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O’FALLON - A new law will go into effect on January 1, 2023 that will require all homes in Illinois to be equipped with new, 10-year “sealed-battery” smoke alarms, which are designed to last longer, lower replacement costs, and be less of a nuisance when cooking. State and local fire safety experts held a press conference at O’Fallon Fire Rescue yesterday to explain the new law. Margaret Vaughn, the Government Affairs Director for both the Illinois Firefighters Association and Fire Safety Alliance, said the law aims to reduce preventable deaths. “Last year in Illinois, there were 97 residential fire deaths, and the majority of those deaths occurred in homes without working smoke alarms - so the majority of those deaths potentially could have been prevented,” Vaughn said. Since 1988, all Illinois homes have been required to have smoke alarms installed - they were hard-wired into homes built in 1988 or after. If your home was built before 1988

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EDWARDSVILLE - 2022 marks the 5 th consecutive year Doc’s Smokehouse & Catering has passed the test by being named as one of the “Best of the Best Barbecue Restaurants in America" by the Barbecue News Magazine. The Barbecue News Magazine, the world’s no.1 publication dedicated to all things BBQ, released its updated guide to "Best of the Best Barbecue Restaurants in America” for the month of October. Doc’s Smokehouse & Catering is one of 17 on the October 2022 list and one of only three restaurants named for the entire state of Illinois. The "Best of the Best" guide has currently awarded this honor to only 17 barbecue restaurants across America in the past year. To be eligible for this "Best of the Best" list a restaurant must be taste-tested, without notice or announcement, by an affiliate of the Barbecue News Magazine. The honor is for a one-year period, at which time the restaurant is re-tested in the same manner to see if they make the grade

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced Thursday that a driver who fatally struck Police Officer Brian Pierce Jr. on the McKinley Bridge while trying to flee from police has been convicted of first-degree murder. Following a bench trial that began Monday, prosecutors won a conviction for first-degree murder against Caleb L. Campbell, 24, of Florissant, Mo., in connection with the death of Brooklyn Police Officer Pierce. “Officer Brian Pierce should be alive today,” Haine said. “We continue to pray for his family, who have suffered so much. We are glad the judge agreed that this was murder, plain and simple. I do hope the message continues to be heard: fleeing from the police is always wrong and dangerous, and if an officer dies, those responsible for killing the officer will face murder charges.” Testimony and evidence presented by Assistant State’s Attorney Lauren Maricle and Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan

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GODFREY – During Lewis and Clark Community College’s 37 th annual Service Awards, one employee was honored for his Trailblazer spirit with the first-ever Pantone 286 award. Maintenance Logistics Supervisor Cody Zippmann was presented with the prize, named for the Pantone Color System identifier for Lewis and Clark’s “Trailblazer blue,” for his outstanding dedication, leadership skills and work ethic. According to L&C President Ken Trzaska, the Pantone 286 award will be given annually to team members who don’t just “bleed blue,” but go above and beyond the call by “bleeding Pantone 286 blue.” “Cody is always thinking about how he can help build community and connections on campus and further the collaborative culture we are all trying to build,” Trzaska said. “Cody isn’t just an outstanding team member, he’s a true-blue Trailblazer.” Trzaska credited Zippmann for his work last summer,

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EDWARDSVILLE - The members of Edwardsville’s Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 244, sponsored its 13th annual “Christmas with a Cop” program this past weekend at the Edwardsville Target, and many children and families left knowing this would be a special holiday for them. The children had $250 to shop, and each family received a $100 gift card to Schnuck's to have a Christmas meal. The Edwardsville Police “Christmas with a Cop” program enables officers and other volunteers to spread Christmas cheer while getting to know some of the citizens of the community. In addition to shopping, the participating families received gift-wrapping supplies and candy baskets. The Edwardsville Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 244 extended thanks to Target, as well as numerous private donors within the community, for helping us benefit more children in need. Jared Sprinkle, one of the officers in charge of the event, said this was once again "fantastic" for

