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ALTON - Head over to Jacoby Arts Center from 6-8 p.m. on Dec. 2 for the Opening Reception of the newest exhibit “Art to Make You Smile” by Rich Brooks. Every First Friday of the month at Jacoby is a free fun open art night for the community and artists to explore the arts together. Everyone is welcome to join in on the fun. This First Friday at Jacoby brings you a bright and beautiful collection of work by our featured artist, Rich Brooks, live music by Casting Runes, a St. Louis based band offering acoustic world music with guitar, drums, mandolin and vocals as well as culinary creations by Louie’s Pizzeria, a Sicilian pizza pop-up using the best ingredients possible from Alton and the surrounding areas. What Rich Brooks has to say about “Art To Make You Smile” - “This show was totally painted outside in the elements. I established an easel in front of my house as COVID was raging, on March 23, 2020. Since then I have painted nearly every day,

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EDWARDSVILLE - A ruptured gas pipe in a field on the east side of Edwardsville late Monday afternoon forced the temporary closure of a portion of Illinois Route 143. The Edwardsville Fire Department shut down Route 143 between Staunton Road and Goshen Road (east of Interstate 55) just before 5 p.m. There was no immediate danger to anyone who lives in the area. An update was issued later Monday night: "One lane of traffic on Route 143 has reopened, but drivers are asked to please be cautious and heed the guidance of first responders as traffic alternates between the eastbound and westbound directions." The Edwardsville Fire Department is being assisted in this matter by the Marine Fire Department. Drivers were asked to avoid the area as the road is likely to remain closed for the next several hours while Ameren works to bypass the broken pipe. Fire Chief James Whiteford said those needing to travel east along the route could drive south on Staunton Road, then east on Goshen Road and

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ST. LOUIS - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is hosting four public workshops for the Melvin Price Locks and Dam water control manual revision. Workshops will be held Tuesday, Dec. 13 from 1–3 p.m. and from 6–8 p.m. at the National Great Rivers Museum located at #2 Locks and Dam Way in Alton, Illinois, and Thursday, Dec. 15 from 1–3 p.m. and from 6–8 p.m. at the Grafton City Hall located at 118 E Main St. in Grafton, Illinois. Information will be available at the workshop regarding the Melvin Price water control manual revision, current operations, and proposed raising of maximum drawdown. All interested persons are invited to attend the workshops and provide comments. Representatives from the St. Louis District Water Control Office will be present to answer questions and provide information.

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BOND COUNTY - A 63-year-old Mulberry Grove male died in a fatal three-vehicle crash on Illinois Route 127 at Illinois Route 143 in Bond County at 4:18 p.m. on Friday, November 25, 2022. The man who died in the crash was identified by ISP as Robert L. Elmore. This is the ISP preliminary report on the crash: WHAT: Three-Vehicle Fatal Traffic Crash WHERE: Illinois Route 127 at Illinois Route 143, Bond County WHEN: November 25, 2022, at approximately 4:18 p.m. VEHICLES: Unit 1- 2013 Black Dodge Journey Unit 2- 2016 Gray Ford F250 Unit 3- 2004 Red Chrysler Town and Country DRIVERS: Unit 1- Robert L. Elmore, 63-year-old male from Mulberry Grove, IL – Deceased Unit 2- Justin P. Benhoff, 42-year-old male from Carlyle, IL – Transported to an area hospital with injuries. Unit 3- Ariel L. Bly, 25-year-old female from Greenville, IL – Transported to an area hospital with injuries.

