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ALTON - The Alton Community Unit School District #11 Board of Education recognized Niyam Patel and Peter Milien II as February's Optimist Students of the Month during the Board’s regular meeting on Feb. 20, 2024. Dr. Cindy Inman, principal of Alton Middle School, introduced Niyam Patel and shared a few remarks from his teachers. Patel is a straight-A student who plays baseball and basketball. He wants to be an aerospace engineer one day.\ “He is an amazing student and he’s an amazing athlete,” Inman said. “Niyam is an excellent example of what Alton Middle School students are like each and every day.” Patel’s teachers and coaches said he has a “positive attitude” and he is “a joy to coach.” He often leads by example and shows great sportsmanship by cheering on his teammates and smiling through the entire game. Patel loves science and helping his neighbors and family. “Niyam, you are a very hard-working

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FERGUSON, MO. - Brittany Persch of Ferguson, Mo., has organized a GoFundMe for the family of Bernadine "Birdie" Pruessner and her beloved children, Millie, 2, Jackson, 6, and Ellie and Ivy, both 9. The family died in a tragic house fire in Ferguson on Feb. 19, 2024. "It is with deep sorrow and profound sadness that we announce the sudden departure of Bernadine 'Birdie' Pruessner and her beloved children," Persch said. "This heartbreaking loss has left us all grappling with immense emotional pain. "Birdie was an esteemed educator who generously shared her expertise with various educational institutions across the St. Louis region, spanning both Missouri and Illinois. Her dedication to teaching shone brightly when she was recognized with the prestigious Missouri Teacher of the Year Award in 2013 by the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence. She was a full-time member of the Lewis and Clark Community College faculty. "Beyond her achievements in the classroom,

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ELSAH - Principia College will present a play about the rise of fascism in one of the first fully-staged productions in the U.S. since the 1940s. “It Can’t Happen Here” will premiere at Principia College at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 29, March 1 and March 2, 2024, and 2 p.m. on March 2, 2024. Director Chrissy Steele said students have been rehearsing since the spring semester began, and they’re excited to share the story with audiences next week. “When we first started working on it, I felt like this was such a political play because there is this sense in our country of some people wanting a strong man, wanting someone to kind of come in and solve all of our problems, sort of a leaning toward authoritarianism. And so we felt like this play was really timely because it was dealing with some of those issues,” Steele explained. “But as we began work on it, we realized we can’t do a political play, we need to do a play that tells the story. An

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - On Tuesday, February 20, 2024, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued charges on suspect Edvin Draganovic, 34 years of age, of the 8000 block of Pontiac Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri 63123, for Leaving the Scene of an Accident – Accident Resulting in Death and Driving While License Revoked/Suspended. A booking photo of Draganovic is attached. Draganovic is being held on $75,000 cash only, no 10%, bond. Please note, charges are merely an accusation and Defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. The probable cause statement reads: Witness was southbound on Mackenzie when he observed Defendant's pickup truck pull up alongside witness at the intersection of Mackenzie and Gravois. Witness noted the color, size, and distinct decals of Defendant's truck. Witness observed Defendant's truck do a burnout at the intersection and immediately travel at a high rate of speed southbound. Defendant passed around

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ALTON - Alton Little Theater is thrilled to announce that it's received permission to produce Kenneth Jones' most notable play, ALABAMA STORY for eight performances from March 15th through the 24th. This was a quest for Director Lee Cox, who first learned of the play's existence in 2019 when the St. Louis Repertory Theater produced the work before it was even officially released as a publication. Cox fell in love with the beautifully written and staged work and became rather obsessed with obtaining production rights as soon as possible - no small feat for a play destined for greatness and only available to professional theatres! But Cox waited patiently, kept in touch with the playwright, and secured the performance rights for ALT to anchor the remaining shows she would produce for the 90th Season at the Showplace. Cox and Gail Drillinger are co-directing the show, and Gail also takes on the leading role of Emily Wheelock Reed. The play is based upon the true story of her life

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), co-founder of the U.S. Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced over $206 million in support for Illinois to help clean up drinking water and upgrade water infrastructure throughout the state. The funding is part of the more than $50 billion investment in water infrastructure upgrades thanks to Duckworth’s Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (DWWIA), which she authored and was included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Almost half of this funding will be available as grants or principal forgiveness loans, ensuring funds reach underserved communities most in need of investments in water infrastructure. “I’m proud that this historic investment, which was made possible by my Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act in President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will help improve drinking water and wastewater infrastructur

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GODFREY - Due to increased patient volumes, OSF PromptCare (6702 Godfrey Road, Godfrey, IL 62035) announces new expanded daily offices hours. The new expanded daily office hours are: Monday-Saturday 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sunday 8 a.m. – 6 p.m OSF PromptCare’s new expanded daily office hours are effective immediately. “Utilization of walk-in clinics will only continue to rise, and not just here in the Riverbend region, but across the country,” says Sharon K. Tippett, Director, Physician Practices, OSF Healthcare – Medical Group in Alton. OSF PromptCare is a walk-in clinic designed to assess and treat sudden minor illnesses and injuries for patients when their primary care provider is busy or unavailable. In December 2023, OSF PromptCare was voted “Best Urgent Care” for the second consecutive year in the “Best of the Best” awards program sponsored by The Telegraph and Hearst Community Media Group. According to the 2023 US Physicia

