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ST. LOUIS - February is National Children’s Dental Health Month — a time to recognize the importance of prioritizing oral health at an early age. St. Louis District Dairy Council annually celebrates this month with school nurses and dental health professionals by providing resources that highlight the beneficial role of calcium-rich dairy foods in oral health. This February, the organization is distributing 500 dental health posters and 4,000 toothbrushes to school nurses in eastern Missouri and southern and central Illinois. Cheese takes the spotlight when it comes to oral health. This dairy food is a great source of calcium and phosphorus, both of which strengthen teeth. The protein in cheese builds up the enamel in teeth, helping prevent cavities. Cheese is also a great way to finish a meal or snack. The act of chewing cheese stimulates saliva production, which helps clean teeth. Because the main ingredient of cheese is milk, cheese is packed full of the same nutrients

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ALTON - Senior Services Plus is hosting a “Speed Connections” speed-dating event for seniors on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024 from 2 to 4 p.m. in the School House Grill located at 2603 North Rodgers Ave. in Alton. Emily Jackson and Sydney Peckham with SSP shared more details about the program on an episode of Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com . According to Peckham, this event came about due to popular demand. “It was actually a request from the people,” Peckham said. ”They wanted to see speed-dating and we were like, ‘Game on, let’s do it,’ so we put it together. There was not really anything like it around near us, so we’re hoping it’s a big hit.” Speed Connections is geared towards adults 55 and older who are seeking romantic companionship or friendship. To avoid any guessing games or mixed signals, nametags will be given to participants which indicate whether they’re looking for friendship or romantic

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JERSEYVILLE - The Jerseyville Public Library recently announced the return of “Library Lovers Month” this February, featuring a variety of events and programming for all ages - with or without a library card. If you do have a library card, be sure to stop by the library and check out any materials on Library Lovers Day (aka Valentine’s Day) on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, to receive a wrapped chocolate heart candy (or jelly heart if you don’t prefer chocolate). The LEGO Club for children in kindergarten through seventh grade will be held on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, at 10 a.m. LEGOs are provided by the Library and participants provide the imagination. Masterpieces created during this event will be on display at the library all month long. Programming that would not otherwise be affordable by the Library is made available through Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering high-quality events. This month, there

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ALTON – The Elephant’s Graveyard production concludes the Actor’s Studio Series at Alton Little Theater this weekend – Jan. 26, 27 and 28. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, then continue at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, and conclude with a matinee at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024. The Elephant’s Graveyard was originally by George Brant and is set in the small town of Erwin, Tenn., during September of 1916. It tells the true tale of a tragic collision between a struggling circus and the townspeople, resulting in the only known lynching of an elephant. The play combines historical facts and legend, exploring the deep-seated American craving for spectacle, violence and revenge. Lee Cox, executive director of ALT, said she loves the Studio Series and seeing the acting talent throughout the area. Fans should love the cast of The Elephant’s Graveyard, she said. One of the cast members is Riverbender.com’s own O

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ALTON - The Illinois Department of Transportation and multiple city street crews are advising the public that maintenance crews are out in force at this point patrolling and repairing potholes on state highways and interstates across the state, requiring drivers to slow down, use caution and move over for workers. Non-emergency patching operations usually take place during nonpeak travel periods and often require temporary lane closures. Recent heavy snow, rains and freezing temperatures have caused an increase in potholes throughout the state. Potholes typically are caused by water getting into or underneath the pavement. During freeze and thaw periods, the moisture causes the asphalt or concrete to shift, buckle or break. When vehicles drive over these weakened areas, they leave those dreaded potholes. Alton Public Works Director Mike Parsons said his group has made the potholes around Alton a main priority at this point. The recent "freezing effect" and now the mild temperatures

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The region had an enormous amount of students who were honored with Dean's Honor List selections for the Fall 2023 Semester at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Congratulations to all the students and their families for such an admirable accomplishment. The full area list is below: ALTON Tiana LeeAnn Cobb, senior Arts & Sciences Alyssa Nicole Eagleton, sophomore Arts & Sciences Samantha Grace Hentrich, freshman, Agr-Food and Nat. Resources Kareena M. Hunter, freshman Nursing Ellie Marie Jacobs, senior Health Sciences Anna Elizabeth Kane, junior, Business Mackenzie Mottaz Leonard, junior Arts & Science Payton Elizabeth Only, freshman, Business Gabrielle Kathleen Peuterbaugh, sophomore, Health Sciences Jaden Level Smith, sophomore Arts & Sciences Payton E. Zigrang, senior Arts & Sciences Josephine Louise Zigrang, senior Health Sciences. BETHALTO Nathaniel Bradford Butler, junior Health Sciences Isabella Sydney Kallal, freshman Health Sciences CARLINVILLE