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BETHALTO - Bethalto Police Chief Mike Dixon announced another sizable donation for the department’s Christmas For All Event. Ross Laux, of Laux Brickhouse Grille in Bethalto, donated $1,000 for the event. Dixon said the donation brings the total raised to $17,340 for the fund-raising campaign. “Thank you Ross and Dawn Laux for supporting our program and this community,” Chief Dixon said. “Together, we are going to make this holiday season one to remember for a number of needing families in our region.” If you want to request to be part of the program or have a family you would like to recommend please leave a message on the Bethalto Police Facebook or contact Chief Dixon at 618-377-5266 ext. 7 or by email at mdixon@bethaltopolice.org. Participants of the program may purchase toys, clothes, food, or other essentials during their shopping event. Children from 0 to 18 are eligible, and the number of participants chosen depends upon the number of contributions

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GLEN CARBON - The Glen Carbon Heritage Museum halls are now decked with lighted trees and wreaths for display throughout the holiday season. The tree's lights were turned on Friday, Nov. 25. The museum will be open for special hours over the holidays so that visitors can vote for their favorites. Prizes will be awarded to winners in each category. Samantha Doolin, the coordinator for Glen Carbon Heritage Museum, said they wanted to get people in the museum for the holidays and she thought why not have businesses and clubs submit trees they could put in the museum decorated with colorful lights? “I am happy with the response we have had,” she said. “We have had 18 trees contributed and sponsored by everyone from the Glen Carbon Police Association, to Twisted Biscuit and Heartland Animal Hospital and many more. “I am happy how excited people are in taking part and getting kids and families back in the museum. The museum smells of the holiday spirit and it looks

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PONTOON BEACH - After the success of last year’s inaugural run, the Madison County Transit (MCT) “Holiday Buses” will be back on the streets this December. In the spirit of giving, MCT is surprising riders with the gift of free public bus rides for passengers who happen to board an MCT “Holiday Bus” throughout the month of December. Beginning December 1, and lasting until December 31, MCT will be deploying the “Holiday Bus” on three MCT buses of varying sizes throughout Madison County each day. Passengers will know they’re boarding a “Holiday Bus” when they discover that the farebox has been festively wrapped as a present, representing the gift of a free ride. Additional festive decorations have also been merrily added to the buses as well. A “Holiday Bus” will be randomly assigned to three different runs every day in December in hopes of spreading a bit of holiday cheer to as many riders as possible throughout th

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EDWARDSVILLE – Town and Country Bank is excited to announce that Eric Crony will serve as Branch Manager of our Edwardsville branch. “Town and Country Bank is excited to welcome Eric as the newest addition to our Branch Services team. His deep experience in the financial world will prove to be an asset for the community,” said Wendy Kernan, EVP, Chief Technology and Operations Officer. “I look forward to growing our loan and deposit base in the Edwardsville and Glen Carbon areas. The university (SIUE) continues to fuel strong economic growth in the Edwardsville area, and I want to see Town and Country Bank capture a greater market share,” said Crony. In addition to his 30 years of experience in the banking and credit industry, Eric is also in the U.S. Navy Reserve, with nearly 20 years of military experience. Eric earned his Master’s Degree in Management from Fontbonne University in St. Louis. Eric also has several achievements, including the Global

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JERSEYVILLE - U.S. Customs and Border Patrol intercepted a shipment of 422 counterfeit Super Bowl rings that were en route from China to Jerseyville, according to a recent press release from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol . Jerseyville Police Chief Brad Blackorby said his department has not been contacted by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol or involved in the investigation. As such, they were not able to provide any further details about the case at this time. According to the release, federal authorities seized the rings earlier this month in St. Louis for violating an NFL trademark by depicting the Lombardi Trophy logo. They displayed no other team names or logos, possibly to allow the buyer to customize them before reselling, according to CBP spokesman Steve Bansbach. More information about this case is available here . Stay tuned to Riverbender.com for more details as they become available.