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ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster Dan McLaughlin will no longer be a play-by-play announcer for the Redbirds. McLaughlin, who faces a felony charge for a third DWI offense, said today he will not return as a play-by-play announcer for the Redbirds in the 2023 season. McLaughlin was charged with a persistent offender DWI after a Dec. 4 incident where he failed a sobriety test in an I-270 traffic stop. McLaughlin issued this statement on Thursday afternoon: “I have spent the last several days reflecting on my steps towards addressing my health and the well-being of my family and me. I have come to the conclusion that my sole focus needs to be on my recovery, which I have started, and that of my wife and children. As a result, I am stepping away from my duties at Bally Sports Midwest. I thank all of the people of Bally for their support throughout the years and wish them the best. As I move forward, I please ask for your patience and your privacy. Thank you. God Bless.”

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CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker today celebrated the passage of the Workers’ Rights Amendment to the Illinois Constitution. Governor Pritzker issued a proclamation announcing passage of the amendment and joined labor leaders and legislators in celebrating the achievement. “Illinois holds a rich union history; from the 1887 Haymarket Affair to the 1894 Pullman Strike, Illinois laborers have been at the forefront of fighting for fair wages, reasonable hours, and safe working conditions,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This is a major win for workers rights that will outlast any single politicians’ term and enshrine a key right for Illinoisans for generations to come.” Under Illinois law, the Governor must issue an official proclamation announcing the passage of a constitutional amendment after it is certified by the State Board of Elections. The Workers’ Rights Amendment, which passed with 54.5% of total ballots cast, enshrines the right to

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EDWARDSVILLE - Andrea Miracle has announced her candidacy for the City Council of Edwardsville in the 3rd Ward. “With the support of my family and friends I’m thrilled to be pursuing an opportunity to serve our city at a higher level. I hope to continue the work I’ve done as a member of Edwardsville’s Planning Commission, ensuring that we preserve our city’s green spaces while thoughtfully pursuing opportunities for further economic development. Alderman Janet Stack has been a strong and steadfast voice for 3rd Ward residents, leaving big shoes to fill with her departure from City Council. I will put people over politics and prioritize keeping city government on the side of taxpayers.” A 20-year resident and active member of the Edwardsville community, Miracle currently sits on the City of Edwardsville’s Planning Commission and serves as Co-Chairman of Education for the Edwardsville Community Foundation. While raising her three children in

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GODFREY - In 2020, Lewis and Clark Community College commenced an important period in our 50-year journey: to recommit, reimagine and refocus what it means to be a high-performing college, with an invariable focus on each student having a meaningful and powerful experience. As a campus, our re-evaluation of affordability, equity in access and flexibility is our lens, and collaboration and openness to new ideas and thinking about Lewis and Clark’s position in higher education remains our steadfast strategy. Our teamwork resulted in a renewed and balanced focus on access, enrollment growth, building a transparent campus culture, and strengthening community partnerships. With our collective energy and a strong commitment to students, we are taking new and calculated risks to encourage growth and continued financial stability during what I consider the most exciting moment in higher education history. Even with the challenges brought on by the pandemic, the economy, and the internal

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HONOLULU, HAWAII - Four Gillespie High School senior cheerleaders recently had the times of their lives when they were selected by the American Cheerleading Association (ACA) as All-Americans and participated in the 2022 Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade, held in Honolulu, Hawaii. The girls and their coach, Darian Gill, flew 4,000 miles to join cheerleaders from all over the country and take part in the Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade. The girls and their coach were able to experience the Pearl Harbor Memorial, go on a picnic with other parade attendees, and were invited to a luau. The four seniors chosen were Hailey Rhodes, Megan Rife, Jenna Clark, and Shelbee Geisler. The girls and their coach would like to thank everyone who helped them fundraise and supported them in their effort. Gill said the girls joined 780 other kids from across the country in the Pearl Harbor Parade. “We were there for a week,” Gill said. “It was a great experience for the girls. They were all

