Riverbender 🕸

EDWARDSVILLE - Junior pitcher Alex Siatos tossed a very good complete game for Alton in their 2-1 loss to Collinsville in the IHSA Class 4A regional semifinals on May 24 at Tom Pile Field in Edwardsville, allowing two runs on six hits while walking one and striking out three. For the season, Siatos was 2-7 with an ERA of 3.60, walking 18 while striking out 38 in 60.3 innings pitched as the Redbirds finished the season 10-23. Siatos also hit .281 during the season with no homers and seven RBIs and an on-base percentage of .390. Siatos is an Auto Butler Male Athlete of the Month for the Redbirds. It was a very well-played game by both the Kahoks and Redbirds, with Alton taking the lead in the top of the third, only to see Collinsville counter with the two runs that would eventually decide the game in the home half. Still, there was no shame in the outcome of the game and Siatos had some mixed feelings during his postgame interview. "I mean, I feel good and bad at the same time," Siatos

Continue Reading

ALTON - The Alton Amphitheater Commission is excited to announce initial events for the 2023 season, highlighted by the I LOVE THE 90s TOUR at 8 p.m. on Friday, August 4, 2023. The I LOVE THE 90s TOUR invites attendees to reminisce about the trend-setting decade of the 1990s with some of the most iconic, indelible names in rap, hip hop, and R&B. The evening includes performances by iconic ‘90s artists Vanilla Ice, Rob Base, All 4 One, and Tag Team. “A Friday night on the Alton Riverfront with an exciting lineup of iconic ‘90s artists will be a great night for Alton and the region,” said Dan Herkert, Alton Amphitheater Commission Chair. “The Amphitheater Commission is excited to bring yet another national act to our riverfront to anchor the 2023 season.” Tickets for the I LOVE THE 90s TOUR go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 26, 2023, at www.Metrotix.com and through MetroTix outlets. VIP tickets will sell for $120.00 per person, reserved tickets

Continue Reading

SOUTH ROXANA - On May 25, 2023, the South Roxana Police Department the South Roxana Police Department obtained charges on multiple felony cases through the Madison County States Attorney’s Office. Elizabeth Hargroves, 32, of South Roxana, has been charged with multiple offenses listed below: COUNT I: UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE (CLASS 2) in that said defendant knowingly possessed more than 5 grams, but less than 15 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine. COUNT II: UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A FORGED LICENSE PLATE (CLASS 2) in that said defendant possessed a license plate with a purported Missouri registration number knowing it to have been forged or counterfeited. COUNT III: DRIVING WHILE LICENSE REVOKED (CLASS 4) in that said defendant drove a motor vehicle bearing Missouri registration number WI050-00I, upon a public way, being Sinclair Ave, Madison County, Illinois, at a time in which the defendant's license was revoked, due to a 2015 conviction for

Continue Reading

JERSEYVILLE - The date, time, and route of the 2023 Memorial Day Parade in Jerseyville have officially been announced. This year’s parade will take place on Monday, May 29 at 9 a.m. Parade participants will start lining up from 8:15 to 8:30 a.m. on West Prairie Street between Wells-Norris Tire & Auto and Domino's Pizza. The parade will then officially start at 9 a.m. The parade will proceed north on State Street before turning east on Pearl Street. It will then head east on Spruce Street, traveling to Oak Grove Cemetery, where a Memorial Day ceremony will be held shortly after the parade. Gregory Breden, superintendent of the Veterans Assistance Commission of Jersey County, said: “We highly recommend that you bring your lawn chairs.” In case of rain, the parade will be canceled and the ceremony will be moved to the American Legion Post 492 under the big pavilion. The host of this year’s Memorial Day Parade will be Veterans of Foreign Wars 4528.

