Riverbender 🕸

SOUTH ROXANA - The village has filed suit in circuit court asking for permission to demolish an allegedly abandoned and dangerous house at 411 Rose Avenue. An inspector stated in a court document that the home has, exposed wood, rotted frames around the window, boarded up doorways that have been open and unsecured and burned siding on a detached garage. “The structure provides enticement for children, material for scavengers and vagrants and attracts and harbors unsafe health conditions by enticing rodents,” a statement from the village alleges. Authorities claim the property has been in a deteriorated state for several years. The property has been without utility services since January 2020. Officials claim they have attempted to contact the owners, TRI Brothers, LLC of Miami, but to no avail. The cost of the demolition and cleanup would be recoverable from the owners, according to the suit.

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Joesid C. Gresham, 39, of Granite City, was charged with felony retail theft for allegedly stealing a Wet Brush Detangling Comb from the CVS store. The case was charged as a class 4 felony because the suspect was convicted of the same charge on April 21. The alleged crime occurred on Monday; the charge was filed Tuesday. Bail was set at $10,000. The item is available on the Internet for $5.99. WOOD RIVER - James R. Edwards, 35, of the first block of Beach Avenue, Wood River, was charged Tuesday with domestic battery, unlawful restraint, and unlawful violation of an order of protection. He allegedly pulled a female victim’s hair and gouged her eye on Monday after having been convicted of the same offense on Dec. 23. He was also accused of taking keys from the victim, preventing her from leaving the home. The victim was protected by an order of protection that was served on Oct. 21. EAST ALTON - Jennifer D. Howard, 33, of the 200 block of Kingshighway, East Alton,

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE – The Gori Law Firm is proud to announce two of the firm’s attorneys were honored with 2022 Super Lawyers distinctions. Managing Partner Sara Salger was selected to the 2022 Illinois Rising Stars list, and Partner Bob Marcus was selected to the 2022 Illinois Super Lawyers list. The lists were published by Super Lawyers on January 28 of this year. Super Lawyers is a rating service that recognizes outstanding lawyers in more than 70 practice areas. Individuals that receive Super Lawyers distinctions have achieved high levels of peer recognition and professional success within their areas of practice. Only five percent of attorneys in Illinois are named Super Lawyers, while less than 3 percent of attorneys are named Rising Stars. Salger and Marcus are two of the many attorneys over the years from The Gori Law Firm to be recognized as Super Lawyers. “It’s an honor to once again be recognized for our work, both as individuals and as a firm,” sai

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Senate Republican leader Sue Rezin, R-Morris, made a statement today about the Joint Committee of Administrative Rules (JCAR) successful vote that suspends the Pritzker Administration's attempt to reissue emergency rules that would have required school districts to enforce the Governor's Mask Mandate, despite the recent court ruling. The JCAR voted 9-0-2 to block the emergency rules and it was with a bipartisan vote. Sen. Rezin said: "Today, the Joint Committee of Administrative Rules made it clear that it would not accept the Governor's attempts to go above a court ruling made by a co-equal branch of government. "Instead of allowing our judicial system to work through its process, the Governor tried to double down on his unilateral approach to COVID-19 mitigation by reissuing the same exact rules the Sangamon County judge nullified earlier this month. This move was both bad government and dangerous to the rule of law as it ignored the court's ruling on due process."

Continue Reading

BETHALTO/COLLINSVILLE - Bethalto School District 8 and Collinsville School District 10 made decisions at board meetings on Monday night to go mask optional. Bethalto School Board President Todd Meiser said the board had to think "logically" about the decision. Meiser also made a statement that it was good to get community feedback, but also the staff and immunocompromised students had to be taken into consideration in a change. Bethalto School District Superintendent Jill Griffin told parents in a letter that she hopes to work together with everyone with the decision and also mentioned some students have health conditions that may require special circumstances. She also said masks will be required on school buses. The mandatory testing for unvaccinated staff also has stopped at Bethalto District 8. A Sangamon County Judge last week ruled the mask mandate is unconstitutional and should be dropped. Both Bethalto and Collinsville adopted the stance that the Center for Disease (CDC)