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GODFREY - The Lewis and Clark Community Clark Veterans Club joined forces with Marquette Catholic High School students and graduates to support the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA) "Operation Rising Spirit" campaign this year. A Marquette Catholic graduate attending L&C - Monica Wendle - is playing an important role in the campaign. The campaign encourages service organizations, schools, communities, and individuals to write letters of appreciation and support to veterans residing at the state veterans' homes in Anna, Chicago, LaSalle, Manteno, and Quincy. “Hundreds of letters were sent to veterans in our five residential homes last holiday season, bringing so much joy to the homes,” said Director Terry Prince. “Operation Rising Spirit is a wonderful volunteer opportunity to spread cheer to our veterans.” Cards and letters will be disseminated equally to the five residential homes. “At a recent meeting, the Veterans Club decided t

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COLLINSVILLE - Junior forward/guard Mario Brown is emerging as one of the key players for the boys' basketball team at Granite City High School and on Dec. 13, he hit for 11 points in a 50-35 loss to Collinsville at Vergil Fletcher Gym. Brown is currently the Warriors' leading scorer, averaging 18 points-per-game, also leading the team in rebounding with 11,3 boards-per-game, also adding 13 assists and 17 steals. He's emerging as one of the key players for the Warriors in their 5-4 start to the 2022-23 season. For his efforts both on and off the court, Brown has been named a Stillwater Senior Living male Athlete of the Month for the Warriors. Brown, who plays for head coach Gerard Moore, agreed that the Warriors played well in the first half, especially in the second end of back-to-back games, having won over McCluer High of Ferguson, Mo., the night before. The Kahoks slowly took control in the second half, going on to an 11-2 run in the third quarter to help clinch the win. "I'm

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Gori Law firm is proud to welcome attorney Thomas Sandifer to the Edwardsville location. Sandifer’s primary area of practice is asbestos litigation, and he looks forward to practicing alongside The Gori Law team. Sandifer received his education from Greenville University in Greenville, Illinois, and Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. Upon graduation, Sandifer received licenses to practice in both the Illinois and Missouri Bar. A former municipal judge, Thomas Sandifer is an active member of his community. He previously served on the Board of the Chesterfield Community Development Corporation and as the Vice-Chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission. “Gori continues to grow, and we are elated to add Tom to the team,” said Sara Salger, managing partner at The Gori Law Firm. “Tom is an active community member who has decades of experience working in personal injury and workers’ compensation litigation. We know his knowledge will

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ST. LOUIS - Cinema St. Louis (CSL) is thrilled to announce plans to acquire the Hi-Pointe Theatre as their new base of operations and programming beginning in January 2023. Opening in 1922, the Hi-Pointe Theatre has been a cherished landmark for multiple generations of film lovers, and CSL plans to continue that tradition for years to come. The Hi-Pointe Theatre is the oldest locally owned and continuously-operating arthouse theater in St. Louis. In 1977 the James family acquired the theater, and under their stewardship, the theater has become an iconic St. Louis landmark. The James family shared: “After 45 years of owning the beloved Hi-Pointe Theatre, we have decided that it is time to end our run. We have been blessed to share this theater with 3 generations of our family and have had the privilege of helping it reach the magical age of 100 years. We know that Cinema St Louis is the perfect sequel to our story. They share the same passion and vision, and we are confident tha

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Madison County Sheriff's Office announced this week that on Friday, December 9, 2022, the department had three deputies graduate from the SWIC Police Academy, Session 148. The three are shown above - Deputy Nicholas J. Strode, Deputy Emma N. Kindernay, and Deputy Ian W. Sikes. The trio spent the last 14 weeks studying and training at the SWIC Police Academy. "They will now train with a Field Training Officer (FTO) for an additional 14 weeks while patrolling the streets of Madison County," the Madison County Sheriff's Office said. "We congratulate these three deputies on their academy graduation and wish them a successful and safe career in law enforcement."

