Riverbender 🕸

Letter To The Editor: We fell in love with Alton. Its warm community, hospitality, and acceptance stood out among many wonderful qualities for us as we made the big decision to move and raise our family here. It's disheartening to witness what appears to be a pre-emptive attack on a group of people, without a clear understanding of who they are or the positive impact they could bring to our town, before they’ve been given an opportunity to be good neighbors. The concerns raised by fellow residents about the recovery house are completely appreciated and understandable. However, let’s please first approach this issue with an open mind and a willingness to learn about what an Oxford House truly represents, and who it serves. With over a decade of experience in the recovery community in St Louis, I’ve seen firsthand lives turn around at Oxford Houses, producing men and women with a zeal to give back to life. So I reached out to Oxford Inc with my own concerns, and relayed

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PONTOON BEACH - Following three years of an ongoing driver workforce shortage, Madison County Transit (MCT) is proposing to make limited service reductions on five fixed-routes, effective December 3, 2023. Despite several years of aggressive efforts to recruit and retain drivers, a workforce shortfall in the double digits persists, which has necessitated mandatory overtime and could lead to driver frustration and fatigue, as well as the compromising of service reliability. In response, staff has recommended making short term frequency reductions on three routes and discontinuing two under-utilized express routes that operate only in the peaks. In addition, staff recommended to the Board that the usual January service change be implemented five weeks earlier than normal to make the adjustments as soon as possible. Reduction of Running Times and Service Hours: MCT is proposing to reduce the frequency on three bus routes from every 30 minutes to every 60 minutes. Those routes are the:

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SPRINGFIELD – Director Theresa Eagleson, who has led the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services for the past five years, announced today that she will be leaving the Department at the end of 2023. The Governor has appointed Lizzy Whitehorn, who currently serves as First Assistant Deputy Governor for Health and Human Services, to serve as Director beginning January 1, 2024. Under Eagleson’s leadership, HFS has implemented multiple nation-leading initiatives aimed at reducing disparities and creating more equitable healthcare and child support systems in Illinois. Eagleson championed the expansion of healthcare access, including behavioral healthcare and reproductive healthcare, and brought a new vision to the Department of improving lives and creating a more customer-centered way of providing healthcare and child support services to HFS customers. “Theresa has dedicated countless hours of work and a lifetime of Medicaid and health care expertise t

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O’FALLON — This fall, HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Cancer Care Center is hosting its second annual Breast Cancer Awareness Fun Walk in coordination with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. At the event, walkers of all ages, volunteers and families will come together to honor and celebrate the brave patients of the oncology center, as well as the supporters who have provided invaluable aid and assistance during these difficult times. HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Cancer Care Center Breast Cancer Awareness Fun Walk will be held on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at Moody (Longacre) Park in Fairview Heights, and registration is now open. This event is FREE for everyone. It is a 1.5-mile walk through the park (rain or shine). Participants will receive an event bag and other health information. This year, a special event t-shirt is available for purchase for $25 as a donation to the patient transportation fund. T-shirts will be available

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ALTON - After years of hoping, the Riverbend Pickleball Group, Alton Parks and Recreation Department and Alton Township have collaborated to install pickleball courts at Gordon Moore Park. On Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, community leaders met at the park to break ground for eight new pickleball courts. Construction will likely be completed by the end of the year with painting scheduled for the warmer spring months, so the courts will be ready to go by Spring 2024. “For several years, the city has been recognizing the growing need for pickleball in the area,” Michael Haynes, Alton Parks and Recreation Director, said. “We’re just looking forward to the use out there. That’s what we’re all about: providing recreation to as many people in the community as we possibly can. And I feel like we’re going to reach a heck of a lot of people.” The Riverbend Pickleball Group, which regularly organizes play for over 100 local pickleball players, approache

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GODFREY – The start of a new school year means another new year for the RiverBend Growth Association’s Young Adults Committee. The Young Adults Committee (YAC) consists of student representatives participating from Alton, Civic Memorial, East Alton-Wood River, Fortitude School, Marquette Catholic, and Roxana High Schools. Senior student representatives are Emily Schrumpf and Khas Spitz from Alton High School, Alyssa Abernathy and Lucas Naugle from Civic Memorial High School, Kylen Johnson and Mia Plumb from East Alton-Wood River High School, Blake Schaper and Jacob Schaper from Fortitude School, Morgan Hornsey and Jacob Rose from Marquette Catholic High School, and Joshua Gilbert and Calista Stahlhut from Roxana High School. YAC junior student representatives are Adie Bemis and Seana Grey from Alton High School, Bella Murray and Marissa Perez from Civic Memorial High School, Mayonna Jaggie and Isaac Thornton from East Alton-Wood River High School, Tyra Wells

