Riverbender 🕸

COLLINSVILLE - “My story is not a pleasant story. It’s not a pretty story. But it’s an American story.” So began Rev. Wheeler Parker, Jr.’s keynote speech at the Illinois Higher Education Equity Symposium on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023. Parker spoke to Southern Illinois University students and faculty about his experience growing up in the Jim Crow-era South and how he has learned to live after witnessing the abduction of Emmett Till, his best friend and cousin. Parker is the last living eyewitness to the kidnapping before Till was tortured and lynched in 1955. Wheeler’s keynote address kicked off the two-day symposium, which aims to facilitate conversation about diversity, equity and inclusion in all schools in the Southern Illinois University system. The SIUE Gospel Choir performed before Parker took the stage to share his story and speak about his book, “A Few Days Full of Trouble: Revelations on the Journey to Justice for My Cousin an

Continue Reading

GILLESPIE – Gillespie Health & Rehab Center is hosting its annual “Trunk-or-Treat” on Tuesday, October 31, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The free community event will be held in the parking lot of the skilled nursing facility at 7588 Staunton Rd., in Gillespie, Ill. Gillespie Health & Rehab Center staff, many in costume, will decorate their cars and fill their trunks with candy for the trick-or-treaters. In addition to candy, free snacks such as cotton candy and popcorn will be available for the visiting children and their families. “Events such as these are not only fun but are among our ways of giving back to the community we serve,” said Kim Schardan, CEO/administrator of Gillespie Health & Rehab Center. “We look forward to this every year. Seeing local kids in costume is our Halloween treat!" In addition to wearing costumes, children are encouraged to bring shopping bags, pillowcases, or pumpkin baskets for the goodies. “Many staff members

Continue Reading

PIASA - Southwestern freshman Thor Springman has performed just as head boys cross country coach Gary Bowker thought he would in the 2023 boys cross country season. Springman has emerged as a powerful runner as only a ninth-grader. "We knew Thor would be good as a freshman because of what he did in eighth grade in cross country and track," Bowker said. "I saw what he could be in junior high and he has not disappointed me at all as a freshman. He doesn't behave at all like a freshman. He and Garrett Buettell run together and both seem to compete well that way and have good camaraderie together.” Springman is an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Male Athlete of the Month for the Piasa Birds. Springman has shown unbelievable progress this season with his times. He recorded a time of 19:27.8 in the Granite City Robinson/Lang Cross Country Invitational on Sept. 2, 2023, then had a time of 18:36.7 on Sept. 9, 2023, at the 2023 SHS Trail Invite. He was 12th in the First Annual

Continue Reading

PIASA - Junior Kaylyn Hortof has steadily improved her times over the course of the 2023 season for Southwestern High School's girl's cross-country team. Recently, Kaylyn placed 17th in the South Central Conference Cross Country Meet on Oct. 14, 2023, with a time of 26.28.0. She placed 10th in the North Mac Invitational on Sept. 16, 2023, at 28:31.0 for three miles. With an injury to another runner, Kaylyn has become the Piasa Birds' No. 3 female cross-country runner. She will compete this Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, at the Trenton-Wesclin Regional. Kaylyn is an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for the Piasa Birds. The Piasa Birds’ head cross country coach Gary Bowker said Kaylyn is very “important” to his squad’s depth chart and is a talented runner. He said he is also pleased her times have continued to improve throughout the cross-country season. Kaylyn’s best in 2022 for three miles was 28:29.1, so she has significantly

Continue Reading

EAST ST. LOUIS – U.S. Attorney Rachel Aud Crowe announced on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023, that the United States has filed a civil lawsuit against a Waterloo woman after she allegedly continued to move money for scammers following warnings to stop from federal law enforcement officers. Janice M. Augustine, 74, is facing a civil lawsuit for her alleged involvement as a money mule. She was recruited to participate in the scheme by an individual claiming to be an American working abroad who was in search of a romantic relationship. “Criminals scour online dating and social media websites looking for lonely or vulnerable people to exploit. Oftentimes, criminals exploit elderly or vulnerable victims by tricking them into believing they are interested in a romantic relationship. But other times, the criminals persuade elderly or vulnerable people into helping them launder the money they receive by defrauding others,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Southern Illinois

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Patrick Chism, a junior running back for the Edwardsville High football team, has enjoyed a very successful season thus far for the Tigers and has emerged as a vital part of the team's offense through the first eight games of the season. Chism has carried the ball 32 times for 184 yards and a touchdown, and has also caught eight passes for another 152 yards and two more touchdowns as the Tigers are currently 7-1 going into the final game of the regular season against St. Louis power DeSmet Jesuit on Oct. 20 at Spartans Field in Creve Coeur, Mo. on the school's campus. In the Tigers' loss to East St. Louis 27-15 on Oct. 13 at Tiger Stadium, Chism and his teammates played about as well as possible, but East Side proved to be the better team on the night. Chism is a Johnston Law Firm Male Athlete of the Month for the Tigers. "Right now, I feel real humbled," Chism said in a postgame interview after the East Side game. "I think we've just got to keep our heads high and

