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GODFREY - From Monday to Sunday, there’s always something special happening at Tony’s Ranch House in Godfrey, with daily specials and reasonable prices - an increasingly rarer find in the local restaurant scene. For their dedication to serving the community that has long supported them and much more, the Ranch House is basking in the spotlight of the North Alton-Godfrey Business Council (NAGBC). Mary Mathews with Tony’s Ranch House appeared on Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com to discuss the restaurant and the many benefits of joining the NAGBC. Mathews said she’s been a member of the council for four or five years, and described it as a “great community” dedicated to supporting local businesses. “It just a great community, a great group of people to work with - everybody trying to support everybody in a small town,” Mathews said. “Everybody’s just so friendly and happy to be there.” She also emphasized

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BELLEVILLE - Caritas Family Solutions is proud to announce it has raised more than $126,000 during its 24-hour fundraising matching campaign in honor of the organization’s 77th anniversary. The matching campaign took place on Caritas Day on July 31, a day that recognizes the founding of the nonprofit human services agency. The day is also dedicated to raising awareness about the lives Caritas’ touches through its programs and services. The nonprofit’s sponsors, Contegra Cares, BAM Marketing Agency, TWM Engineering & Geospatial Services, Jen and Steve Melichar, Praise Community Fellowship, Edward Jones, Vitale-Leffler Family, First Mid Bank & Trust, Let’s Build Hope, Gary & Christine Huelsmann, Ann Effinger-Meuleman and Friends of Caritas matched $3 to every $1 donated. The 24-hour campaign started at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31 and went through Thursday, August 1 at 2 p.m. “We are so proud of the support from our generous donors and sponsors and for

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ALTON - After some discussion and a few changes, the Alton Committee of the Whole on Monday approved an updated and expanded version of the decorative holiday lighting schedule for the Clark Bridge. The new bridge lighting schedule, which now faces City Council approval, is as follows: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday (Jan. 15): Red/white/blue President’s Day (third Monday of February): Red/white/blue Memorial Day Weekend (following last Monday of May): Red/white/blue Flag Day (June 14): Red/white/blue Juneteenth (June 19): Yellow/green/red July 4: Red/white/blue Labor Day (first Monday of September): Red/white/blue Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day (second Monday in October): Red/white/blue Veteran's Day (Nov. 11): Red/white/blue Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November): Orange/yellow/green Christmas Day (Dec. 25): Red/green Alton High School Graduation: Red Alton High School Homecoming: Red Marquette High School

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ALTON - The Upper Alton Association will host its Rockin with Robert Concert from 7 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, at the Robert Wadlow statue, 2810 College Ave., Alton. The concert will feature the band Porch Cafe, which was originally scheduled to perform in June but was postponed due to inclement weather. “We tried something different this year and held concerts every Tuesday in June. We have had such a great turnout we decided to do an extra concert,” said Debbie Frakes, President of the Upper Alton Association. The final concert of the season is scheduled for Aug. 27, 2024, and will feature the Jared Hennings Band. The concert will also run from 7 to 8 p.m. The Upper Alton Association expressed gratitude for the community's support and hopes to see strong attendance at the upcoming events.

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WOOD RIVER — Jayden Ulrich received a hero's welcome on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at the Wood River Recreation Center. The event saw a large turnout of former teammates, friends, and families, all eager to celebrate the hometown Olympian's achievements. Ulrich, who recently turned 21, was visibly elated by the warm reception and expressed her gratitude to the crowd. "When you get a day named after you, that is special," said East Alton-Wood River High School Coach Russ Colona. "She is a well-loved kid and is always smiling and happy. She is a wonderful kid. The best is yet to come." Ulrich qualified for the U.S. team in the women's discus in second place and had a best throw of 61.08 meters in the prelims at the Olympics. She was 12th in Group B at the Olympics. Wood River City Councilman Jeremy Plank noted the impressive turnout. "We were just ecstatic to have it here in Wood River," he said. Rep. Amy Elik also shared her pride in Ulrich's accomplishments. "We are so proud

