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CHICAGO – Acting to address a sharp increase in congenital syphilis cases among newborns, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is urging healthcare providers to conduct more testing for the sexually transmitted infection in advance of birth and is launching a new phone line to provide clinical consultation for providers who treat pregnant patients and newborns. The service called the Perinatal Syphilis Warmline (at 1-800-439-4079) comes in response to an almost tripling in the number of congenital syphilis cases in Illinois since 2021. There were 29 cases in the state in 2020, 50 cases in 2021 and 84 cases in 2022. Calls will be answered within a day. “The best way to protect Illinois’s babies from congenital syphilis is for pregnant people to get tested and treated for sexually transmitted infections before birth,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “These rising rates of congenital syphilis are alarming, and IDPH is responding with new

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LAKE FOREST— Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) were joined today by local officials and community leaders to celebrate a new $18.3 million pump station and other safety upgrades at Deerpath Road and Skokie Highway (U.S. 41) in Lake Forest, a project made possible by the Rebuild Illinois capital program. The improvements address longtime flooding issues, provide more resilient infrastructure, and enhance regional mobility. “When I took office almost five years ago, it was time to put the past behind us and modernize the basic foundations of our state,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Thanks to a more than $18 million investment made possible by Rebuild Illinois, we have entirely relocated and reconstructed the existing pump station, built two new detention ponds to handle any excess flow from the pump station, in addition to making multiple safety improvements that alleviate flooding and guarantee access to this major roadway.

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EAST ST. LOUIS – An inmate already serving a federal sentence entered a guilty plea to new charges Thursday, admitting he threatened to murder a federal judge and former federal probation officer and blow up a U.S. District courthouse. Richard L. Russell, 57, pled guilty to two counts of retaliating against a federal official, two counts of mailing threatening communications and one count of threatening to destroy a building by fire or explosion, namely the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse in St. Louis. U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe spoke out strongly against Russell's charges: “Threats against the lives of federal judges and probation officers will be met with equally severe punishment. “The defendant intended to disrupt operations and endanger workers at the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse, and I commend the U.S. Marshals Service for their work investigating and thwarting the threats.” According to court documents, Russell was serving a 112-month

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ALTON - The Alton Police Department responded to a report of a gunshot victim at 8:41 a.m. on Nov. 3, 2023, in the 2000 block of Agnes Street in Alton. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said officers and detectives as well as members of the Alton Fire Department arrived and located the victim. The victim was provided with immediate medical attention on scene and then transported by the Alton Fire Department to a local hospital. The victim was later flown to a St. Louis area hospital for further treatment. There is no known threat to the public at this time. The investigation is still ongoing with detectives following up on all available information. Anyone with information is asked to call the Alton Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division at 618-463-3505, extension 634.

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ALTON - Alton and East Alton Fire Departments battled a serious blaze in the 1600 block of Walker in Alton early Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. Alton Fire Chief Jesse Jemison said the fire call came in at 4:02 a.m. and there was so much damage when the fire department arrived that they couldn't do anything to save the internal part of the home. He said the roof had already caved in when they arrived and there were intense flames in the house. The chief also said the home was vacant upon their arrival at the fire. The State Fire Marshal's Office has been called to investigate and decide if it is an arson case. The chief said the cause of the fire has not yet been determined, he said. The chief said the heat of the fire did cause some damage to a home next door, but thankfully because of the fire department efforts, that home was saved.

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ALTON - Alton Main Street and Jacoby Arts Center are partnering to present First Fridays, a late night art and shopping experience which spans 16 locations across the Downtown Alton district. This series is held on the First Friday of October, November and December, providing you with an opportunity to check out new shops and galleries and visit familiar favorites to experience art and great specials at each business. Participants are offering a variety of discounts, refreshments, and giveaways. Everyone who has their passport stamped at a minimum of 10 locations will receive a $10 gift certificate to any participating business. Free parking is available in the lot next to Jacoby Arts Center, located at 627 E. Broadway, and a free shuttle bus will be provided from 5:00-9:00 p.m., running a continuous loop between all participating locations. On Friday, November 3 rd , start your evening by picking up your First Fridays passport at Jacoby Arts Center. There you will receive a complimentary

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ALTON - Kristina Castelli, the Alton High girls volleyball team libero, recently earned honorable mention All-Southwestern Conference honors as a defensive specialist, her coach Phil Hamilton said. Castelli is an Auto Butler Female Athlete of the Month for the Redbirds. Coach Hamilton said Castelli fills the libero role of specializing in play on the back row. “She can go into the game in more than one position,” the coach added. “The libero allows you more flexibility almost the entire game in the back row. The libero is the backbone of your defense and your passing.” He said it is quite an honor for Castelli to be on the All-Southwestern Conference list, considering the competition for the nomination. “You have to be judicious with your All SWC entries,” Hamilton said. “She does enjoy volleyball immensely and is also a soccer player on the varsity team in the spring. She is a great athlete overall." Hamilton closed by saying: "We have

