Riverbender 🕸

Couples names: Quentin & Leslie Palos City: Jerseyville Date met or started dating: June 20, 1998 Date married: September 16, 2000 What makes your relationship special? We are complete opposites and have endured hardships but we have been able to endure those hardships together. Share a memory you have made together: An anniversary trip to Southern Illinois 3 years.

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Couples names: Josh & Destiny City: Jerseyville Date met pr started dating: July 31, 2020 What makes your relationship special? He’s my person and I’m his! We are the perfect balance for each other! Share a memory you have made together: Creating our family and the many trips we’ve made!

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CHICAGO – A life-changing amount of cash is up for grabs tomorrow night as the Powerball jackpot soars to an eye-watering $700 million. If a player wins Saturday’s jackpot, it would be the sixth-largest Powerball jackpot and the 10th-largest U.S. lottery jackpot won in history. Illinois Lottery players are already winning big in this jackpot roll. In Wednesday night’s Powerball draw, two lucky players matched four numbers and the Powerball to win $50,000 each. The lucky players purchased their winning Powerball tickets from Casey’s General Store in Collinsville and Aurora Gas & Food in Aurora. In total, over 42,000 winning tickets were sold, and nearly $329,000 in prizes were won in Wednesday evening’s Powerball drawing. The Illinois Lottery encourages all lucky winners to write their name on the back of their ticket and keep it in a safe place until they’re ready to claim their prize. Winners have one year from the date of the winning draw

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PONTOON BEACH - A press conference was held on Thursday afternoon at the Pontoon Beach Police Department and charges were announced against a man currently incarcerated on another offense - Roger Dale Sutton Jr., 55, formerly of Pontoon Beach. Sutton is charged with two counts of first-degree murder of Patrenia Butler-Turner, missing since December 2013. Patrenia was 40 years old at the time she disappeared from East St. Louis in 2013. Also charged is Sutton’s nephew, Nathan J. Beyer, for concealing Trina’s body. Sutton is presently serving a two-year sentence on felony meth possession. He is incarcerated at the Centralia Correctional Center in Illinois and would have been eligible for parole in two weeks. Sutton is also charged in this case with one count of concealment of a homicidal death. In addition, a nephew, Nathan J. Beyer, 32, of Alton, has been charged with one count of concealment of a homicidal death, for allegedly concealing the woman’s body in a woode

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QUINCY - Quincy University released its Dean's List for the Fall 2022 semester. Honorees must earn a semester grade point average of at least 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) to be included in the biannual Dean's List. In total, 400 students received the honor during the Fall 2022 semester. A complete list of honorees is listed below: Founded in 1860 by Franciscan friars, Quincy University is a small Catholic university emphasizing the sciences, liberal arts and the professions. Quincy University offers undergraduate, graduate and adult education programs integrating practical experience and Franciscan values. Faculty and advisors work with students to design customized success plans to help them graduate on time, find their passion and prepare them for life. QU is a member of NCAA Division II for intercollegiate athletics. For more information, please visit www.quincy.edu or contact the Office of Community Relations at (217) 228-5275 or communityrelations@quincy.edu. HOMETOWN, STATE; NAME E

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ALTON - The Warming Centers In Alton will be activating this evening, February 2, 2023, because of cold temperatures. The centers begin operation at 5 p.m. at Deliverance Temple at 1125 East Sixth Street, Alton, IL.

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FULTON, MO. - Kaleb Hinkle-Pruett from East Alton, IL, was named to the Fall 2022 Dean's List for exemplary academic performance at Westminster College. Hinkle-Pruett is a Sophomore 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 227 students includes 51 freshmen, 53 sophomores, 69 juniors and 54 seniors. Class rank is based on course hours completed before the fall semester. President and Chief Transformation Officer Donald P. Lofe, Jr., recently commended the students for their exemplary academic performance. "These students have worked hard and achieved an honor we take seriously at Westminster," Lofe said. "On behalf of the entire college community, I want to congratulate each one of them on this outstanding accomplishment." Founded in

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GODFREY – In recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday in the lead-up to Black History Month, Lewis and Clark Community College held a celebration Jan. 26, featuring keynote speaker Rev. Shelia Goins. Goins, who spoke to the group about the importance of financial literacy, is a retired bank manager and was the first African American woman to be hired as a branch manager in the Riverbend area. Among Goins’ accomplishments, she has served on the Alton Parks and Recreation Board of Directors, St. Anthony’s Hospital Foundations Board, Arms of Love/Options Now board chair, and Riverbend Growth Association ambassador, where she was named Ambassador of the Year in 2012 and 2013. She became an ordained reverend with Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church in 2008. Currently, Goins is vice-chairman of the Alton Memorial Hospital Board of Directors, a member of the James Killion Park Beautification and Enhancement Committee, and a member of the Wood River