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EDWARDSVILLE - Rebirth is the theme of Nichlas Hart’s pencil drawing, which was one of 100 pieces of art selected to be showcased during Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Annual Regional High School Juried Art Exhibition, Feb. 8-16. A total of 200 pieces were considered for the show. Hart, a junior at the SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS), said his piece, “Transfigure of the Shell,” was created out of a sense of him releasing negative emotions. “During the time of its creation, I had so many things going on in my everyday life, to the point where everything just became too much,” explained Hart. “I couldn’t do much of anything but listen to music. While listening, I fell in love with the album portals by Melanie Martinez and its visuals. The album and its visuals inspired me to make a version of myself within the world of the album. I put everything I felt onto the canvas. It was a way of letting everything g

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after the White House announced its intent to nominate Judge Nancy L. Maldonado to be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit, and Georgia Alexakis to be United States District Court Judge for the Northern District of Illinois. “We are pleased that President Biden is nominating Judge Nancy Maldonado to serve as a United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit, and Georgia Alexakis to serve as a United States District Court Judge for the Northern District of Illinois. These two Illinoisans have the qualifications, integrity, and judgment to serve with distinction. We look forward to their nominations being considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee and the full Senate and urge our colleagues to support them.” Judge Maldonado currently serves as a United States District

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ALTON - Alton High School math teacher David Dresch has received the Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award. During the Alton Community Unit School District #11 Board of Education’s regular meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, the Board recognized Dresch for his accomplishment. The Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award honors educators, from kindergarten instructors to college professors, in the Greater St. Louis region. Dresch has taught at Alton High School since 2006, and he was a student teacher in the school district before that. Alton High School Principal Mike Bellm noted Dresch’s commitment to his students and their success as a key reason why he is a deserving winner of the award. “At the heart of David’s teaching is creating excellent relationships with his students,” Bellm said. “He is a tremendous ninth-grade teacher because of his concern for the students and the way he gets to know them. He expects greatness out of his students

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ALTON - At 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, the Alton Police Department was notified of a traffic accident with injuries on College Avenue at the intersection with Main Street. Alton Police Officers and members of the Alton Fire Department immediately responded to the scene where they located an injured subject who was later flown to a St. Louis area hospital for treatment of potentially life-threatening injuries. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said a preliminary investigation revealed the injured individual, a 47-year-old male from Alton, was riding a bicycle through the intersection when struck by a truck traveling westbound. The driver of the truck remained on scene and is cooperating fully with the investigation. The cause of the traffic accident is still under investigation by the Alton Police Department's Traffic Division. Chief Ford said the injured male remains in the St. Louis Hospital in stable, but serious, condition.

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GODFREY - Godfrey is the next municipality in the Riverbend considering a camping ban on public property within the village. This follows similar ordinances passed in Alton and Wood River , though Godfrey stopped short of voting on the item at their meeting on Tuesday. Trustee Rick Lauschke said he’d like to table the proposed camping ban to have more time to review the item and weigh the “pros and cons” before casting a vote. He then made a motion to table the item, which was passed unanimously. The proposed ordinance would adopt an “anti-camping policy on public property within the Village of Godfrey,” with the intent to “maintain and further expand the economic vitality” of the village, and to “protect the safety of the general public,” according to the ordinance itself. Godfrey’s version of the ordinance contains similar wording to the one considered and passed last year by the Alton City Council

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MURPHYSBORO – The 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, announced today that he has endorsed U.S. Rep. Mike Bost in his campaign for re-election against challenger Darren Bailey. “Congressman Mike Bost is doing a fantastic job representing the Great People of Illinois’ 12th Congressional District. While I like and respect Darren Bailey, and was proud to campaign for him in 2022, Mike Bost was one of the first House Committee Chairmen to endorse my Campaign, and Mike was a stalwart supporter of our America First agenda during my record-setting Administration,” said President Trump. “As Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Mike is doing an incredible job providing our Brave and Patriotic Veterans with the care they deserve. He is working hard to Secure the Border, Champion American Agriculture, Strengthen the Military, Grow the Economy, and Protect and Defend our under siege Second Amendment. Mike Bost has my Complete

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COLLINSVILLE/MARYVILLE - Madison County Board member Paul Nicolussi recently appeared on “Our Daily Show!” at RiverBender.com to talk about the Madison County Conservative Caucus and the conflict and collaboration between Republicans and Democrats at the county level. Nicolussi, who identifies as “very conservative,” noted that it’s a “volatile time” within the Madison County Republican Party. He spoke about the conflict he has witnessed between “establishment Republicans” and other conservatives. The Conservative Caucus aims to provide a space for Madison County conservatives to come together regardless of party affiliation. “As a Republican, I just want to make sure I’m voting for a Republican, and that gets to the reason we started the caucus,” Nicolussi explained. “I think we are the gold standard of conservatism in Madison County now. We check all the boxes. We’re for parents’