Continue Reading

The upcoming East Alton and Jerseyville locations of Germania Brew Haus will open slightly later than expected. Owner Jared Brynildsen said the recent winter storm complicated things for Ameren, who have been trying to get the power connected. “We are now scheduled to softly open this Friday and social media posts will be released soon, if not today,” Brynildsen said. This Friday is February 18, the location’s new soft opening date. Brynildsen also said a new outdoor seating development is underway for the East Alton location. “We are working with the owners and management of East Gate Plaza on an outdoor insulated seating area for opening this spring,” Brynildsen said. Brynildsen said the East Alton location’s delay will also impact the opening of the Jerseyville location. In addition to winter storm delays, Germania is still a small business with a limited number of training staff, emphasizing their need to space out the locations’

Continue Reading

GREENVILLE - A new agreement between Greenville University and the Regional Office of Education #3 gives employees of the ROE #3 region a discount for online courses and opens opportunities for GU students. GU values partnerships, especially those that benefit all involved. That value for building partnerships brought about this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between GU and the ROE #3. In addition to offering educational opportunities to employees of the ROE #3 region, the MOU also brings the potential of collaboration with schools in the ROE #3 region to provide opportunities for GU students pursuing careers in education. “I think it’s a mutually advantageous opportunity,” says Shaila Wong, GU’s account executive. “We get to help their workforce by supporting their educational needs and strengthen GU’s partnerships in the region.” The Regional Office of Education #3 serves Bond, Christian, Effingham, Fayette, and Montgomery counties

Continue Reading

GRANITE CITY – The Illinois Department of Transportation announces that IL 203, Edwardsville Road, from 14th Street to 20th Street in Granite City in Madison County will be reduced to one lane in each direction beginning February 28, 2022, weather permitting. This work is necessary to install a new water main. Work is expected to last through April 2022. Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. To avoid the work area, when feasible, use of alternate routes should be considered. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices and be alert for workers and equipment. The Contractor on this project is Illinois American Water. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com .

Continue Reading

BETHALTO - Amanda Winn led a group rally of passionate members for the right to wear a mask or not in Bethalto School District 8 late this past week in Bethalto near the high school and middle school. On Monday night, Bethalto School District 8 Board President Todd Meiser announced the schools are going mask optional. Bethalto School District 8 resumed classes on Monday and everything was normal. The new changes went into effect on Tuesday. Photos are included here from the rally last Friday that shows the diverse ages of those in attendance. There was a large crowd in attendance from young to older adults at the rally. Bethalto School District 8 canceled school this past Friday concerned about the commotion of the rally before school, however, it was very peaceful. Winn said she has been in other areas of the state with rally events trying to unleash school masking, which was instituted because of COVID-19. Winn’s husband is a military veteran and she agrees she is passionate

Continue Reading

QUINCY - Quincy University released its Dean's List for the fall 2021 semester. Honorees must earn a semester grade point average of at least 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) to be included in the biannual Dean's List. In total, 361 students received the honor during the fall 2021 semester. A complete list of honorees is listed below: Cameryn Varble from Carrollton, IL Margaret Brumback from Edwardsville, IL Hayley Milazzo from Godfrey, IL Ryleigh Jones from Jerseyville, IL Ethan Mueller from Jerseyville, IL Founded in 1860 by Franciscan friars, Quincy University is a small Catholic university emphasizing the sciences, liberal arts and the professions. Quincy University offers undergraduate, graduate and adult education programs integrating practical experience and Franciscan values. Faculty and advisors work with students to design customized success plans to help them graduate on time, find their passion and prepare them for life. QU is a member of NCAA Division II for intercollegiate athletics.