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ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Language Immersion School (SLLIS), which was recently named the 2024 Best Public Charter Elementary School in Missouri, is celebrating 15 years of providing a very high quality, unique and global educational experience to kids in St. Louis. SLLIS was founded in 2009 as the first and only language immersion school in the St. Louis area providing students with a free bilingual, dual-language education in their choice of one of three language programs - French, Spanish or Chinese. As a charter school, students pre-K through eighth grade living within the City of St. Louis can enroll to attend the school. Vince Schoemehl, a SLLIS Founding Board Member who served as the Mayor of St. Louis from 1981-1993, said he became interested in the idea of starting a language immersion school after his own struggles with trying to learn French in college. “I understood the benefits of learning another language from a business and life perspective but trying to

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ALTON - St. Mary’s Catholic Church has welcomed Alton’s newest parochial vicar to their ranks. Father Jorge Sanchez was recently ordained as a priest in the Catholic Church. He will now serve as the parochial vicar at St. Mary’s, meaning he will be at St. Mary’s until he is reassigned to another parish. Sanchez said he is looking forward to spending time in Alton and sharing his faith with the Riverbend community. “I’m here for as long as God wants me to be here in Alton, here in St. Mary’s,” he explained. “The people of St. Mary’s have been very welcoming and very loving, so I’m here for quite some time.” Sanchez said his priesthood was “a long time coming.” Living in California, he became inspired after connecting with several priests in 2006. The priests were “down-to-earth and so approachable,” and Sanchez realized that he wanted the peace and wisdom that they had. “I saw

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EDWARDSVILLE - Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski and Edwardsville Mayor Art Risavy held a press conference to discuss a $21,241,730 grant that the City of Edwardsville has received from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The grant is part of the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program. The money will fund the Goshen Road and Liberty Trail Multimodal Transportation Improvement Project, which will introduce improvements along Goshen Road and Old Troy Road. Risavy noted that this “incredibly impactful project” goes beyond creating a shared-use path. “We see this project as an opportunity,” Risavy said. “We see it as jobs, so many great jobs for the many companies in a highly skilled workforce in the area…We see it as connectivity, creating new options for recreation, for employment, for shopping and for all the other daily journeys we make during our lifetime. We see this project as environmental

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GRAFTON - Pere Marquette State Park in Grafton has recently been named among the top 10 “Hidden Gem State Parks” in the U.S. A guide published by HomeToGo ranks Pere Marquette at #6 among a list of other “hidden gem” destinations which are as follows: Cheraw State Park - South Carolina Rock Cut State Park - Illinois Caledonia State Park - Pennsylvania Montauk State Park - Missouri Talimena State Park - Oklahoma Pere Marquette State Park - Illinois Black Rock Mountain State Park - Georgia Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park - California Grandfather Mountain State Park - North Carolina Cape Lookout State Park - Oregon Each park listed is considered a “hidden gem” based on low online search volumes for vacation rental stays with a check-in date between Aug. 1, 2024 - July 31, 2025. Despite appearing in less of these searches, each of these locations boasts high scores in categories of popularity, size, trails, wildlife and natural

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SOUTH ROXANA — There is excitement in South Roxana as the long-awaited senior center project finally takes its first steps toward becoming a reality. This project, a symbol of community, wellness, and unity, has transcended multiple administrations and is now moving forward with construction. Mayor TJ Callahan and Village Administrator Bob Coles delve into the process behind this monumental achievement. A Vision Realized "Today, I am proud to announce that we are moving forward with the construction for our senior center," Mayor Callahan began, his enthusiasm evident. " This project is a testament to our shared vision and unwavering perseverance.” Village Administrator Bob Coles has been instrumental in this journey, dedicating years to this cause. His unwavering commitment to the community has been a driving force behind the project. "Bob faced numerous challenges and rejections, yet he never wavered," Mayor Callahan noted. "His innovative approach to overcoming financial