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CHICAGO - The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) launched “Are You Really Winning?” - a campaign to build awareness of problem gambling and to promote helpline services for people experiencing gambling problems. According to research by Health Resources in Action (HRiA), four percent, or nearly 400,000, of Illinois residents have a gambling disorder, and another seven percent, or 700,000, are at risk of developing a gambling disorder. The “Are You Really Winning?” campaign will reach across the state through TV, radio, social media, and sponsorships to educate the general public on the signs and symptoms of gambling disorder and on the resources available to those in need of support. The campaign highlights the signs of problem gambling by asking these questions: Have you ever felt restless, on edge, or irritable when trying to stop or cut down on gambling? Have you ever tried to ask people for money to help with financial problems caused by gambling

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EDWARDSVILLE - It’s official: The City of Edwardsville is a “Bicycle Friendly Community.” The League of American Bicyclists announced Wednesday, December 14, that Edwardsville has earned a bicycle Friendly Community award at the bronze level. The City moved up from last year’s honorable mention ranking and is among 32 U.S. cities to earn the designation this year. The Bicycle Friendly Community awards reflect local leaders’ ongoing work to build better places to bike and to evaluate those efforts with equity and accessibility in mind, the League of American Bicyclists said. “We are grateful for the hard work and commitment of City staff, residents, and others to help us earn this award,” Mayor Art Risavy said. “This is only the beginning, though. We are committed to continuing down this path to ensure everyone can safely and easily get where they want to go whether on foot, bike, or other means.” To earn an award, applicants

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EDWARDSVILLE – The City of Edwardsville is once again offering a Special Events Grant Program to encourage and assist organizations looking to host free events for the benefit of the community. The program was established to help offset the costs and boost the economic impact of community events that take place in Edwardsville. This round of Special Events Grants can be used to cover marketing costs and municipal fees incurred in hosting events held between May 1, 2023, and April 30, 2024. “We are proud that Edwardsville has become a destination for some of the most amazing, fun and creative events for residents and visitors to enjoy throughout the year,” Mayor Art Risavy said. “This grant program helps support those events, which in turn benefit our businesses and our community as a whole.” Any nonprofit organization marketing an event to attract visitors to Edwardsville may apply for a Special Events Grant. The maximum grant allowed is $8,000. The deadline

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ALTON - Junior Khalilia (Khas) Spitz is the Art Fahrner-Edward Jones Remarkable Redbird of the Month. Khas carries a full load of honors classes and participates in the music program while maintaining a 4.4 GPA and still finds time to be a leader of GSA at Alton High School. She was also selected to be one of this year's representatives to the Riverbend Growth Association Young Adults Committee. In a recent conversation, Khas mentioned that being a part of the Riverbend Growth Association is "super cool." Khas added, "I get to speak with a lot of business owners, and I get to see people who are passionate about giving back." Khas said that some of the local organizations they are working with are the Madison County Family Ministries, Tree House Center, Alton Little Theater, and also Kreative Kids. Khas mentioned that the RBGA Young Adults Committee consists of about 30 members, and they meet about once a month. Other members come from other Riverbend schools including Marquette Catholic

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ALTON - Robert Ryan of Alton is not an everyday 99-year-old. Ryan, truly a River Bend treasure, recently appeared on C.J. Nasello’s Our Daily Show on Riverbender.com. Nasello has guests every day Monday through Friday on Riverbender.com . During the program, Ryan was asked about his capture as a POW in May 1944 when his B17 4-Engine Bomber was hit head-on by an enemy air attack, damaging engine No. 2 of four engines. Ryan said he was a navigator on the plane, and he said they discovered they were 200 miles from Switzerland and Sweden, but also 200 miles from France, which was still occupied. “I knew we were in trouble,” Ryan said. “Because I was the navigator, I parachuted out of the plane first. It took a while to land. I thought to myself, ‘how am I going to get back to Illinois.'" As soon as Ryan hit the ground, he said: “A guy was aiming a rifle at me. He had been firing at me from about 1,000 feet down. Thank God he did not pull the trigger

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