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Gori Law Firm recently announced it has earned the 2023 Top Workplaces USA designation. The annual list was published on February 1. This year marks the third consecutive year the firm has been recognized both regionally and nationally as a Top Workplace. Selection of Top Workplaces is based solely on employee feedback. Each year, thousands of surveys are issued to employees of nominated workplaces across the country by Energage, a Philadelphia-based workplace survey and performance Certified B Corporation. More than 1,270 organizations, including the Edwardsville, Ill., based firm, were recognized as 2023 Top Workplaces USA recipients. “We are incredibly honored and excited to once again be recognized as a Top Workplace,” said Sara Salger, managing partner of The Gori Law Firm. “We strive to create an exceptional work environment for our employees and are thankful for their feedback. Without them, this award would not be possible.”

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ALTON - Air Force Veteran Brendan Henrion and his wife, Tiffany, are planning to bring a Vietnam Memorial Wall to Alton with a project named “Remembering Vietnam.” After meeting with Alton Mayor David Goins, they’re now in the process of raising donations and finding a location for the wall. Henrion served for four years in the Air Force and said the inspiration for the wall came from Tiffany’s grandfather, a Vietnam veteran named Edward Buckshot. “My wife’s grandfather is a marine, he served two tours in Vietnam … years ago, he came up with the origins of the whole project dedicating a memorial wall for Vietnam,” Brendan said. “He experienced that when everybody came home, they had all been drafted to go serve, then they all came home and they got spat on and not really welcomed with open arms. There’s a lot of us who feel like Vietnam veterans weren’t appreciated at that point.” He said the wall

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CARLINVILLE - On Thursday, Carlinville High School captured first in the 700 division of the Academic Challenge (ACES) Regional Competition. The event was co-hosted by CHS and Blackburn College. The 700 division consists of schools with enrollment between 300 and 700 students. Roxana finished in second place, and East Alton-Wood River finished in third place. In the picture above are the Carlinville High team members: Front Row: Clara Gray, Melanie Murphy, Madalynn Bloome, and Kayla Quarton Back Row: Tomas Cottingham, Charlie Wilson, Zander Poe, Alex Scott, and Hayden Truax. Not pictured is Giampaulo Pascarella. The coaches are Jason Crowell, Darrin DeNeve, Chad Easterday, Ethan Klaffer, and Charlie Taylor. The ACES contest is an academic contest based on students’ abilities in the areas of Mathematics, Computer Science, Biology, English, Physics, Engineering Graphics, and Chemistry. Each student chooses two subjects to focus on. Individual honors earned by Carlinville

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MADISON COUNTY - Amanda Wilson, owner and founder of her new business The Essentials House Cleaning, said she comes from “a long line of entrepreneurs,” including her mother who used to run a house-cleaning business of her own. She’s now continuing her family’s entrepreneurial tradition with her new house-cleaning business, and she said feedback has been positive so far. “I come from a long line of entrepreneurs,” Wilson said. “My mom, she had her own house-cleaning business for about eight years until she kind of hurt herself. I decided to take on the family roots and start my own business.” She said the name - The Essentials House Cleaning - speaks to keeping one’s “essential” space clean. “Your home is like your ‘essential’ place of living,” she said. “Who doesn’t want to be in a clean space?” Wilson said she offers commercial and residential cleaning services in the

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Rotary Club has chosen to honor Edwardsville High School student Brooke Young with the Student of the Month Award for the month of January. Brooke Young was nominated by Honors Chemistry teacher Melissa Barnett at Edwardsville High School. Brooke is the daughter of Stephanie and Edward Young and is an exemplary student at Edwardsville High. Brooke is an Illinois State Scholar and a member of National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, and Mu Alpha Theta, the Math Honor Society. Brooke has a passion for science and hopes to continue pursuing a career in STEM by going to college for a major in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering. Alongside her academic interests, Brooke also enjoys swimming, reading, traveling, and peer-to-peer tutoring. The Edwardsville Rotary Club recognizes a student each month September through April. Each May, Edwardsville High School staff chooses one of the monthly winners to receive the $1,500 Edwardsville EHS Rotary Scholarship.

