Riverbender 🕸

ALTON - Alton Police Department officers responded to a report of gunshots fired in the 1200 block of West 9th Street in Alton at 1:08 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023. "Officers immediately responded and determined no one in the area was injured," Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said. "Officers and detectives conducted an extensive search of the area for involved parties. They did not locate any involved parties at that time but many leads were developed. Those leads suggest this was not a random act of violence and the involved parties are known to one another." Chief Ford said nearby West Elementary School was briefly placed on lockdown out of an abundance of caution. "There was never any known threat to the school, staff, or students," he said. "The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the Alton Police Department at 618-463-3505."

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Megan Kalb is a natural leader. As an Edwardsville High School senior, she already has several leadership roles and an impressive work ethic. For those reasons, Megan Kalb is a Gerard Fisher Student of the Month for Edwardsville High School. Clearly, Kalb’s classmates agree that she has what it takes; they’ve elected her to represent them multiple times. For the past four years, she has been a consistent asset to the Student Council. She currently serves as the president of the National Honor Society, and she was recently selected as an officer for the National English Honor Society as well. But though these academic accomplishments are impressive, Kalb might be most proud of her success on her field hockey team. She’s been playing for seven years and received honorable mentions for the St. Louis Suburban Conference in field hockey two years in a row. "I’m now the Varsity Captain as of this year,” she added. As if these activitie

Continue Reading

JERSEYVILLE - During their 1953-54 season, the Jersey Community High School Panthers football team went 9-0. Stan Sinclair, former general manager of Sinclair Foods in Jerseyville, recently recalled his experience playing on the team, which will be honored at tonight’s Panthers football game for their 70th anniversary. To help honor the team’s outstanding record 70 years later, Sinclair asked JCHS Photoshop Teacher Lisa Kolkmeyer to compile a photo of the team and coaches with their 9-0 record, which is shown above. While Sinclair is not pictured in the photo, he said he started with the team as a freshman lineman in 1953 and went on to play quarterback from 1954 to 1956. “In 52, they were 7-2 and we were picking up on football, but before that, we were just a mediocre football school,” Sinclair said. “Joe Jurkanin came in ‘52 when we were 7-2, he came from Staunton, Illinois.” Sinclair said Coach Jurkanin, who he called “Jersey

Continue Reading

BETHALTO - Jasmine Davis is a curious person. She has to be, as a straight A student and shining member of her school’s media team. For her accomplishments, Jasmine Davis is a DD Homes Network Student of the Month for Civic Memorial High School. In between acing her classes, Davis takes time out of her day to keep the rest of the school informed. As part of the yearbook staff for three years, Davis learned the importance of photography and capturing student experiences. This knowledge has served her well as a current member of the Media Club. Davis is in charge of designing and publishing posts on Facebook for the Media Club. She regularly interviews CM students and fans for CM’s social media sites, and she keeps the athletic schedule updated. Through all of this work, Davis has gained a lot of experience with the technical side of photography and videography, with skills in lighting, sound and camera work. She even dabbles in radio through CM’s radio

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS COUNTY - On Wednesday, September 13, 2023, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued charges on suspect Jerry Watkins, 23 years of age, of the 9900 block of Ashmont Drive in St. Louis, Missouri 63136, for Murder First Degree, two counts of Robbery First Degree, and two counts of Armed Criminal Action. A booking photo of Watkins is attached. Watkins is being held on $1,000,000 cash only, no 10%, bond. The deceased has been identified as Frederick Jett, 45 years of age, of the 1000 block of Geringer Court in Ferguson, Missouri 63135. 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: The Defendant acting with another displayed a handgun and demanded cash from Victim #1. Armed with a handgun Defendant and another forcibly stole cash from Victim #1 as he was leaving his residence. The next day the Defendant acting with another displayed