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO. — On Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued charges against Tony Artice, Jr., 37, of the 7300 block of Grand Drive, St. Louis, for leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. Artice is currently held on a $25,000 cash-only bond. The charges stem from an incident that occurred on Aug. 11, 2024. At approximately 5:52 p.m., St. Louis County Police received a call regarding an accident involving a motorcyclist and an SUV that had fled the scene. The motorcyclist, identified as Michael Bartholomew, 41, of the 400 block of Constellation Drive in Arnold, Mo., was transported to Mercy Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. According to the probable cause statement, Artice arrived at a St. Louis County Police Department precinct at approximately 7:30 p.m. on the same day to report his involvement in the accident. He admitted to driving the SUV that struck Bartholomew's motorcycle. Authorities later located

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SPRINGFIELD – Adults aged 60 and older can enter the Illinois State Fair for free on Monday, Aug. 12, and those who visit the Illinois Building will leave with health and wellness resources, freebies, and prizes. “We are excited to welcome nearly 100 state and community partners to the fairgrounds to offer health screenings and information to older adults,” said Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA) Acting Director Mary Killough. “We’ll also be hosting special programming on Senior Day, including bingo and the crowd-pleasing Not So Newlywed Game.” The Illinois Building will open at 9 a.m. for older adults and their family members to visit with local vendors and exhibitors. The building is air conditioned, has restrooms, and offers a limited number of motorized wheelchairs for rent. A schedule of major events and activities is below: 10:30 a.m. – Opening remarks by IDoA Acting Director Mary Killough and other dignitaries 11 a.m. &ndash

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EDWARDSVILLE - One of the Riverbend’s largest farmers markets is well underway in Edwardsville as the Land of Goshen Community Market continues for its 28th year. The market, which features a wide variety of fresh produce, meats, homemade jams and jellies, potted plants, and much more, is open from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. every Saturday until Oct. 19, 2024. Ann Harrington, the market’s manager and executive director, said the market’s diverse selection of items were each crafted locally to the Edwardsville area. “Every year, we welcome farmers, artisans, bakers, folks that make jam and jelly, jewelry,” Harrington said. “Everything is made within 100 miles of downtown Edwardsville. It’s a great place, we love it!” She added that the next market on Aug. 17, 2024 will be relocated to the N.O. Nelson campus of Lewis and Clark Community College, located at 600 Troy Road in Edwardsville, to accommodate the Edwardsville Rotary Criterium

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), U.S. Representatives Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), and 30 lawmakers in sending a letter urging student loan servicer Navient to reform its flawed process to cancel the private student loans of borrowers who attended fraudulent, for-profit colleges. The lawmakers argued that ??under the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Holder Rule and due to Navient’s misconduct, the company is liable for these predatory loans—and the school misconduct discharge application it has set up to relieve them is opaque and insufficient. On April 17, 2024, Durbin joined Warren and seven other Senators in writing to Navient, urging the servicer to cancel private student loans pushed onto borrowers attending fraudulent, for-profit colleges that the servicer is responsible for. In its response, dated May 8, 2024, Navient claimed that it i

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CHICAGO - Today, Governor Pritzker signed SB3514, designating the Calvatia gigantea, commonly known as the “giant puffball,” as the official mushroom of the State of Illinois. Senate Bill 3514 began as an initiative led by elementary school students from Prairie School of DuPage in Wheaton, who embarked on a civic journey to see their chosen mushroom recognized as a state symbol. “Today we celebrate not only a new state symbol, but the hard work and dedication of our state’s young leaders,” said Governor JB Pritzker . “The giant puffball will now stand as a testament to the curiosity and determination of the bright students of Illinois, who have shown us that even the youngest among us can make a difference.” “Thanks to the passionate advocacy of the Prairie School students, Illinois is deepening our connection to the natural world,” said Lt. Governor Julianna Stratton . “Now a cherished state symbol, the giant puffball