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JERSEYVILLE - Several criminal charges including failure to register as a sex offender, resisting officers, retail theft, and more have been filed in Jersey County against several area individuals, according to recently released county court filings. Kyle D. Carter, 35, of Jerseyville, was charged with unlawful failure to register as a sex offender on Feb. 14, 2024. According to court documents, Carter failed to register with the Jersey County Sheriff’s Department within three days after establishing a residence in Jersey County, as mandated by the Child Sex Offender Registration Act. Carter faces a Class 3 felony and a warrant was issued for his arrest. According to a copy of his arrest warrant, Carter is to be held without pretrial release conditions in the custody of the Jersey County Sheriff until his initial appearance in court. Krisica L. Hancock, 35, of Wood River, faces two total charges including a Class 3 felony for attempted escape of a felon from a peace office

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ALTON – March, among other observances, is recognized as Lymphedema Awareness Month, and learning more about and promoting awareness of Lymphedema will be the focus at the March Lymphedema Education Meeting in Alton – sponsored by OSF Rehabilitation Services. Riverbend region residents are invited to join the OSF Lymphedema Therapy team for this free educational session about Lymphedema and meet other people with Lymphedema. The March Lymphedema education meeting will be held: Thursday, March 7, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. OSF HealthCare Rehabilitation Services 228 Alton Square Mall, Alton, IL (Enter the Rehab office from the upper Mall parking lot, facing Alby Street, under the "OSF HEALTHCARE" sign.) Interested individuals should direct questions or requests for additional information to OSF Rehabilitation Services at (618) 463-5171. Lymphedema refers to tissue swelling caused by an accumulation of fluid that is usually drained by the body's lymphatic

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ST. LOUIS - St. Louis County Police Department Bureau of Crimes Against Persons detectives and the Accident Reconstruction Unit are investigating a pedestrian fatally struck in the area of Mackenzie Road and Alpine Drive. The deceased has been identified as William Starr, 74 years of age, of the 9300 block of Mackenzie Road in St. Louis, Missouri 63123. At 7:16 PM, St. Louis County police officers from the Affton Southwest Precinct responded to a call for service for a motor vehicle crash in the area of Mackenzie Road and Alpine Drive. Arriving officers located an adult male that had been struck by a motor vehicle. Preliminary investigation revealed a motor vehicle was traveling southbound on Mackenzie Road when it struck the male in the roadway. The vehicle then left the scene. The male was pronounced deceased at the scene. The investigation is ongoing. Additional information will be disseminated as it becomes available. Please contact the St. Louis County Police Department at

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WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—lead sponsor of the Access to Family Building Act , which would protect every American’s right to access in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) services—issued the following statement after Alabama’s State Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos created during the IVF process are “children” under state law, threatening access to IVF for those who need it to start or grow their family: “Since the Supreme Court threw out Roe v. Wade, our nation has seen a wave of Republican-led states enacting strict abortion bans to severely limit their residents’ right to access basic reproductive care, leaving many hopeful parents—and those of us who relied on IVF to start and grow our own families—worried about whether access to these important technologies could be next. The ruling from the Alabama Supreme Court—effectively labeling

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WEST ALTON, MO. - Last week, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources conducted a prescribed controlled burn within the Edward "Ted" and Pat Jones-Confluence Point State Park. Many pointed out the smoke in the air to Riverbender.com and wanted to know the cause. Quinn Kellner, a parks superintendent at Confluence Point State Park, said the prescribed controlled burn is something they have done each year in recent years. “It is one time a year and it allows us to start fresh and it helps new things grow,” he said. “This does help us control willows and cottonwoods that are prevalent on the property. We think the prescribed burn was very successful and it has helped us get the appropriate plant species that belong there.” The park official said a lot of preparatory work goes into the prescribed burn. “We have plenty of staff available to cover the necessary areas and deal with the fire conditions that may come up. Believe it or not, some folks were

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FERGUSON, MO. - St. Louis County investigators said late Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, that the fire that took the lives of Bernadine Pruessner and her four children earlier in the day appears "suspicious in nature." St. Louis County investigators said Monday there was evidence of "criminal activity" at the fire scene. Preussner was an administrator at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey and well-respected in her role. The students, faculty and other administrators are in a state of grief on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, after the tragic fire. St. Louis County Police Department Bureau of Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating the fatal house fire that not only took the lives of the five individuals but three dogs. Elly and Ivy Preussner were 9-year-old twins who died in the fire and Jackson Spader, 5, and Miller Spader, 2, were the other two children who perished. Sgt. Tracy Panus, the St. Louis County Police spokesperson, had this statement Monday: "We don't really know

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