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GODFREY - Great-horned owls and barred owls are the two common owls in Illinois. During the winter these owls build nests, find mates, and defend their territory. Since owls are active and vocal when defending their territories, it gives us a chance to consistently hear them in the wild. The Nature Institute will host two Owl Prowl events to give the public a chance to learn more about owls and hear them in the preserve. Treehouse Wildlife Center will bring several owl species to The Nature Institute on two occasions this winter. The Valentine’s Day Owl Prowl on February 14 is designed for adults. This program will be a unique event with learning, appetizers, and wine for groups of friends and couples to enjoy together. The Treehouse program will start indoors with the live owls and snacks, then we will head outside to call and listen for wild owls. On February 18, Treehouse will return for a family-oriented program. Families will learn about owls, meet the owl ambassadors then

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ALTON - Michael “Doc” Holliday Sr. Of Alton has a long history of community service in the Alton area. He has taken that service to another level at this point as he is the newly elected president of the Alton Branch of the NAACP. He is succeeding Andy Hightower, who choose not to run for re-election. Michael Sr. has been married to his wife, Priscilla, for 45 years. They have two children Michael Jr. and Erica. Michael Sr. was previously 1st Vice President of the Alton Branch of the NAACP. Michael is a Navy veteran. He also has retired from Olin Corporation after 39 years. He became a Precinct Committeeman in 1984, He twice held the Presidency of The Alton, Illinois, Chapter of The 100 Black Men of America, Board Member of The American Cancer Society, Chairman of the Deacon Board of Union Baptist Church (The Oldest Baptist Church in Illinois), he was elected to the Madison County Board in 1998 and still serving. He is currently President of The Illinois Association of Count

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EDWARDSVILLE – SIUE researcher Shivendu Pratap Singh, PhD, assistant professor in the School of Business’ Department of Computer Management & Information Systems (CMIS), has a published article in the December 2022 edition of Service Business by Pan-Pacific Business Association. The article is entitled “Overcoming bias against funding of female-led entrepreneurial initiatives: the democratizing influence of online crowdlending platforms.” Singh started off working in New Zealand where his interest in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) was sparked, along with the concept of crowdlending which is when individuals lend small amounts of money to companies in exchange for a financial return that is specified in a loan agreement. Singh reports that the article is meant to convey the message that “female entrepreneurs should not be discouraged by any bias they experience in traditional financing environment” and that “our support for crowdlending

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) today introduced bicameral legislation aimed at reducing gun violence by preventing the theft of firearms from federally-licensed gun dealers (FFLs). The Safety Enhancements for Communities Using Reasonable and Effective (SECURE) Firearm Storage Act would address the problem of “smash and grab” gun store burglaries by requiring all firearms to be securely stored when a federally-licensed gun dealer is not open for business. Additionally, the bill would authorize the Attorney General to review and put forth additional security measures to reduce the risk of theft, and requires a new section on the FFL application for an applicant to describe security plans before a license can be approved. Gun thefts from FFLs are a significant problem across the country. In 2020 and 2021, FFLs reported a combined 769 burglaries t

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EDWARDSVILLE — The Edwardsville Arts Center (EAC) Board of Directors has appointed Beth Browne as the new Executive Director of the EAC. Browne’s five years’ experience on the EAC Board of Directors, combined with 21 years of various involvement in the community art scene, will undoubtedly help further the organization’s mission of enriching the lives and creative spirits of community members. "We are so glad to welcome Beth to our team,” comments EAC Director of Programs, Carolyn Tidball. “During Beth’s time as a board member, she has shown herself to be committed to the arts, a very hard worker, and has a collaborative mindset. As an artist herself, she truly understands the importance of our mission to make art accessible to everyone in our community." As Executive Director, Browne will be responsible for day-to-day operations of the EAC, ensuring ongoing local programming excellence, continual community outreach and networking, and developing

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ALTON - At just five-foot-four-inches, many coaches told Marquette Catholic senior Haley Rodgers that she wasn't going to make it out on the basketball court. She wanted to prove them all wrong and that's exactly what she did. After being in talks with a college coach for about a year she made the decision to continue her basketball career at Greenville University. She signed her letter of intent Wednesday afternoon fulfilling a dream that she's had for many years now. "I went to a college game with my dad, it was actually a Lewis and Clark game, and it's just been my dream ever since to play in college," Rodgers said. She certainly wasn't going to let her size get in her way. "I started basketball in sixth grade, I've always been small," Rodgers said. "I've had a few coaches tell me that I can't do it because of my height and size but I'm happy to say I've made my dream come true." For overcoming the odds, Haley Rodgers is a Tucker's Automotive Repair & Tire Female Athlete

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CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is currently accepting applications for the 2023 DCFS Scholarship Program. Through the program, a minimum of 53 academic scholarships will be awarded to current and former youth in care for the upcoming school year, with four awards reserved for the children of veterans. Scholarship recipients receive up to five consecutive years of tuition and academic fee waivers to be used at participating Illinois state community colleges and public universities, a monthly grant of $1,506 to offset other expenses and a medical card. On average, the department receives 200 application packets each year, and has awarded over 1,500 scholarships since the program began in 1971. “Students who have been involved in the foster care system face a unique set of challenges from a young age that often set them at a disadvantage when it comes to funding their education,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “The DCFS Scholarship

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