Continue Reading

WOOD RIVER - Midwest Petroleum and the City of Wood River celebrated the opening of a new gas station with a ribbon-cutting ceremony today, Sept. 15. Located at 1900 E Edwardsville Road, the Midwest Petroleum gas station had a soft opening on Wednesday but is now officially open for business. Already, several customers were shopping in the convenience store and filling their tanks at the pumps. “It’s a great idea. This company, Midwest Petroleum, has been great to work with,” Wood River Mayor Tom Stalcup said. “We’ve been developing this east side of town, and this just kind of fell in. So this is just a stepping stone of what we’re doing for the east side here.” Several Wood River officials were present as Stalcup cut the ribbon in front of the gas station. Midwest Petroleum representatives noted the positivity of opening a new store and how easy it had been to work with the City of Wood River. Tony Koenig, project manager, also mentioned

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Bella Milano is officially marking 20 years of serving the Metro East region and beyond at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 19 with a rededication and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the restaurant. The event kicks off a series of parties and promotions going until November to celebrate Bella Milano’s two decades in business. Tom Guarino & Craig Kalogerou with Bella Milano discussed the restaurant and its past 20 years on an episode of Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com . “I tell people all the time I’ve got the best job in the world - I host a party every night,” Guarino said. “We’re eating good food, we’re drinking some libations, and it’s just fun. It’s a fun atmosphere, and it’s family-friendly fun, too.” Guarino said the rededication and ribbon-cutting ceremony next Tuesday will feature free beer, wine, and appetizers. Customers who stay for dinner after the event will receive 20% off their meals

Continue Reading

ALTON – The Marquette Catholic football team posted its first win in over two seasons, snapping a 24-game losing streak. While it was a team effort, one player stood out thanks to a four-touchdown game. Senior receiver Duarell Blocker was all over the place in the Explorers’ 49-21 win over the East Alton-Wood River Oilers last Saturday. His four scores were all rushing from 23, 46, and 53 yards out. His 80-yard punt return was just the icing on the cake for Marquette. For his performance in the historic win, Duarell Blocker is a Tucker’s Automotive Repair & Tire Athlete of the Month For the Explorers. Having a game with well over 200 yards rushing, head coach Eric Dickerson was thrilled with Blocker’s game. “Great kid,” Dickerson said. “Get the kid the ball and put him in a little bit of space. He had a great game.” Marquette is on the road in week four taking on Salem. The Explorers will be back at home next week against a tough

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced Thursday that a Troy man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the strangulation death of the man’s mother. Neil A. Howard, 44, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder. The charges allege that, on Wednesday, Sept. 12, Howard caused the death of his mother, Norma J. Caraker, 60, by strangling her. At about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, Troy Police responded to a request to check on the welfare of a resident at a home in the 600 block of Lower Marine Road. Officers were met at the residence by Howard. Inside the residence, officers located Caraker, unresponsive and not breathing. Efforts to resuscitate her were not successful. Howard was taken into custody without incident. “I commend the Troy Police Department and the assisting agencies for their tireless, thorough work,” Haine said. “Thanks to the efforts of our local police agencies – and the effort

Continue Reading

GRANITE CITY - Sophomore Tullio Zampieri is proving to be a very promising runner for the Civic Memorial High boys cross country team and in the 50th running of the Pete Robinson/Harry Lang Granite City Invitational meet, Zampieri ran a personal record 17:08.2 in helping the Eagles to a seventh-place finish in the meet. Zampieri is a very hard worker who, as a freshman, was also a key component of CM's 4x800 meter relay team that qualified for the IHSA Class 2A state meet this past spring in Charleston. Zampieri is a Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Male Athlete of the Month for CM. "Tullio had a very solid race for him," said CM cross country coach Jake Peal. "He picked up a lot of confidence in qualifying with the 4x800 team." The confidence Zampieri gained during the track season has crossed over into the cross-country season as well. "He's done a great job in cross country," Peal said, "but also was very good in track in both the 400 and 800 meters. He's definitely going to build