Continue Reading

ATCHISON, Kan. - Benedictine College has recognized those students who have distinguished themselves academically during the last semester, which ended May 9, 2023. Any full-time student carrying a minimum of 12 hours and a perfect 4.0-grade point average through the spring term is named to the President's list. Full-time students with 12 hours and a grade point average of 3.5 to 3.95 are named to the Dean's List. Of the 2,234 students on campus for the 2022-2023 academic year, 166 made the President's List and 698 made the Dean's List. These students from Alton were recognized with academic honors from Benedictine College: Faith Becker, Dean's List Anna O'Connor, Dean's List Thao-Vy Tran, Dean's List Founded in 1858, Benedictine College is a Catholic, Benedictine, residential, liberal arts college located on the bluffs above the Missouri River in Atchison, Kansas. The school is proud to have been named one of America's Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report as well as on

Continue Reading

GRAFTON - Jersey County Circuit Clerk Daniel Schetter presented Grafton Police Chief Eric Spanton and Mayor Morrow with a check in the amount of $5,000 at the City Council meeting on May 16. Mr. Schetter’s goal was to help the smaller cities in Jersey County to bolster government services, and Grafton is one of the beneficiaries. The gift was made possible through his office from traffic ticket revenue in the county. “We need to work together to help each other and to make our communities safer for everyone,” Mr. Schetter said. Chief Spanton said, “This money will be used to purchase new handheld radios with improved reception, which will enhance officer safety and allow quicker response time.” The county provided funds last year to transition Grafton police cruisers from analog to digital radios. “We are very grateful for the continued support from the county,” said Mayor Morrow. Grafton City council meetings are held on the third Tuesday

Continue Reading

ALTON – Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that lane closures will be encountered on the U.S. Route 67 Clark Bridge over the Mississippi River. IDOT said traffic will be reduced to one lane in the direction indicated during the following dates and times, weather permitting: May 30 - June 1 - Southbound Right Lane Closed - 9 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. June 2 - Northbound Right Lane Closed - 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. June 3 - 4 - Northbound Right Lane Closed - 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. IDOT said these lane closures are necessary to allow for the completion of cable inspections scheduled for this structure. "Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area," IDOT said. "To avoid the work area, when feasible, the use of alternate routes should be considered. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices, and be alert for workers and

Continue Reading

GRAFTON - Grafton has its Third Annual Memorial Day Commemoration Ceremony planned for noon on Monday, May 29, 2023, at the Whalen-Hill American Legion Post 648's World War I Monument overlooking the cemetery. “There will be a short ceremony honoring our nation’s fallen military members followed by a twenty-one-gun salute by the Legion’s Honor Guard and the playing of Taps,” Mayor Mike Morrow announced. Afterward, a light lunch will be provided by the Auxiliary in the Legion Hall. The Grafton mayor, also a veteran, said the ceremony is open to the public with parking available at the Legion Post, 14258 Scenic Drive, Grafton IL., 62037. He said in the case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held indoors. The American Legion Post #648 Auxiliary will be handing out poppies from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, May 27th and 28 th , at the intersection of Illinois Routes 3 and 100. They will also be accepting donations. Morrow emphasized

Continue Reading

ALTON - As work continues on the ongoing sewer separation project around Alton, road conditions are still ever-changing. Above is the updated map of which roads and intersections are closed. Below is information about road closures beginning May 25: Southbound Belle Street south of Hamilton Street to 10th Street remains closed to all traffic. Please use 20th/Madison Ave. or 16th Streets to access State Street to the west, or US 67 and/or Alby Streets to the east. Access to Bo’s Hardware and Maher Automotive should use Belle Street, south from 20th Street, for easy access to these businesses. The barricades are staggered to allow business and local resident traffic to these locations at 16th Street. 10th Street remains closed west of US 67 to local traffic only. Sewer work is progressing north up 9th Street, currently north of Coppinger Road. Watermain installation work is nearing completion with only minor work remaining. Pavement restoration work is continuing on

