financial barriers

Continue Reading

Standing on the side of the road, cars speeding by with drivers craning their necks to get a good look at the writing on the back of my jacket — “Chain Gang” — I pick up another liquor bottle and drop it into the day’s third bag of trash. Rusty Wheat is beside me, telling me about letters to the Madison County Board that he wrote most recently. Rusty is a one-man “chain gang” who picks up trash along Illinois Route 143 and Kendall Hill every week. When he emailed me asking if I wanted to join him one day, I was game. You can only complain so much before you decide to do something about the issues that upset you. How many times had I tutted at the amount of trash along the side of the road? Rusty knows firsthand how good it feels to actually act, and he was offering me a chance to join him. Of course, I said yes. We start at the top of Kendall Hill. A sign that Rusty had hand-painted was already placed on the side of the road, warning

Continue Reading

GODFREY - Ah…great food and warm, friendly atmosphere. That’s the Round Table Restaurant, where they make you feel like family. Feeling hungry? Then you need to head to the Round Table Restaurant. The Veseli family will welcome you, your family and your friends with open arms. The Round Table serves up American fare in a family-oriented setting. Be it a fish dinner, a plate of fried chicken, or a big platter of bacon and eggs with pancakes on the side, the hungry person will not be disappointed. Plus, all is served up by members of a friendly staff. Mr. and Mrs. Ali Veseli started the Round Table Restaurant in 2003 in Cottage Hills. In 2010, they opened in Godfrey, where they enjoy success today. The Veseli family takes pride in the fact that, each day, they serve up daily specials that provide a delicious dining experience. The home-cooked meals are a departure from so many fast food options that are so common. Take the home-cooked entrée and couple

Continue Reading

GRANITE CITY - The United Steel Workers Local 1899 has issued an update about the union’s dispute against U.S. Steel about inadequate notice being given for layoffs at the Granite City Works steel plant. Local 1899 leader Dan Simmons issued a notice on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023, to union members and said the issue about the WARN Act notice would be settled by U.S. Steel. Simmons says U.S. Steel will not admit wrongdoing but will make all employees covered under the definition of the WARN Act “whole," which is great for those affected by the situation He also thanked government leaders on all levels - local, state, and national for drawing the public’s attention to their situation. Simmons appeared hopeful someone else may eventually own and operate the Granite City part of U.S. Steel, which could be a large positive for the area.

Continue Reading

SOUTH ROXANA - Over two years in the making, CS Outdoor Storage is officially open for business. Located at 206 Washington Street in South Roxana just a few blocks away from I-255, CS Outdoor Storage welcomes community members from all over the Riverbend region. With 24/7 access, secured gates and a convenient, centralized location, owner Pete Lanto believes CS Outdoor Storage is the best spot for anyone who needs space. “It’s an RV storage for campers, boats, RVs, any kind of recreational vehicle,” Lanto explained. “I have room for about 140 spaces. The area is all rock and it’s fenced with barbed wire across the top of the fencing. It’s got an automated gate for PIN verification. You put your PIN in and it opens up for you, so I can see who’s coming and who’s going.” To promote his new business, Lanto is currently offering one month of free storage with a three-month purchase . The month-to-month agreements are convenient

Continue Reading

WOOD RIVER - East Alton-Wood River's Tim Melton is not only a bowling star for the Oilers but has earned the prestigious Eagle Scout rank, which is very difficult to achieve. He is also the top-ranked student in his graduating class and will likely be co-valedictorian. Melton is a Midwest Members Credit Union Male Athlete of the Month for the Oilers. Melton thanked Paul Nichols for always being there for him and coach Garry Herron. "I have worked hard in the off-season to achieve an average above 200 pins," he said. "I have been a bowler for five years and I enjoy the fact that anyone can play." The Oilers' student-athlete said the perseverance that he has learned to be successful in sports has spread into every part of my life, including work and school. He plans to attend the University of Illinois after high school and study electrical engineering. Melton said he also plays golf for the Oilers, where he advanced to sectionals two years in a row, and baseball, where he is a first

Continue Reading