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GLEN CARBON - It’s been almost 30 years, but St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Glen Carbon is finally getting an elevator. Located at 155 N. Main Street in Glen Carbon, the church has a main level and a basement where there is a hall and kitchen area. Congregation members say the steps to the basement are “dangerous,” so the elevator will provide a safe way for people to move from floor to floor. “Right now, there are stairs that are not comfortable. So that’s the idea,” said congregation member Steve Skasick. “They’ve been working on fundraising for 20, 30 years. It started off really small and then it really got a big push.” Most of the funds came from a fundraiser for Divine Mercy, a senior living facility coordinated by the Diocese of Springfield. When the project ultimately fell through in 2020, those who had donated suggested that the money be spent on building an elevator at St. Cecilia instead. Father Patrick Gibbon

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EDWARDSVILLE - Two individuals have been charged with offenses related to stolen vehicles in Madison County in separate cases detailed in Madison County felony court filings. DJ W. Marshall, 24, of Wood River, was charged with “offenses relating to motor vehicles” and aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer on Dec. 6, 2023. Court documents allege that Marshall knowingly possessed a stolen 2013 Chevrolet Malibu and sped at least 21 miles per hour over the legal limit while failing to obey visual or audible signals given to him by a Madison County Sheriff's Deputy to stop the vehicle. Marshall’s case was presented by the Metro East Auto Theft division of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. In total, he faces a Class 2 felony for offenses relating to motor vehicles and a Class 4 felony for fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer. He was released upon his signature of a Conditions of Pretrial Release Order. Robert E. Everage,

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VENICE - A woman from Venice has been charged with aggravated driving under the influence, aggravated use of an electronic communication device, and more following an accident which caused great bodily injury to a motorcycle rider last August. Wilyandra B. Moore, 26, of Venice, was charged with two counts of aggravated driving while under the influence as well as aggravated use of an electronic communication device and operating an uninsured motor vehicle causing bodily harm. Court documents released last week in Madison County indicate these offenses were committed on Aug. 10, 2023. A petition to deny Moore’s pretrial release describes the incident in which Moore allegedly caused a traffic accident resulting in bodily injury. A blood sample she provided police showed evidence of cannabis consumption, and Moore was reportedly using her cell phone and driving without valid insurance during the accident. “Defendant was driving and was identified as the at-fault drive

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EAST ALTON - C-Rations Grub Hub Food Truck officially has a permanent home in Eastgate Plaza in East Alton. The business will begin selling food at Slurped Daiquiri, located at 99 Eastgate Plaza, starting on Feb. 4, 2024. “We’re so excited,” said C-Rations owner Christine Harvey. “We’re going forward with the Lord. And at this point, He didn’t bring us this far to just drop us off.” C-Rations Grub Hub sells a “MexiCreoleSoul” menu, with everything from deep-fried burritos to brisket mac n cheese to jambalaya. The business will continue to operate as a food truck, but they will also have their permanent space in Slurped Daiquiri. Christine and her husband, Hoover, note that a brick-and-mortar location had been “a long time coming.” They had been looking for a spot where they could continue to operate the food truck during winter months, and a coincidental conversation led them to Slurped Daiquiri. The two businesse

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FULTON, Mo. - Kaleb Hinkle-Pruett from East Alton, Illinois, was named to the Fall 2023 Dean's List for exemplary academic performance at Westminster College. Hinkle-Pruett is a Junior at Westminster. The Dean's List recognizes Westminster students who have shown high academic performance during the past semester. To be included on the Dean's List, a student must achieve a 3.60 semester grade point average with at least 12 hours completed that semester. The list of 262 students includes 57 freshmen, 49 sophomores, 72 juniors, and 84 seniors. President and Chief Transformation Officer Donald P. Lofe, Jr., explained these students represent a long-standing tradition of academic excellence at Westminster. "On behalf of the entire Westminster College community, I would like to congratulate each one of the individuals who made the 2023 Fall Dean's List, which is not an easy accomplishment," Lofe said. "These students are now celebrated among those who have made an intellectual impact

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WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator and pilot Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Chair of the CST Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation—met with Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun to discuss this month’s horrific Alaska Airlines incident that resulted in a door plug flying off one of their 737 MAX 9 aircraft midflight. The meeting comes after Duckworth sent a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) urging the agency to reject Boeing’s reckless petition requesting an exemption from safety certification standards to prematurely allow its 737 MAX 7 aircraft to enter commercial use before fixing a known safety flaw that could have catastrophic consequences on passenger safety. In their meeting, Duckworth pushed Boeing to prioritize fixing this flaw that is a single point of failure subject to human error instead of effectively putting profit over the safety

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Bost announced today that the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, the central repository for personnel records for the military and government civilian employees, has eliminated a backlog of record requests that left veterans waiting over a year-and-a-half for the documentation they needed to obtain benefits, medals, and other services. “America’s veterans served their nation proudly, and they shouldn’t get bogged down in bottlenecks and backlogs to get the benefits they deserve,” said Bost. “That’s why I led a coalition of over 100 House members in asking for answers on when these delays would be resolved. I couldn’t be happier to hear that the backlog has been cleared and our veterans can get back to receiving their records in a timely manner.” Following COVID, the backlog in veterans’ record requests swelled to 600,000. Bost originally appealed for answers on the delays in