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GRAFTON - Friday night, November 25, Grafton’s Christmas tree at Grove Memorial Park came alive in a blaze of colored lights as the crowd sang “Here Comes Santa Claus” — and Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived right on cue. The City held its annual tree-lighting event to welcome the holiday season. Nikki Brooks entertained all and led the group in a Christmas carol sing-a-long. Hot chocolate provided by the Grafton Pub warmed the crowd as they enjoyed cookies and Christmas camaraderie. Brisk temperatures added to the festivities and couldn’t dampen the town’s holiday spirit as children shared their secret wishes with Santa and photos with the jolly old elf were available to all. The Community Outreach Committee chaired by Alderwoman Donna Smith organized the event for the City. “This is the first year that our Committee has had the responsibility to put on this event,” commented Alderwoman Smith. “We are planning to make this tree

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ALTON - In order to continue to receive the benefits of the Metro East electricity municipal aggregation program, the best option is to do nothing. Many residents in the Metro East (see list below) electricity service area have received confusing communications suggesting that they must soon make a choice to change their supplier. This is not accurate. To be clear: Your community has already selected a competitive supplier, Constellation NewEnergy, to recommence the electricity aggregation program starting in February 2023. Constellation NewEnergy’s rate will be a 22-month term at $0.1210 compared to Ameren’s Basic Service Rate of $0.12236. An Opt-out letter for the new program will be sent out in the next few weeks. Metro East customers participate in a municipal aggregation program that combines the purchasing power of 28 communities to secure reliable, cost-effective power for approximately 130,000 homes. At a time of rising costs and turmoil in the energy markets, municipal

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WOOD RIVER - Downtown Wood River was packed with families for a visit with Santa Claus and a petting zoo, plus businesses were open for visitors, and many offered special Christmas beverages and food items. “We had Santa along Ferguson and it was sponsored by the Police Association and enrichment network of downtown,” Wood River Mayor Tom Stalcup said. “Several of the businesses had a great crowd and treated people with cookies and punch for a neat event.” Wood River Police Chief Brad Wells said before the event, some of the residents said they were having a difficult time getting their kids in for different Santa events, so they took the situation into their own hands and created this new addition to Small Business Saturday with the petting zoo. Mayor Stalcup said the Wood River businesses had a lot of success on Saturday.

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ALTON - The Annual Green Gift Bazaar had 40-plus “green” vendors and a wide variety of environmentally friendly gift ideas on Saturday in Downtown Alton. The event was held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Small Business Saturday in Downtown Alton at both the Post Commons and Jacoby Arts Center. Alton Main Street Executive Director Sara McGibany said this was the 20th anniversary of the Green Bazaar with a strong crowd of shoppers at both locations the whole day through. “Driving around and seeing all the foot traffic throughout downtown you could tell that our community really came out in force for Small Business Saturday, and we thank everyone who chose to support our local retailers and restaurants for this important occasion.” The crowd was strong throughout the six hours and many walked away with unique, locally-made, friendly gifts for their loved ones from herbal products, jewelry, ornaments, houseplants, clothing and so much more.

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EAST ALTON – This year, the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC) is partnering with Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Community Oriented Digital Engagement Scholars (CODES) to solve key issues in the region. CODES is a new program offered through SIUE that takes an innovative approach to educating its students, focusing on real-world experiences and collaboration, hands-on learning and creating strong faculty-student connections. This year, the 25 CODES students are focusing on Alton, and students are working to study the resiliency spatial justice in the face of a changing climate. Three local nonprofits were chosen to work with a cohort of students. In addition to NGRREC, the other nonprofit organizations included in this year’s program are the YWCA of Southwestern Illinois and the National Council of Negro Women – Alton. “NGRREC was chosen for their emphasis on the river and their rootedness to the region and to the

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CHICAGO - Two Metro East Illinois organizations are among those statewide recently awarded grants through two programs that together provided nearly $3 million this year to help improve the oral and overall health of Illinoisans. These grant programs aiming to improve health care across the state through education and access to quality care are the COVID-19 Renewal Grant program, funded by Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation and Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation, and Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation’s Community Grants program. Metro East Illinois recipients of Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation Community Grants include: Bond County Health Department, Greenville $20,000 Bond County Health Department has a rural dental clinic that plans to see more than 2,750 children annually. This grant will be utilized to upgrade equipment in their clinic which will allow them to see more Medicaid patients and more children in the school setting. Riverbend Head Start