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LITCHFIELD - The public is invited to join the Golden Eagle Intertribal Gathering to honor veterans and first responders on Saturday, October 7, at Picnic Area 4 of Lake Lou Yaeger. Craft and merchandise vendors will be onsite and the event will also include raffles and games. The Ladies Auxiliary of AMVETS Post 16 will serve Indian tacos and hot dogs, along with other food items and drinks. Members of several tribal nations will be in attendance and will help visitors learn about Native American culture with singing, dancing, storytelling and drumming. Some tribal affiliations include Cherokee, Choctaw, Blackfoot and Oneida, and others. Vendor hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Grand Entry, during which dancers follow a color guard into the event area, is scheduled for 12 p.m. Admission and parking are free. Bring lawn chairs or blankets as seating is not available. For more information, call Tina Simpson at 217-851-2206.

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ST. LOUIS - The following statement is on behalf of Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. Please see more information regarding the status of the decommissioning as well as before-and-after pictures of the location: “The City took action to save lives and protect people. Full stop. My administration navigated this complex situation to connect dozens of unhoused residents to shelter and resources while addressing a growing public safety hazard. This is a testament to the collective work of City employees as well as the major investments the City has made to improve access to shelter and double our number of tiny homes. “Homelessness and housing instability cannot be fixed overnight, but St. Louis is breaking from past practices by ensuring we have places for people to go where they can get support and on a path to permanent housing. While this process is never perfect, and the work is never finished, those housed today will sleep more safely tonight. “I am especially grateful

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – During today’s U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) nominations hearing for Michael Whitaker to serve as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—Chair of the CST Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation—pushed for Whitaker to uphold the highest standards for airline transport pilot certification, including the 1,500-hour rule, if he is confirmed. In her remarks, Duckworth underscored the importance of not only defending the minimum real world flight hours requirement, but also working to increase the rigor of what type of flying counts towards meeting the 1,500-hour rule given this year’s alarming aviation safety crisis. In the past year, our nation has seen a chilling surge in near-deadly misses involving commercial airlines that likely stems from plummeting aviation workforce experience levels after airlines paid tens of thousands

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS-02) and U.S. Representative Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL-03) to reintroduce the Federal Emergency Management Advancement of Equity Act (or FEMA Equity Act) to address systemic inequities in the federal government’s response to disasters and how it distributes assistance. The legislation follows a growing body of evidence and reporting that low-income disaster survivors and disaster-impacted communities of color are less likely to receive crucial federal emergency assistance compared to higher-income counterparts. “As Americans, it’s our responsibility to support one another in times of need—including when our most disadvantaged communities are devastated by disasters and severe weather,” said Senator Duckworth. “Disasters don’t discriminate against

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BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL – In a huge win for public higher education and the labor movement in Illinois, 650 tenured and tenure-track faculty at Illinois State University (ISU) filed authorization/membership cards today with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board expressing their intent to unionize. “It’s a really exciting moment for us,” said Xiaoying Zhao, ISU assistant professor of teaching and learning. “Today we have taken the necessary steps to formalize our union and send a clear message that the faculty at ISU want a strong voice to advocate for the needs of our students, this institution, and our colleagues who are dedicated to them both.” United Faculty of ISU (UFISU) officially launched a unionization effort in August. In just weeks, an overwhelming majority of faculty signed cards to say, “Union YES!” Dave Kopsell, ISU professor of agriculture, noted, “Right away, my colleagues and I recognized that joining a union

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CHICAGO - Today Governor JB Pritzker announced several upcoming transitions in state agency leadership. Theresa Eagleson, Director of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), will step down at the end of 2023. The Governor has appointed Lizzy Whitehorn, who currently serves as First Assistant Deputy Governor for Health and Human Services, to serve as Director of HFS beginning January 1, 2024, pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate. The Governor also announced the upcoming transitions, also at the end of the calendar year, of Paula Basta, Director of the Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA), and Marc D. Smith, Director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Finally, the Governor announced the appointment of Camile Lindsay as Acting Director of Professional Regulation at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), pending confirmation. Lindsay is currently serving as First Assistant Deputy Governor for Public

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CHICAGO – Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today hosted a celebration to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month, honoring the work of community leaders. The event was an opportunity to reflect on the great achievements of Hispanics and present awards to eight Latino leaders, including a retired White Sox executive, a TV news anchor, the CEO of Chicago Public Schools and the director of a Puerto Rican arts organization. “Today, let us take a moment to recognize the contributions of our Hispanic and Latino neighbors,” Frerichs said at the event held at the state government building at 555 W. Monroe St. in Chicago. “Let’s celebrate their dedication to making our communities a better place to live, work, and raise a family.” Hispanic Heritage Month is a national observance. In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson established a Hispanic Heritage Week. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan expanded the celebration to a month. This year’s

