Riverbender 🕸

ALTON - Jenny L. Voss, 39, of Sandoval, Ill. was charged Friday with four counts of failure to report an accident involving personal injury or death and other charges. She is accused of being involved in an accident on Dec. 31 at Landmarks Boulevard and Clark Bridge in which two people were injured. Two of the charges are for allegedly failing to report, and two are for allegedly leaving the scene. Bail was set at $50,000. ALTON - Kevin J. Patton, 25, of the 300 block of Pine Street, Carrollton, was charged Friday with aggravated driving under the influence involving great bodily harm. He allegedly was involved in an accident on May 27 in the 100 block of West Broadway while under the influence of fentanyl and the active ingredient in marijuana. Bail was set at $50,000. EAST ALTON - Aaron R. Glover, 28, was charged Friday with aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer and obstruction of identification. He allegedly fled from the police at more than 21 mph over

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - The killer of three Bethalto residents sat still, staring straight ahead Friday as the survivors of his victims forgave him and a judge sentenced him to life in prison. Brady Witcher, 43, of Birmingham, Ala., made no statement on his own behalf before Circuit Judge Kyle Napp sentenced him to the mandatory life sentence. The law provides that a killer of more than one person must be sentenced to life. All three of the relatives said on the witness that they don’t hate Witcher and wished that God would make him change his ways. “I see a man whom God has kept alive for a reason,” said Amber Higgins, the sister of victims Andrew Brooks and daughter of victim Shari Yates of Bethalto. “I know you are not a cold psychopath. God can turn it around and use it for good. My mom would have forgiven you,” Higgins told Witcher. Higgins’ sister, Sarah Chalberg, expressed similar sentiments but pointed out how tragic the crimes have been t

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD – Due to the continued decrease in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, and increase in available ICU beds, the Illinois indoor mask requirement will end Monday, February 28, 2022, at 12:01 a.m. Since the Governor announced his plan to lift the indoor mask requirement, the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 has been cut in half and the number of ICU beds available increased by 24%. Illinois’ weekly COVID-19 case rate has also decreased by 70%, More than 8 million people in Illinois are fully vaccinated with an average of approximately 16,000 COVID-19 vaccines administered each day, including more than 4,600 first doses daily. “Throughout this pandemic, we’ve taken action to save lives and keep our economy open – and I’m proud that Illinoisans have done the hard work that has our made our state a leader in the Midwest,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Today, our hospitals are much better positioned to handle emergencies

Continue Reading

Daniel Stepp, age 36, of White Hall, Illinois, was arrested Wednesday morning by the White Hall Police Department. Stepp was charged with attempted burglary, burglary, possession of methamphetamine, criminal trespass on a residence, and theft greater than $300. Stepp had multiple Greene County arrest warrants and was previously charged on Monday night with criminal trespass of a building.

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) has issued new guidelines for masking at the university for the spring semester. While masks will be optional in most indoor common areas, they will still be required in a few places and situations. Effective February 28 - the day the Illinois indoor mask mandate ends - masks will be optional in “most indoor campus spaces” such as the Morris University Center, University Housing, and common areas of the Lovejoy Library, according to an email sent to students. “Individuals should have a face-covering available and are expected to wear one in a private office or living space when requested by the occupant,” the email states. That said, there are also a few areas masks are still required on campus. These include classrooms and lab spaces during in-person instruction, healthcare, and childcare settings, COVID testing, and vaccination sites, Cougar Shuttles, and certain university events. Thes

Continue Reading

SANGAMON COUNTY - Madison County’s challenge to a new judicial subcircuits rule was dismissed Thursday by Sangamon County Circuit Judge Ryan Cadigan. Madison County State’s Attorney Thomas Haine had previously sued for an order declaring the act unconstitutional. Legislators approved a Judicial Redistricting Act on Jan. 5 and it was signed by Gov. Pritzker. The new law would create new subcircuits in Madison County and also modifications are set to occur in Cook County. Republican lawmakers have vehemently opposed the creation of new subcircuits. Judge Cadigan had granted a temporary restraining order and after more analysis, determined to dismiss the challenge. Haine had previously described the decision to divide Madison County into three judicial subcircuits as “rotten to the core” and now says he will take the issue to the state Supreme Court. “We intend to appeal the judge’s decision on Thursday,” Haine said. “I think the law look

Continue Reading

Kelsey Jo Morris, age 31, of Jacksonville, Illinois, was arrested Monday night on multiple drug-related charges. Morris was charged with bringing contraband into a penal institution, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was arrested by and is currently detained at the Greenfield Police Department.