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COLLINSVILLE – In what has become a local holiday tradition, some of the area’s best local musicians will be putting on a festive holiday concert to help provide a meal and toys for 200 needy families in the Collinsville area. Sponsored by Laura Buick and Old Herald Brewery & Distillery, JingleJam III is slated for 7:15-9:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3 at HeraldSquare, 115 E. Clay St. It’s the same night as Collinsville’s annual Light Up Parade and Old Herald’s Island of Misfit Toys Market. The show will feature five local performers and bands and will benefit the Collinsville Food Pantry’s annual holiday drive. The drive provides the 200 families with a holiday dinner; at least three toys for each child in the household; and a ball, game, and blanket. “The JingleJam has become one of my favorite nights of the year,” said Collinsville Food Pantry Fund Committee Coordinator Judith Grantham. “The music is amazing, it’s sooooo much

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ALTON - The 63rd Annual Great River Road Run once again brought in runners from across the country and had a big impact economically on Alton with 400-plus runners who signed up. “I just recently heard there was somebody from Newfoundland here,” Race Director Russ Colona said. “We get them from all over. A few years ago I looked and we had runners from 26 different states running this race. “People come by and wave at me. They are happy and having a good time and that is great to see.” Kayleigh, a runner, said they heard about the race from a friend and wanted to come out and give it a try. We heard the views along the river were great and it is a great way to spend the Saturday after Thanksgiving.” Margaret Dublo said she had run the race for the past six years, but took this year off to support her son who was 17 and running. I know quite a few runners in the running community. My cousin is running the race and I am supporting him. It is

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WATERLOO - First National Bank of Waterloo is bringing financial literacy education to over 1,420 students in several counties in Illinois. Students at 17 schools have free access to Banzai, an award-winning online program and content library that allows users to practice real-world finance from the safety of their home or classroom using any internet-enabled device. At a time when a solid foundation of practical financial knowledge is critical, these resources will make a huge impact on users. All of these resources are available to students at home or in the classroom via any device that can access the internet. "Banzai is a web-based financial literacy program. Kids get their own accounts, and they work through assignments that are based on real life," says Morgan Vandagriff, co-founder of Banzai. "But because First National Bank of Waterloo is sponsoring it, local schools get it for free. More than ever, it's important that kids develop sound financial skills to prepare them for

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A left ventricular assist device allows blood to bypass the weak part of the heart. It can be temporary or permanent depending on the patient. “You may have six months to live.” The words hit Rick Kurth like a ton of bricks. Since 2004, the attorney from Danville, Illinois, had been managing a virus in the left ventricle of his heart. On March 23, 2022, Rick was at an Indianapolis, Indiana, hospital, and he thought he was going home after some tests. Instead, doctors told the then-72 year-old that his heart was not pumping blood the way it needed to. In other words, it was failing. Even worse, Rick says the providers told him he was not a candidate for a new heart. So, after some initial skepticism and talks with his wife Dianne, Rick accepted a new partner in his life - one with wires and batteries that would be with him every second of every day: a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). “A lot times I forget I even have it on,” Rick chuckles, reflecting

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EDWARDSVILLE - Dr. Andy Dykeman and Jennifer Dykeman are well-known in art circles around the region for their creative skills. Andy and Jennifer will be exhibiting new art at Sacred Grounds Cafe in Edwardsville from December 2, 2022, until January 15, 2023. The Dykeman will have an opening celebration from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, December 2, 2022. Refreshments will be served. The show is curated and sponsored by The Gogh Getters. Dr. Dykeman is a Chiropractic Physician at Rosewood Chiropractic Clinic in East Alton who played drums in the influential pop punk band, judge nothing. His paintings reflect his observations of external influences on our mental, spiritual and physical health. Jennifer Dykeman is an Art Therapist and Grief Counselor at Evelyn’s House in Creve Coeur. Her analog collages and paintings involve themes of life, death, regeneration, energy, and movement and she considers herself an intuitive artist drawing on psychological and philosophical theories learned

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