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GRAFTON - Summer is over and Raging Rivers is getting spooky this October with a Haunted Trail around the water park. The Raging Rivers’ Haunted Trail is a 30–45 minute walk through “Illinois’s darkest and most haunted forest,” according to the park’s website . Located at 100 Palisades Parkway in Grafton, the trail is open every Saturday from Oct. 7–28. “The land is a cursed graveyard from the old dynamite factory that was forced to shut down because of so many accidents and deaths. Mutants and monsters are lurking in the shadows for their next victim,” the website warns. “The trail will be kid-friendlier in the early evening but as the night gets darker, the ghouls get scarier.” You can expect strobe lights, jump scares, loud noises, fog and other haunted house favorites. Raging Rivers is offering glow bands in different colors, which will indicate what "level of scaring" you want to experience. Tours depart

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GLEN CARBON - State Senator Erica Harriss (56 th -Glen Carbon) has released the following statement following the resignation announcement of Marc Smith, Director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services: "DCFS is entrusted to protect our most vulnerable children. With the recent release of an audit showing an unacceptable increase in the mishandling of cases by this state agency, it is clear we must take action. I ask the Governor to take significant steps to overhaul the agency before further tragedies strike. We have a moral obligation to get this right."

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ST. LOUIS - Today, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, Ald. Anne Schweitzer (1), Ald. Laura Keys (11), the St. Louis Area Agency on Aging (SLAAA), Assessor Michael Dauphin, and local senior citizens held a roundtable to discuss legislation to freeze property taxes for seniors in the City of St. Louis. This tax freeze is permissible under recently enacted state law, and St. Charles County recently enacted legislation to freeze taxes for seniors. This legislation stems from the passage of a new law ( SB 190 ) enacted by the State of Missouri earlier this year. “While the City of St. Louis invests in long left-behind neighborhoods, we can take advantage of new opportunities to help seniors stay in their homes and get some relief from rising property values,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “As we work to finalize legislative proposals, I am thankful to our senior citizens for their insight this morning and to City leaders for their work to support our seniors.” The legislation

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that both lanes of Illinois 143 from just east of Interstate 55 at Tosovsky Lane to U.S. 40 in Madison County will require intermittent daytime lane closures beginning, weather permitting, Tuesday, Oct. 10, through Friday, Oct. 13, and Monday, Oct. 16. The lane closures are necessary for the evaluation of pavement conditions. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling through the work zone. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.

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JERSEY COUNTY - Jersey County Sheriff Nicholas Manns released more information today about a Friday, September 29, 2023, incident in rural Jersey County along McClusky Road. "The incident was reported at 3 p.m. on Sept. 29, 2023, and the Jersey County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO), QEM Fire Department, Jerseyville Fire Department, Jersey Community Hospital Ambulance, and Godfrey Fire Department responded to a house fire in rural Jersey County along McClusky Road," he said. "Upon arrival at the property, Jersey County Deputies found the house fully engulfed in flames. QEM and the assisting fire departments worked quickly to extinguish the fire and protect the surrounding property, fields, and crops. "The house was unoccupied at the time. Subsequent investigation, along with invaluable tips from multiple concerned citizens, revealed the fire was arson. Within an hour, JCSO Deputies identified, located, and arrested the arson suspect, identified as Rochelle K. Maltimore (age 31). Maltimore

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ALTON - The Alton Police Department announced today it recently received notice that it has secured over $800,000 in grant funding. The funding is from two separate grants - the Smart Policing Initiative Grant and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said the grants will help assist the department in addressing a variety of goals such as violence prevention, crime mapping and crime data transparency, and equipment needs. "The Smart Policing Initiative Grant (SPI) is for $800,000," Chief Ford said. "It is a highly competitive grant with Alton PD being one of only three agencies selected nationwide for the SPI Category 3 grant. The grant is awarded to agencies that are experiencing precipitous increases in crime or in a type(s) of crime within their jurisdictions and propose to implement and test applied justice information-sharing technology designed to respond to the crime increases and improve criminal justice data exchange. "The goals

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ALTON - Alton Mayor David Goins will continue to represent Illinois as the State Chair of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI) . MRCTI is an organization that brings together the towns on the Mississippi River. The mayors of these towns connect to discuss management, conservation efforts and ways to celebrate and protect the Mississippi River. “It is exciting to work with mayors on behalf of our river,” Goins said. “This coalition has really gained a strong voice in Washington D.C. because of the collaboration of mayors. We’re mayors from the upper, middle and lower Mississippi, and we comprise 102 mayors who are on the river from Minnesota all the way down to New Orleans. Each of us have our own challenges and our own ideas.” As the Illinois State Chair, Goins will represent the 18 Illinois mayors who are a part of the coalition. He took on this role when the previous Illinois State Chair mayor was not reelected. Goins was

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