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CHICAGO - Governor JB Pritzker today signed into law Senate Bill 3463, an amendment to the Juvenile Court Act, which creates a clear process for implementation of already existing juvenile expungement laws. ? “It is no secret that the procedures of our court system can be difficult to navigate. People deserve to know what resources and rights are available to them,” said Governor JB Pritzker . “By cutting red tape and creating a process where expungement is more accessible, we can create more opportunities for more people who perhaps made a mistake when they were young, as we all have. This is a step in the right direction and I am proud to sign this legislation.” “The juvenile justice system is grounded in the science of juvenile and adolescent brain development,” said Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice Director Robert Vickery. “This legislation recognizes that young people may make mistakes on their path to adulthood, but

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ST. LOUIS, MO. – Today, Mayor Jones’ administration issued a Request for Proposal soliciting proposals from Certified Public Accountants to provide audit services to the Board of Education of the City of St. Louis. “Our parents and families deserve answers,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “The children of St. Louis and the future of our City are suffering due to mismanagement. Parents and students in St. Louis deserve a school board that is held to the highest standard of financial accountability.” State law (Section 165.181, RSMo.) requires the Mayor to appoint this auditor “at the close of each fiscal school year.” The same law requires the school district to pay for this auditor. The RFP calls for an audit period of three fiscal years starting with the 2023 - 2024 fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. According to district budget documents, the school district’s general operating budget went from a surplus of $17 million to a projected

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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law his legislation to clarify that Illinois’ child pornography laws apply to images and videos created by artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The measure builds on the work being done by Attorney General Raoul’s office, in collaboration with state and federal law enforcement agencies, to crack down on child sexual abuse images throughout Illinois. “I initiated this legislation because AI-generated child sexual abuse images are an increasing concern that need to be addressed before technology outpaces our ability to distinguish between AI images and images of real children,” Raoul said. “Just like child sexual abuse images containing real children, AI-generated child pornography is used by predators to lure and groom minors and to normalize their own reprehensible behavior and child sexual abuse. Gov. Pritzker’s signature today will help us address

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ALTON - Alton Main Street’s quarterly information exchange, called “What’s Up Downtown”, will be held on Tuesday, August 13th at 5:30 p.m. at the iMerge Community Center, located in the Riverbender building at 200 W. 3rd Street in Alton, Illinois. The public is invited to learn the latest news regarding developments in Alton’s historic downtown district, including updates from new & existing businesses, news on real estate transactions and details of upcoming events and projects. You’ll be in the know on topics from the evening’s featured speakers, including: - Lisa Brown from The Renaissance X - Markus Boyd from My Just Desserts - Sparkle Sims from Precious Diamond Boutique - Jen Farley from Persnickity by Jen Farley - Alton Main Street will share a synopsis of what was learned through the survey recently taken by 1,500+ community members, which will inform the organization’s strategic plan for the next 3 years. New this year,

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BRUSSELS/EDWARDSVILLE/BELLEVILLE - The St. Louis Shakespeare Festival will cross the river to bring “The Tempest” to three local parks. On Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, audiences can stop by Brussels Heritage Park in Brussels to catch the show. The production will return to the Riverbend on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, at City Park in Edwardsville, then on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, at Bellevue Park in Belleville. The show runs from 6:30–8 p.m. and is completely free for audiences to attend. “Whatever barriers there might be, we want to just swat those out of the way,” explained Producing Artistic Director Tom Ridgely. “If it’s the cost of the ticket, forget about that. If it’s a river or a bridge or a road that you’re not used to crossing over, we’ll go ahead and cross that ourselves and meet you where you are. We want to make it as easy as possible for folks to just try it out if they haven’t tried it out before.” Ridgl

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