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias signed an Executive Order today to expand the office’s parental leave policy – from four weeks to twelve weeks – which takes place immediately. Since taking office in January, Giannoulias has worked closely with staff and various unions representing Secretary of State employees to strengthen the office’s paid parental leave. Under the new policy, employees will also have more flexibility with the ability to use their time off intermittently in five-day increments for one year after the child becomes part of their family. It applies to those employees growing their family by birth or adoption. “No working parent should have to choose between paying their bills and the time necessary to bond with their new child and family,” said Giannoulias, the father of three young daughters. “Allowing just four weeks of time off following the birth of a child is not only woefully insufficient, but

Continue Reading

CHICAGO – As it gears up to celebrate its 50th anniversary next year, the Illinois Lottery is celebrating the highest net income generated in its history, fueled by a historic number of jackpots surpassing $1 billion in Mega Millions and Powerball. The Lottery today announced record net income of $882 million for fiscal year 2023 ending June 30, 2023, which is a 5.7% increase over last year and eclipses every prior year. Mega Millions and Powerball revenue grew by approximately 53%, or $70 million, over the prior year. This growth represents 8% of the net income for the year. “When Illinoisans buy a lottery ticket, they aren’t just taking a chance at winning millions — they are directly contributing to our state’s education system,” said Governor JB Pritzker . “I couldn’t be happier to join the Illinois Lottery team in celebrating a record-breaking year with $882 million in net income. From supporting our K-12 students to providing

Continue Reading

ROSEWOOD HEIGHTS - The Rosewood Heights Fire Department received a makeover from local Lowe’s employees who stopped by to renovate the space and give back to the fire department’s volunteers. The Lowe’s Hometowns program encourages each store to complete a project that will improve their hometowns. Twelve volunteers from the Alton and Glen Carbon stores gathered at the fire department on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023, to remodel the department’s recreation and dispatch areas. “We don’t have the time to do a lot of this type of work, or the funds,” said Corey Williams, Rosewood Heights fire chief. “Our members are putting in so much time training and responding to calls that having a corporation like Lowe's come out and not only pay for it all but also volunteer their time and their employees to help do some of the work — it’s amazing. Small departments like us, it’s stuff like this that keeps us going.” The Lowe’s

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE – State Senator Erica Harriss (56 th -Glen Carbon) welcomed nearly 50 high school students from a dozen different schools for her Youth Advisory Council (YAC) Tuesday at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. “This event is always a great way to offer a glimpse of the state government process to area high school students interested in government,” said Senator Harriss. “We had a lot of robust conversations pertaining to legislation our students would like to see moving forward and students were able to hear from three incredible speakers who are leaders in our community about their career paths.” Speakers at this year’s YAC included SIUE Chancellor James T. Minor, Damian Jones, Executive Director of Student Athletes Leading Tomorrow (SALT), and Judge Sarah Smith, Circuit Judge in Madison County. Maryville Christian School student AJ Whitley said the discussion with Judge Smith was his favorite part, “I really liked how she

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Police today urged motorists to commit to sober driving this Halloween when children and their families will be walking through neighborhoods after dark in search of candy and spooky fun. If you will be out scaring up a good time, remember to plan ahead for a sober ride home. “Heading out to a Halloween party? Before the fun starts, decide how you’ll get home,” said Lt. Brandn Whittaker. “Just one drink or hit can impact your ability to drive safely and make responsible decisions," he added. "Planning ahead will help keep you – and others – safe. "Never get behind the wheel impaired. It is illegal in Illinois to drive impaired by alcohol, marijuana or any other impairing substance. DUIs are not restricted to alcohol-related offenses. If you drive high, you’ll get a DUI." The Edwardsville Police urges everyone to follow these simple tips to help keep our roads safe this Halloween: Plan a safe way to get home

Continue Reading

EAST ST. LOUIS – On Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023, the Illinois State Police Public Safety Enforcement Group released photos of persons of interest in a shooting that occurred earlier in the month. At 7:40 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023, the Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG) was requested to investigate a shooting at a convenience mart located at 3711 Bunkum Road in East St. Louis. The victim was transported from the scene to a St. Louis area hospital with life-threatening injuries. The Illinois State Police and the East St. Louis Police Department are requesting assistance in identifying two persons of interest. Anyone with knowledge of the incident or information about the persons of interest is asked to contact Crimestoppers by phone at 1-866-371-8477 (TIPS) or visit https://www.stlrcs.org/ . Witnesses can remain anonymous.