Continue Reading

People everywhere are enjoying the great outdoors after a long, bitter winter. But before you head out for that hike, health care experts remind you to take precautions to avoid tick bites. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates around 300,000 people are infected with Lyme disease each year, and is now warning people to be on the lookout for signs and symptoms of the disease, which is usually contracted through tick bites. Tina Barton, Infection Preventionist at OSF HealthCare says there are tell-tale signs of Lyme disease, including a rash around the bite mark that takes the shape of a bulls-eye. "If you get infected, then it starts out with a rash. The rash may not appear for like three days or so and then it’s followed by a lot of like flu-like symptoms," said Barton. "So it can be fatigue and sore throats and things like that can go along with it too.” When caught early, Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics. However, when untreated the disease

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Metro East Lutheran High School released its Fourth Quarter Honor Roll lists. To view them, please click the link below. Metro East Lutheran High School Fourth Quarter Honor Roll

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON DC - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement commending the Honorable Alvaro Bedoya, Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), for enforcing the three Civil Investigative Demand (CID) requests the FTC issued to three infant formula manufacturers that bid on contracts to provide formula through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). “I applaud the FTC for following through on its investigative efforts to examine this vital industry and root out potential anticompetitive behavior in this highly concentrated marketplace so that families everywhere have access to and can afford the formula they need to feed their babies,” said Duckworth. “Ensuring the infant formula industry promotes effective competition and more resilient supply chains remains a critical national priority. This action by the FTC demonstrates the Commission is appropriately

Continue Reading

GODFREY – The Village of Godfrey consultant - Good Energy - has informed the village that Ameren Illinois has established its new residential electric rate for customers in the Godfrey area and these rates should be released by June 1. Although the rate filings are not yet official, the preliminary rates for Ameren BGS-1 Residential, which would be from June 2023 – May 2024, are estimated to be $0.08450-$0.08650. However, residents need to also know the newly filed rate can return to an upward swing anytime during that period. These new rates are lower than Godfrey’s current municipal electrical aggregation contract with Constellation New Energy which is $0.1220. With the extreme volatility in the energy markets, in terms of both commodity and capacity, aggregation programs have deviated away from the primary goal of consistently saving the residents money to seeking the best available rates and allowing those rates to be insurance and protection during volatile

Continue Reading

GRANITE CITY - Granite City High School English teacher Ashley Richey was selected to receive a $1,000 Book Love Grant from the Book Love Foundation to expand her classroom library. With this $1,000 grant, Richey will be able to purchase a wide variety of new books to expand her classroom library and give students a diverse selection of books to independently read. "The Book Love Foundation is providing me with the opportunity to expand my classroom library and guide students into the wonderful world of reading," said Richey. "I am ecstatic to give my students more reading selections and allow them to be immersed in a book of their choice." Richey is in her second year at GCHS and teaches freshmen and sophomores in English 2A and 4. She graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2021 with a bachelor of arts degree in secondary English education. "Ashley began her teaching career at Granite City High School in our English Department and had an immediate impact,"

Continue Reading

WOOD RIVER – Refuge was joined for a night of hope and inspiration by nearly 350 community members at their 8th Annual Fundraising Dinner on April 20, 2023. On a mission to change the lives of Madison County children affected by trauma, the non-profit holds its fundraising dinner during Child Abuse Prevention Month every April. Next year’s dinner will be held on April 18, 2024, at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey. “Our community showed up for our most vulnerable population, and we can’t thank them enough for their support,” said Executive Director Erin Bickle. “Refuge is 100% community funded, so it truly takes all of us to provide the hope and healing needed by so many children in our area.” Since 2014, Refuge has served children and families who have experienced the trauma of abuse, neglect, or exposure to violence. Refuge works to prevent the potential lifelong social, emotional, and physical impacts of trauma through a holistic