Continue Reading

David Bennett, age 27, of Macomb, Illinois, was arrested late Sunday night by the Greene County Sheriff's Office. Bennett was charged with endangering the life/health of a child, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license and speeding over the statutory limit. His release has since been secured by bond.

Continue Reading

WOOD RIVER - Junior Mia Siebert has been a successful varsity cheerleader for the East Alton-Wood River squad for three years and has been All-Conference each year. Alison Beachum is the cheerleading coach at EA-WR. She thanked her mom, her sister, Emma, and Coach Alison Beachum for always pushing me to be the best she can be and always giving her support through the years. “I started cheering for the Junior Football League in kindergarten and continued each year up to eighth grade as well as cheered at LCHJ,” she said. “While in high school I‘ve been on the varsity football and competition team for three years. My favorite part of cheerleading is the friendships I’ve made and being able to represent our school at sporting events.” One of Mia’s favorite things is every Sunday she visits her grandparents for lunch and enjoys baking and cooking with my grandma. She believes cheerleading has taught her hard work and dedication. “Cheer

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced today that Danielle Fischer, 29, of Edwardsville has been charged by a Madison County grand jury on six counts of criminal sexual assault, four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, and two counts of child pornography. Fischer was charged with these acts while serving as the victims’ teacher. “It is sickening to see figures of authority abuse children,” Haine said. “Working with the Madison County Child Advocacy Center, the State’s Attorney’s Office’s Children’s Justice Division is dedicated to punishing such crimes, and doing our part to protect the children of Madison County.” The criminal sexual assault charges are Class One felonies, and carry a sentence of 4-15 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). The aggravated criminal sexual abuse charges are Class 2 felonies, and carry a sentence of probation to 3-7 years in IDOC.

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD – Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 147,004 deer during all 2021-2022 archery and firearm seasons that concluded Jan. 16. The total preliminary deer harvest for all seasons compares with a total harvest for all seasons of 162,752 deer in 2020-2021. During the 2021-2022 deer seasons, hunters took 43.75% does and 56.25% males. Archery: Archery deer hunters in Illinois took a preliminary total of 67,637 deer during the season that began Oct. 1 and concluded Jan. 16. The total archery harvest during the 2020-2021 season was 75,106 deer. Youth: Youth deer hunters harvested a preliminary total of 1,829 deer during the three-day Illinois Youth Deer Season Oct. 9-11, compared to 2,322 in 2020. Traditional Firearm Season : Hunters took a preliminary total of 69,990 deer during the Illinois Firearm Deer Season Nov. 19-21 and Dec. 2-5, compared with 77,160 deer taken during the 2020 firearm season. Muzzleloader: Hunters using muzzleloading rifles

Continue Reading

A vehicle lost control on the ice at the Humbert and Washington railroad tracks about 5:40 a.m. on Friday, February 25, 2022. Train traffic was stopped, while the railroad tracks were cleaned. The arms and crossing gates encountered significant damage. There were no injuries reported in the accident.

Continue Reading

St. John’s Community Care is happy to announce that we partnered with Adaptive Equipment & Caregiver Corner. The team at Adaptive Equipment is helping to train St. John’s Community Care’s program assistants in the Adult Day Centers. They review best practices and strategies to assist those who may be unsteady or rely on a walker or cane for balance. They are collaborating with St. John’s to offer a Home Safety Evaluation to their families. The assessment allows for family caregivers from St. John’s to have objective, professional eyes walk through their home and make recommendations on changes that would make the home safer and more accessible for the caregiver and person with disabilities. “It’s an outstanding partnership, and our staff at St. John’s learned so many new ways to manage and assist our participants positively and respectfully,” said Stacey Rhodes, Adult Day Program Director. Adaptive Equipment & Caregiver Corner was

Continue Reading

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) hosted a town hall meeting Wednesday afternoon regarding racism at the university experienced by students, faculty and staff alike. At the meeting, students from the Black Unity Council shared a document with a list of demands for administration, and several campus community members shared their personal experiences. “In this document , you will find … a timeline of events that occurred at SIUE which reflects the systemic reoccurrence of racially-biased incidents for over a decade … as well as stats which support our stance that the university engages in the exploitation of its Black students and that they use us as a political formality,” said a member of the Black Unity Council at SIUE. “We’ve taken time to create a bulleted list of demands for administration to review,” they continued. “We don’t believe there’s anything in our list which the university can find

Continue Reading

ALTON - State Representative Amy Elik (R-Fosterburg) issued the following statement after the Sangamon County Circuit Court decision to maintain the Democrat’s scheme to change the way Madison County, Illinois voters elect their judges: “Regardless of today’s ruling, right is right, and wrong is wrong. The Democrat’s scheme to elect more Democrat judges by taking away the ability of Madison County voters to elect a judge countywide is just plain wrong. The Democrat-controlled legislature continues to pass laws that give themselves a competitive advantage, in this case, they overstepped their boundaries. I’m disappointed with the outcome but I remain optimistic that restoring integrity and fairness to the way we elect judges in Madison County will hold strong.”