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police Department Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating a suspicious death that occurred in the 5700 block of Apricot which resulted in the death of an adult male. At 6:50 p.m. on October 18, 2023, St. Louis County police officers from the City of Jennings Precinct responded to a call for service for a shooting at a residence in the 5700 block of Apricot Avenue in the city of Jennings. Responding officers located an adult male suffering from an apparent gunshot injury. The male was pronounced deceased at the scene. The investigation is ongoing. Additional information will be disseminated as it becomes available. Please contact the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210 to speak with investigators if you have any information regarding this incident. To remain anonymous or potentially receive a reward, please contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477)

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Senior striker and midfielder Logan Rynders finished his successful high school soccer career on Oct. 17 in a 3-0 Alton loss to Edwardsville in the IHSA Class 3A regional semifinals at Edwardsville's Tiger Stadium. It was a season where he helped the Redbirds bounce back in the second half of the year, as the Redbirds bounced back from a tough start to go 5-3-0 in their last eight regular season games as Alton finished 6-13-0 overall. Throughout the entire season, the club never gave up and kept striving every night, playing with determination and fight, and kept going, no matter what. "I'm still all super proud of the boys on the team," he said following the match. "The way we've grown this season without the initial starting tournament, I don't know. It's hard to talk right now; I just played a really hard game and it's hard to go out like this. But I'm really excited to see what the boys can do for the rest of their years." Rynders is an Auto Butler Alton High Male

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Maya Lueking, an Edwardsville girls cross country senior, has been a consistent performer throughout the 2023 season. She was recently part of a group of Edwardsville runners who placed in the top 10 in the conference with a time of 18:52.91 in East St. Louis. She finished second in the women's race at the 27th annual Mud Mountain race this summer, the annual fund-raiser for the EHS cross country and track teams, as well as the teams at both Lincoln and Liberty Middle Schools at SIU-Edwardsville's famed Mud Mountain cross country course. She posted a time of 20:30.1 for the 5,000 meter race. The Tigers' Lueking started the season off in style with a 12th-place finish at the Pete Robinson/Harry Lang Granite City Invitational Meet in Wilson Park, with a time of 18:58.8. For her efforts this season and over the summer, Lueking is a Johnston's Law Office Female Athlete of the Month. In her post-race interview after the Mud Mountain event, she said she was feeling really

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - A $15 million construction agreement for Phase 2 of Plummer Family Park and new lighting at the park’s pickleball courts were recently approved by the Edwardsville City Council. Several Edwardsville residents and park visitors voiced their support for expanding the park with more pickleball courts, sand volleyball courts, and more at the last council meeting. One More Game (OMG) Pickleball Club member Jim Stout read a statement from Club Chair Dale Miller, who could not attend the meeting. While the Edwardsville pickleball scene and the club’s membership have both increased over the years, Miller said it’s actually getting “too popular,” as the club struggles to find available courts during prime-time pickleball hours. His proposed solution is to double the number of courts at the park, making it a “regional destination” and driving tourism revenue. “Adding 12 pickleball courts to Plummer Family Park will make

Continue Reading

ALTON - Chloe Miller is an Alton High junior with tremendous potential when it comes to both cross country and track and field. Miller, a middle to long-distance runner, was part of a team that broke the school record last year in the 4 x 800 and is also outstanding in the 800-meter run. She will be a force to be reckoned with for opponents this upcoming spring. Her cross country coach Tammy Talbert said she suffered an arm injury in the season and will miss the postseason, but said she has great potential for the future. “Chloe worked so hard and was running so well,” the coach said. “It is disappointing she wasn't able to do the postseason, but this is her first year of running cross country, and will be back.” Chloe, in an early season interview, said she felt good about her early season with times around the 20-minute mark for three miles. “I just joined cross country to help my 800 and help my 4 x 800 relay,” she said. “Cross country

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE – State Senator Erica Harriss (56 th -Glen Carbon) welcomed nearly 50 high school students from a dozen different schools for her Youth Advisory Council (YAC) Tuesday at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. “This event is always a great way to offer a glimpse of the state government process to area high school students interested in government,” said Senator Harriss. “We had a lot of robust conversations pertaining to legislation our students would like to see moving forward and students were able to hear from three incredible speakers who are leaders in our community about their career paths.” Speakers at this year’s YAC included SIUE Chancellor James T. Minor, Damian Jones, Executive Director of Student Athletes Leading Tomorrow (SALT), and Judge Sarah Smith, Circuit Judge in Madison County. Maryville Christian School student AJ Whitley said the discussion with Judge Smith was his favorite part, “I really liked how she

Continue Reading

BETHALTO - Senior Courtney Picklesimer, No. 7 for the Civic Memorial Eagles, has been a leader all season for the girls' volleyball team in both the kills and blocks areas. Picklesimer is also a definite leader for the girls' team this fall. Courtney is a Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Female Athlete of the Month for the Eagles. CM head girls volleyball coach Kristie Ochs said Courtney consistently finds a way to score for her squad. "She is a hard-working, quick hitter, who plays with a lot of heart," the coach said. Again, congrats to Courtney on her selection as a Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Female Athlete of the Month for CM.

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)—joined U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and other Senate colleagues in introducing a bipartisan resolution condemning Hamas’s brutal terrorist attack on Israel and demanding that Hamas release all hostages and allow for their safe return home. “No innocent civilian—not Israelis, not Palestinians, not Illinoisans, not anyone—deserves to suffer the violence, terrorism, hate and abject heartbreak that too many human souls have faced since last Saturday’s Hamas terrorist attacks,” said Senator Duckworth. “Our bipartisan resolution today sends a message to all hostages—and all families experiencing the agony of having to wonder about the safety and wellbeing of their loved ones—that the United States sees them and is with them. There is never any excuse for terrorism and Hamas

Continue Reading