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ST. LOUIS - Yelena Gass-Bronstein spent her entire career as a registered nurse at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Now, she’s counting on her colleagues to save her life. Roughly 15% of the U.S. adult population will develop kidney disease, and Gass-Bronstein is one of the 90,000 people in the U.S. who currently need a kidney transplant. In order to avoid the “miserable” experience of dialysis, she is searching for a living kidney donor who would be willing to donate a kidney, as soon as possible. “I helped so many people during my career, and now I need help myself,” Gass-Bronstein said. “The bottom line is that in order to survive, I will need an organ. All those prayers and support — I have lots of people who responded with emotional responses, that they’re praying for me, that they’re wishing me the best. And it’s very meaningful to me, of course. It means a lot to me. But I need to find an organ.” Gass-Bronstein isn’t

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EAST ALTON - As the afternoon closes on the demolition project of the Old Citizens Savings Bank in East Alton, a large part of the building has been removed. Here are photos thanks to the 618 Drone Service. The photos provide an above-ground look at how the building's remnants are now stacked. In the morning, the demo group will be back out at the scene and continue removal until the building is completely taken down. As promised, quick progress was made on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, the first day of demolition. All day long, the site attracted the attention of onlookers and most there reflected on the architecture and history of the building, which unfortunately couldn't be saved because of a contaminated and destroyed interior, East Alton city officials said. Riverbender.com will provide another tear-down look on Friday as the demolition continues.

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Feeling bloated today? You’re not alone. It’s not uncommon to get the sensation caused by gas, air or fluid retention in the stomach or small intestine. But what’s important to know: bloating has many causes, says Aminat Ogun, MD , an OSF HealthCare family medicine physician. So don’t let it linger and hope it will go away. If symptoms persist, see a health care provider so they can rule out something more serious and give proper treatment.“It might feel like your stomach is full, swollen or sometimes tender. It can cause some discomfort,” Dr. Ogun says.Causes for bloating include: The body makes too much gas. An overgrowth of intestinal bacteria. H. pylori is a common type. Dr. Ogun says it causes chronic inflammation in the stomach lining, and it can lead to peptic ulcers or even stomach cancer if untreated. Diet issues, like intolerance of certain carbohydrates or a gluten intolerance. Hormone changes during a woman’s menstrual cycle.

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EDWARDSVILLE - Habitat for Humanity is partnering with SIUE Softball to offer a delicious chicken dinner at the Edwardsville Moose Lodge on Marine Road from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 5, 2023. Todd Taplin, a local attorney, and one of the event coordinators, said he firmly believes in Habitat’s mission and is so thankful to have the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville softball players volunteering for the day. He said the SIUE softball squad will make the day much easier for the group of Habitat for Humanity volunteers, plus is just a fantastic community service act by the women. He said this particular fundraiser is vital for their group in the mission to equip another individual with a Habitat home. He said the difference Habitat makes in recipients' lives is beyond incredible. The NCAA Division 1 Cougar softball team has a reputation for being a very giving group in the community. The women’s softball group stays busy all year long. Between fundamental

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MARYVILLE - Maryville Police Chief Tony Manley provided some follow-up information about an accident last week at Amberleigh Drive and Route 162 across from Anderson Hospital. He confirmed a person was airlifted and there were significant injuries in the crash, but he didn’t know the current condition of the individuals. He said one vehicle apparently came out of Amberleigh Drive and didn’t stop when they were struck by another vehicle on Illinois 162. He said there is a pretty hefty speed limit on Route 162, but he said it is not common for an abundance of accidents in that area. However, he urged that after this serious incident, people need to make sure they exercise caution in that area.

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ALTON - The Alton YWCA will host a trivia night to fund their free community and youth programs. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the trivia starts at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, at the Best Western Premier Conference Center in Alton. In addition to trivia, attendees can enjoy a 50/50 raffle, silent auction and “a wagon of booze” raffle, according to Alton YWCA Executive Director Dorothy Hummel. All proceeds go back to the organization. “This trivia night is important to us because it brings in dollars, it gives us an opportunity to talk about what we do and provides the financial support to us so we’re able to offer those programs for free to most of the community,” Hummel said. “Our mission is ‘Eliminating racism, empowering women.’ We focus on developing racial justice events and programs and social justice events and programs.” Many of these programs are child-centric. The Child Enrichment program works with the Alton,

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JERSEYVILLE - JCHS Law students heard from a special guest speaker on Wednesday morning when Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lisa Holder White gave a presentation and spoke with students in the school’s auditorium. Kevin Strebel, who teaches Law at JCHS, said this opportunity was a win-win for Justice White and his students. “The 4th Appellate District in Illinois is 41 counties, and Justice White has a desire to meet the people in the district,” Strebel said. “This was an opportunity for her to do that, and for our students to talk to a professional at the top of her profession.” Strebel said Justice White’s visit also gave students a better understanding of the state-level court, which may not make headlines as often as the local or national-level courts. “I don't think the average citizen knows much beyond what happens at the local courthouse,” Strebel said. “I think that many of us would be more likely to recognize the