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE – On Tuesday, Sept. 12, faculty and staff members from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville visited first-year residents in Bluff, Prairie and Woodland Halls and transfer students in Cougar Village Apartments. House Calls is designed to engage first-year and transfer students in conversation with faculty and staff early in their transition to campus. “House Calls is a valuable opportunity staff and faculty have to connect with residents in their living spaces,” said Mallory Sidarous, director of University Housing. “It is always a pleasure to talk with residents about their experiences in and out of the classroom since the start of the academic year.” The program provides the opportunity for residents to connect with a friendly face. House Calls saw great success with dozens of campus administrators connecting with residents about how they have been adjusting to on-campus living, classes, programs, student organizations, and any concerns

Continue Reading

ALTON - Clark Bridge will have daily lane closures for the next month as the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) completes inspections of the cable system. From Sept. 11 to Oct. 13, motorists can expect delays when traveling U.S. Route 67 over the Mississippi River on Clark Bridge, which connects Illinois and Missouri. The Clark Bridge has a unique design, so while this isn’t necessarily a regular inspection, it is a normal maintenance task for this kind of bridge. “This is a scheduled inspection,” Joseph Monroe, an IDOT engineer, said. “This isn’t an inspection that was put into place out of duress. This is a routine approach to this class of structure.” The Clark Bridge, also known as the Super Bridge, attracted attention when it first opened in 1994 because of its design. It’s a steel-framed cable-stayed bridge, which means most of the weight is supported by the cables. Pylon provides additional support. This design was the

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Charges have been issued in an alleged distribution of child pornography case investigated by the Edwardsville Police Department and the Madison County State's Attorney's Office has issued serious charges. The City of Edwardsville released the following information Thursday afternoon: "On December 20th, 2022, the Edwardsville Police Department received information from the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) alleging that a resident of Edwardsville was involved in the distribution of child pornography. The Edwardsville Police Department initiated an investigation into the allegation. The subsequent investigation led to the suspect, Connor J. Bazzell M/W, 24 years of age. "On September 13, 2023, the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office issued criminal information on Bazzell for the following offenses: COUNT 1 – Child Pornography, a class X felony COUNT 2 – Child Pornography, a class X felony COUNT 3 - Child

Continue Reading

ALTON - A man faces unrelated charges after Alton Police officers were dispatched to a residence in the 600 block of East 5th Street at 6:18 p.m. on Sept. 11, in reference to a domestic disturbance. Alton Police Jarrett Ford said upon officers' arrival, information was obtained from the victim, including that she had been battered by her son, Simon E. Grassle, and that Grassle had left the area on foot. Ford said at approximately 8:51 p.m., the same evening, officers were made aware that Grassle was walking in the 400 block of East Broadway. Officers contacted Grassle and took him into custody for domestic battery. At this time, an officer recognized that Grassle matched the description of a suspect from a vehicle burglary that occurred during the early morning hours of 09/06/2023 in the 500 block of Seminary Square in Alton. Grassle was interviewed by an Alton Police detective with the criminal investigation division and further information was obtained about two additional burglaries

Continue Reading

JERSEYVILLE - St. Francis/Holy Ghost Catholic School will host their 25th annual Harvest Fest this weekend, complete with activities, games, prizes, live music and more. The festival is held on St. Francis grounds, located at 412 S. State Street in Jerseyville. Kids can enjoy face painting, pumpkin decorating, games and a scavenger hunt while parents participate in the raffles, live auction and 90s trivia game. A cornhole tournament and pie-eating contest will round out the weekend, with music from local bands all day Saturday and Sunday. “ It’s a big carnival, church picnic environment,” Principal Dr. Dennis Cramsey explained. “The adults enjoy coming out for the adult beverages and the bands throughout the weekend…There are all kinds of kids’ games to keep the kids occupied while the adults socialize. It’s definitely geared toward families.” Plenty of food and drinks are on the menu. The live auction will take place on Saturday