Continue Reading

ALTON/EDWARDSVILLE - The Winter Weather Advisory for the St. Louis Region was extended to midnight by the National Weather Service and road conditions deteriorated in the second round of the winter storm on Thursday afternoon. Traffic flow at around 2 p.m. Thursday around the region was slow and trucks were out throughout the area salting. As predicted, there was considerable ice and slush on the roads after the second round of the winter storm. The NWS says the following: "Mixed precipitation. Additional snow accumulations less than half an inch, and ice accumulations less than one-tenth of an inch for portions of Southwest Illinois. Portions of east-central and southeast Missouri. "Plan on slippery road conditions," the NWS said. "The hazardous conditions could impact the Thursday evening commute." The roads Thursday afternoon had a small amount of traffic and the hope by NWS that many have stayed home during the storm. The NWS advised motorists to slow down and keep a distance

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD – An expansion of Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site’s popular new augmented reality – or AR – app is now available to visitors. The Grand Plaza AR tour launched Feb. 22 and joins the Monks Mound AR tour to offer a state-of-the-art experience for visitors. Users who purchased the Monks Mound app in December will receive The Grand Plaza free of charge upon updating their app. The Grand Plaza AR tour begins behind the Interpretive Center, which is the location of an ancient residential area outside of the Palisade, and follows the concrete trail around the Twin Mounds. In December, the Cahokia Mounds Museum Society (CMMS) launched the first phase of the product, which changes the way visitors experience Cahokia Mounds through leading-edge technology and catapulted the site to the forefront of Pre-Columbian interpretation. Planning for the app began in 2017. Since then, CMMS received two Digital Products for the Humanities grants funded by the National

Continue Reading

JEFFERSON CITY, MO - Pearl Embrey of Alton, IL, was recently named to the Dean's List of Lincoln University of Missouri (LU) in Jefferson City, Missouri, for the fall 2021 semester. The LU Dean's List comprises undergraduate students completing a full-time load of graded coursework with a minimum term GPA of 3.5. Lincoln University of Missouri is a historically Black, 1890 land-grant, public university that provides excellent educational opportunities to a diverse population within a nurturing, student-centered environment. Lincoln is known for its innovative undergraduate and graduate programs in agriculture, business administration, criminal justice, elementary education, nursing, business administration, guidance and counseling, and natural science. Located in Jefferson City, Missouri, Lincoln University was founded in 1866 by the men of the 62nd and 65th United States Colored Infantries and their white officers for the benefit of freed African Americans. The university boasts an

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS – United Way of Greater St. Louis is awarding over $9,900 to 12 philanthropic, service-based, student-led programs. The grants were awarded through the Student United Way program, which offers funding to student-led projects at colleges and universities across the region to equip students with skills in the areas of project development, evaluation, budgeting, and grant writing. The following programs were awarded up to $1,000 each in one-time grants: Food Recovery Network (Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville) is an area leader in community service for students and the future of hunger relief. Cougar Cupboard’s (Southern Illinois University -Edwardsville) mission is to minimize food insecurity and mitigate its associated stress through an inclusive and engaging environment. Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (Southern Illinois University -Edwardsville) works with facilities directly to determine what their immediate needs are. They deliver care

Continue Reading

ALTON - Main Street UMC’s, Team Honduras, is pleased to announce that they will be hosting their 9th Annual Just For Chicks event on Saturday, March 12, 2022 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the church located at 1400 Main Street in Alton. “This special fundraiser for the Team is a celebration of the ladies in our community,” said Greg Gelzinnis, Team Leader. Gelzinnis added “It will feature ladies-oriented vendors like Craft Garden, Sazzy Fashions, Tepen Hollow Designs, Everything’s Shiny Creations, Countryside Gardens, Window to my World Stained Glass, and The Bag Ladies just to name a few.” As in previous years, spa opportunities & chair massage by Fitness for the Soul will also be offered. An assortment of homemade soups and salads prepared by Team Honduras members will be on the lunch menu, and the day’s speaker will help the ladies unravel the kNOTS in their life. Just For Chicks IX Guest Speaker, Tammy Tiller-Hewitt FACHE, is the

Continue Reading