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GRANITE CITY - Granite City senior libero Raegan Shrum “grew tremendously as a player in the past two seasons,” the Warriors’ Head Girls Volleyball Coach Grace Hurst said this week. “Number 11 was a very consistent player for this team,” the coach said. Raegan Shrum is a Stillwater Senior Living Female Athlete of the Month for the Warriors. Coach Hurst continued and said Raegan was able to hold together the back row with serve receive and defense all season long. “Everyone knew she was going to go out there and do her job, but also give energy to her teammates,” the coach explained. “She was one of the captains this year and showed great leadership with her play and communication every single day.” Again, congratulations to Shrum for her honor as a Stillwater Senior Living Female Athlete of the Month for Granite City.

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Edwardsville Police Department Lt. Bradn Whittaker reported one impaired driving arrest over the recent Halloween enforcement effort. Edwardsville Police also reported the following: 1 drug-related arrest 7 speed citations 7 other citations during the recent Halloween enforcement effort. Whittaker said law enforcement agencies throughout Illinois participated in this effort to save lives by getting impaired drivers off the roads and more people buckled up. The fall enforcement campaign took place from Oct. 14 through Nov. 1. Extra emphasis was placed on enforcement during late-night hours when statistics show the most unbuckled and impaired driving fatalities occur. The recent law enforcement campaign was made possible by federal highway safety funds administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

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JERSEY - Jersey junior Amelia Strebel is working with tenacity this fall as winter begins in preparation for the 2024 indoor and spring outdoor track and field season. She has been diligent about her time in the weight room and her father, Kevin, who doubles as Jersey’s head girls track and field coach, said he expects big things from her in the spring. Amelia is a Sparklight Internet Female Athlete of the Month for the Panthers. Kevin Strebel said Amelia works out often during early bird time before school and he said he was proud of all the improvements she made last season. Amelia said she agrees she has worked hard and hopes to improve her technique going into next season. “I am excited to see what I can do next season,” she said. Last year, Amelia posted bests of 96-1.25 in the discus and 32-3 in the shot put. She hopes to post some even better performances this coming spring. The Panthers' junior placed third in the shot put in the Mississippi Valley Conference

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ALTON - Alton Band and Orchestra Builders (ABOB) is calling all crafters to participate in their 34th Annual Olde Alton Arts and Craft Fair. On Dec. 2–3, 2023, approximately 200 crafters will gather at Alton High School to sell their crafts to the Riverbend community. The crafters keep their profits, but proceeds from the fair itself will go to ABOB to provide uniforms and instruments to the Alton Community Unit School District #11 music program. “ABOB holds a special place in our heart to support, and it’s such a worthwhile cause,” organizer Dave Fritz said. “I’m not sure that we’d have such a strong instrumental music program in the Alton district without the support of ABOB and our community that supports it. So we thank everybody that supports ABOB to provide this musical opportunity for our students.” This is ABOB’s 75th year. As Alton alumni, Fritz and his children have benefited from the organization’s work, and

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EAST ALTON - The demolition of the old Citizens Savings & Loan Bank at 700 Berkshire Blvd. in East Alton began Thursday morning, Nov. 2, 2023. By 9:30 a.m., the demolition was in full gear and shortly after a crowd collected in a parking lot across the street to take photos, video and simply reminisce about yesteryear with the historic bank. The Citizens Bank was built in 1964 and the architect was Alvin K. Stolze. Russ Colona, the long-time track and field and cross country coach at East Alton-Wood River, lives down the street from the old Savings and Loan. He said, "We moved here in 1982. It is kind of sad. It was about a quarter a mile around it to go by my house and my kids used to do hill training here. I also used the round building as a landmark to tell people how to get to our house. I am right behind it. The father of Kathy, my wife, banked here. It is a neat thing the architecture used on it. I feel they are taking a piece of history away, I think." Christine, another

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STAUNTON - Madison Communications Broadband Technician, Bryan Huffstutler, was selected to compete this year for the second time at the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers Expo in Denver, Co. which was held from October 16 th – 19 th . This was a huge honor since he was personally selected to compete in the games. The SCTE (Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers) is an international organization that is split up between 68 chapters. Bryan did an outstanding job representing Madison Communications and the SCTE Gateway Chapter, competing against 5 other teams consisting of 4 competitors, all which have earned a spot at the International Games by winning their local regional Cable-Tec Games. The 7 competitive events consisted of games that evaluated the technicians in these categories: MTDR (Metallic Time Domain Reflectometer - used for finding faults in metallic cables such as twisted pair copper and coax), OTDR (Optical Time Domain Reflectometer - used for findin

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