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Gori Law firm announced today its recipients of the 2024 Super Lawyers distinction. This year, seven attorneys were recognized, including Owner and Principal Partner Beth Gori-Gregory, Managing Partner Sara Salger, Partners Jason Steinmeyer, Chris Layloff, David Aubry, and Bob Marcus, and attorney Samira Bode. Super Lawyers published the annual list on January 25, 2024. Each year, Super Lawyers recognizes outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas for their high level of peer recognition and professional advancements. Only five percent of attorneys in Illinois have the honor of being named Super Lawyers. Over the years, several attorneys from The Gori Law Firm have received Super Lawyer distinctions, and the list continues to grow as the years go on. Attorneys have also received consecutive recognition. Salger, in particular, has been named a Super Lawyer for eight years. “We’re extremely proud to see several of our attorneys awarded this

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today met with NCAA President Charlie Baker to discuss proposals to modernize Division I (D-I) athletics in the age of name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights for college athletes. These proposals, including provisions to allow schools to enter into NIL contracts directly with college athletes and the ability to offer direct financial compensation, would require additional accountability as any school entering a contract must abide by Title IX. “College sports is a big business that generates even bigger profits, yet little of this money makes its way to the athletes who made these record-breaking profits possible. Further, despite being used in a plethora of promotional campaigns by universities, college athletes are prohibited from being compensated for the use of their name, image, and likeness,” said Durbin. “As I discussed with NCAA President Charlie Baker

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EDWARDSVILLE - Reckless discharge of a firearm, unlawful possession of weapons by felons, burglary, and more charges have been filed in Madison County since December, according to Madison County court documents. Benjamin D. Gross, 25, of Alton, was charged with reckless discharge of a firearm and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office on Dec. 11, 2023. According to court documents, Gross was illegally carrying a black 9mm semi-automatic handgun after previously being convicted of burglary. Court documents state Gross “discharged a firearm in a reckless manner” in a residential area, “which endangered the bodily safety of an individual.” He was charged with a Class 4 felony for reckless discharge of a weapon and a Class 3 felony for unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon. He was released upon his signature of a Conditions of Pretrial Release Order. Ronald D. Adams, 40, of East St. Louis, was charged

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BELLEVILLE – Illinois American Water filed a rate request today with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) reflecting $557 million in water and wastewater system investments to be made through 2025 to continue providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable service. The request reinforces the company’s commitment to investing in its water and wastewater systems to replace aging infrastructure, provide reliable service, enhance water quality and comply with environmental regulations. “We carefully plan and invest in the infrastructure of our water and wastewater systems to provide safe, clean, and reliable service to nearly 1.3 million Illinoisians in more than 140 communities across the state,” said Rebecca Losli, president of Illinois American Water. “By making prudent, ongoing investments, Illinois American Water is committed to protecting public health and safety in the communities we serve. At the same time, we remain committed to addressing the needs

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EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville Township will be moving back to its permanent office located at 300 West Park Street starting Friday, January 26, 2024. With a soft opening back at 300 West Park on Monday, January 29, 2024. If you need immediate help in the next few days from the Township or Assessor, please call 618-656-0292 before coming to the office. “We are excited to move back into our renovated offices,” said Supervisor Kevin Hall. “We thank Millennium Construction and Henderson Associates for all their hard work on the Township Hall.” Edwardsville Township is comprised of the City of Edwardsville, Village of Glen Carbon and unincorporated areas just outside of these two municipalities. The Township Supervisor’s office is located at 300 West Park in Edwardsville and is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday through Friday and can be reached at 618-656-0292.

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ALTON - The 7th Happy Trails Music & Arts Festival Winter Jam is scheduled for this weekend, and the lineup includes several local and St. Louis bands over two days. On Friday, Jan. 26 and Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, attendees can enjoy eight bands and nearly 20 arts and crafts vendors at Jacoby Arts Center in Alton. Aaron Kamm & The One Drops, Colt Ball & Friends and more will play throughout the two days. “I’m just trying to throw a fun party for my friends and the community,” said organizer Marshall Ingrassia. “It started just to basically throw a party, bring some music in. In the wintertime, there’s not a lot going on. I like going to summer music festivals and I’m trying to bring that vibe to Alton in the wintertime to give everybody something to do.” Doors open at 5 p.m. on Friday and bands begin playing at 6:05 p.m., starting with Sandwich Bros. Band, Darry Garcia’s Lonesome Blues, and Joshua Grassle & Friends and ending with

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JERSEYVILLE - The Jerseyville Police Department recently announced they’re seeking assistance from the public with identifying the subject of an ongoing investigation. The department made the announcement Thursday afternoon on their Facebook page , attaching two pictures of the female subject they aim to identify. “The Jerseyville Police Department is seeking information and attempting to identify this female subject in regards to an ongoing police investigation,” the department announced. Both photos appear to be taken about an hour apart from ATM surveillance camera footage. Further details about the ongoing investigation were not yet made publicly available. Those able to identify the individual are asked to contact the Jerseyville Police Department at 618-498-2131 and speak with Deputy Chief Scott Woelfel.

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