Continue Reading

GRAFTON - Get ready to make a SPLASH! Raging Rivers WaterPark opens for its 2023 season on Saturday, May 27th. The park features a wave pool, endless lazy river, body flumes, tube rides, family interactive play area, the Mississippi Monster, and more. If you're looking for unlimited fun all summer long, Season Passes are on sale for $59.99 and the Platinum Pass is $74.99 through June 12th. The 2023 Season Pass comes with a variety of benefits including: Unlimited Visits Exclusive Offers throughout the season One Bring-A-Friend Free Ticket (good for a 1-time visit with a Platinum Pass) Free Parking (with a Platinum Pass) One-day admission tickets can be purchased online starting at $21.99. The earlier you buy, the more you save. At the gate, admission is by height. Over 42" is $36.99, under 42" and Seniors over age 60 are $26.99, and children aged 2 years old and under are admitted free. The park will also be celebrating educators and all school staff this weekend with School

Continue Reading

ALTON - Alton City Council members denied two requests for additional ARPA funds from the city’s Police and Fire Departments at their meeting on Wednesday, May 24. The Police Department was seeking $27,970.33 to purchase 15 Bola Wrap devices, while the Fire Department was seeking $47,481.87 for two new motors for their rescue boat as well as repairs to Fire Station #2. Both requests failed to receive approval from the Committee of the Whole at their meeting on Monday, May 22 - at that meeting, the Fire Department’s request was unanimously shot down with “no” votes from each council member. The Bola Wraps request never received a motion and failed without a vote. Since both items “failed in committee,” the City Council took no further action on them, effectively denying both requests. A full recording of the May 24 meeting is available at the top of this story or on the Riverbender.com Facebook page .

Continue Reading

MARYVILLE - The 27 th annual Anderson Hospital Foundation Golf Tournament was held on May 8 th at the Sunset Hills Country Club in Edwardsville. The event featured 18 holes of golf. Contests included: Men’s and Women’s Longest Drive and Men’s and Women’s Closet to the Pin, Buy a Drive and a Putting Contest. “We were lucky to have a beautiful day and we have a great group of sponsors who support us each year as well as 137 golfers who played in our tournament!” said Lori St. John, Director of Development. The winners of the tournament were Alan Dombrowski, Don Harris, Cord Dombrowski and Jack Connell The team’s final score was (-15). The event was a great success, raising a total of $20,605.00. The Foundation allocates funds for capital projects and programs for Anderson Hospital.

Continue Reading

ALTON - At 10:26 a.m. on Wednesday, May 24, the Alton Police Department was notified of a traffic crash with injuries on College Avenue near the intersection with Clawson Street. Alton Police Officers, Alton Fire Department members, and other area EMS service personnel responded quickly to the scene. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said the preliminary investigation revealed that the at-fault driver was traveling west on College Avenue when his vehicle drifted right and into the designated parking area on the street. "In doing so, his vehicle struck a trailer that was attached to a City of Alton-owned vehicle," he said. "The vehicle and trailer were legally parked in that area as the City of Alton employees were making beautification efforts ahead of the Memorial Day Parade. Several City of Alton employees were on and/or near the trailer when it was struck causing them to be thrown from the trailer and pinned underneath it. "All four City of Alton employees were injured. Three were

Continue Reading

CARROLLTON - The annual Greene County Agricultural Fair is returning for 2023 with a full lineup of grandstand events, shows, live music, and much more. This year’s fair will run from Tuesday, May 30 to Saturday, June 3. Adult Single Admission Tickets will be available for $4 until the last weekend of the fair, when those tickets will be $5. Children under 12 will be admitted for free. Festivities will kick off on Tuesday, May 30 with the Sheep Show at 8 a.m. That evening, the Miss Greene County Fair Pageant will be held in the grandstands at 6:30 p.m. and the Art Hall will be open from 5 to 7 p.m. Ticket prices for the pageant are $6 for General Admission and $12 for Reserved Seating. Wednesday, May 31 will start with the Steer Weigh-in at 8:30 a.m., followed by Harness Racing that evening at 6:00 p.m. in the grandstands. Tickets for the Harness Races are $2 each. The Beef Show and Swine Show will start at 8 a.m. on Thursday, June 1, and the Rodeo and 4H Weigh-in

Continue Reading