Continue Reading

GODFREY – Longtime Music Professor Louis Michael is Lewis and Clark Community College’s Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award recipient for 2023. The award was announced internally during faculty in-service week in August, then again publicly during the September meeting of the L&C Board of Trustees this week. “It was a big surprise,” Michael said. “I’ve been here for so long and have seen other people get it, but I didn’t imagine myself getting the award. It’s really nice to be recognized.” Right out of high school, Michael got into the music business and made his living for 18 years playing live music full time. He played for a number of bands over the years, but started one under his own name in 1985. For more than a decade, he and the band traveled, played clubs, colleges and even opened for well-known national touring bands. At the age of 37, he found himself needing to go in a new direction. He had studied for two

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON PARK – A trio has been officially charged with a homicide in Washington Park that occurred last Friday. On September 12, 2023, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney, James Gomric, charged 22-year-old Deantae Hoskins of Madison with First-Degree Murder (Class M Felony) and Armed Habitual Criminal (Class X Felony), a 16-year-old juvenile of Madison with First Degree Murder (Class M Felony) and 26-year-old Cheyennea Hoskins of Hartford with Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon (Class 4 Felony) and Aggravated Assault (Class A Misdemeanor). The state's attorney said at 3:47 p.m. on September 8, 2023, the Washington Park Police Department and ISP Zone 6 Major Crimes responded to 47th Street at Caseyville Avenue in Washington Park for reports of a shooting. When officers arrived, they found a male victim who had been struck by gunfire and was pronounced deceased on scene. The victim was later identified as 36-year-old Peter Hester Jr. of East Carondelet. ISP said

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE – The City has launched a forgivable loan program aimed at helping homeowners make improvements to Edwardsville’s older houses. The Single Family Residential Rehabilitation Program offers forgivable loans of up to $25,000 to eligible residents for a variety of improvements. High-priority projects include roofing, electrical wiring, windows and doors, heating and air conditioning systems, foundations and more. “This program is a step in the right direction to help homeowners reinvest in some of our older housing stock that could be so lovely with just a little TLC,” said 6th Ward Alderwoman Jennifer Warren, who brought the idea for the housing rehabilitation program to City staff. Funds for the approved home projects will be provided to the homeowner as a five-year forgivable loan. If the homeowner sells the property or converts it to a rental unit within five years, the funds must be paid back on a pro-rated monthly schedule for the time remaining

Continue Reading

BETHALTO - The 27th annual Wings-N-Wheels Fly-In Festival takes flight on Saturday, Sept. 30 and Sunday, Oct. 1, each from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the St. Louis Regional Airport in Bethalto. Featuring free flights for kids, tours of planes on the airport tarmac, a car show, food trucks, a Farmers Market, and much more, the weekend is jam-packed with family fun at no admission cost. Danny Adams, general manager of the St. Louis Regional Airport, said on Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com that they enjoy opening to the public to showcase the airplanes and the airport itself. “It’s a nice community event. We like showing off the airport, we love showing what we do,” Adams said. “We like showing the airplanes off and that’s our prime opportunity to do it.” On Saturday, Sept. 30, the festival kicks off with tours on the airport tarmac of several different types of aircraft, including local pilot planes, a jet from West Star Aviation, a B-25 bomber

Continue Reading

EAST ST. LOUIS – The U.S. District Court in St. Louis today announced that a man - Vallie F. Zeller - had been sentenced by a judge for Attempted Enticement of a Minor, Travel with Intent to Engage in Sexual Conduct with a Minor, and Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor after evidence presented at trial showed he was conversing online with an alleged 15-year-old girl with the intention of having sex with the minor, and then traveled to Illinois to meet her. The judge in the case sentenced the 46-year-old St. Louis man to spend nearly 34 years in federal prison following his conviction by a jury for several attempted sex offenses involving a purported minor. In March 2023, a jury convicted Zeller. Following the federal prison sentence, Zeller will serve the rest of his life on supervised release. “The defendant is a child predator, and our communities are better off with him spending time in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “This operation

Continue Reading