Continue Reading

Our Love Story: The Couple: Lillie & Brandon Pierson from Alton Date Met/Started Dating: November 11, 2013 Briefly Describe First Date: Our very first date was in 2010, we went to the movies but we weren't officially together then. Date Married: April 6, 2018 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: We enjoy playing the game together, doing outside activities, raising our family together, and mostly just spending time with each other. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: The best advice I can give is to keep on pushing forward each and every day. Don't stay mad at each other over little things. Don't let unhappy people ruin your happiness. Always kiss each other goodnight!

Continue Reading

Our Love Story: The Couple: Dillan & Bethany Plummer from Alton Date Met/Started Dating: May 15, 2014 Briefly Describe First Date: We went to the movies to see Fast and the Furious on our first date. Date Married: September 22, 2016 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Going out to the movies, and we love going out to eat with the kids. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Always tell the truth and always help one another.

Continue Reading

EAST ST. LOUIS – Armon R. Simpson, 18, and Jamariante N. Burgess, 19, both of East St. Louis, Illinois, have been charged by superseding indictment with Conspiracy to Commit Carjacking, Carjacking, and Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. Both men have been ordered detained pending trial. According to court documents, between July 12, 2021, and August 5, 2021, Simpson, Burgess, and others, conspired to commit armed carjackings, including three carjackings in the Eastern District of Missouri and the Southern District of Illinois. The final carjacking prior to their arrest occurred on August 5, 2021. Burgess and Simpson approached a vehicle in downtown Saint Louis, Missouri, displayed firearms at the passengers, and forcibly took their vehicle. Afterwards, they fled to East St. Louis, Illinois, where they shot a man walking in an apartment complex and then discarded the stolen vehicle. If convicted, Simpson and Burgess face up to 15 years imprisonment on the Carjacking charge

Continue Reading

Depression in young people is vastly undertreated. About two-thirds of depressed youth don’t receive any mental health care at all . Of those who do, a significant proportion rely on antidepressant medications. Since 2003, however, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned that young people might experience suicidal thinking and behavior during the first months of treatment with antidepressants. The FDA issued this warning to urge clinicians to monitor suicidal thoughts at the start of treatment. These warnings appear everywhere: on TV and the internet, in print ads and news stories. The most strongly worded warnings appear in black boxes on medication containers themselves. We are professors and researchers at Harvard Medical School , the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and University at Buffalo. For over 30 years, we have been studying the intended and unintended effects of health policies on patient safety. We have found that FDA drug

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD – Today marks the three-year anniversary of the 2019 fatal shooting at the Henry Pratt Company in Aurora, Illinois. Since this mass shooting, the Illinois State Police (ISP) continues to advance the cause of greater safety from gun violence on numerous fronts. ISP continues to close historical gaps in firearms-prohibiting records review and analysis. This includes nearly eliminating the long-standing backlog of potential firearms-prohibiting information from state and federal databases that could correlate with persons attempting to obtain firearms including criminal records and mental health records. Unanalyzed records have been reduced by 97% with ISP reviewing over 140,000 records in two years since 2019. In 2021 alone, the ISP thwarted over 25,000 attempts to illegally obtain a firearm – a record number. The ISP also revoked over 70% more FOID cards in 2021 than 2019, with 17,457 cards revoked in 2021. With the signing of bi-partisan gun safety legislation

Continue Reading

Our Love Story: The Couple: Melissa & Richard from Jerseyville Date Met/Started Dating: August 4, 2014 Briefly Describe First Date: We went to Carlinville and spent the weekend together. Date Married: August 4, 2018 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: We enjoy spending time with our family, we love music, we own a DJ business together and we enjoy working side by side, we love going on vacation and planning float trips and being around our friends, but most of all just spending time together. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Never go to bed angry, always put yourself in the other person's shoes before you do something drastic that might affect your relationship, be faithful, kiss like teenagers, complement each other, and always remind your partner how much you love them and never stop slow dancing.

Continue Reading

Our Love Story: The Couple: Josh & Ashley from Shipman Date Met/Started Dating: September 2, 2011 Briefly Describe First Date: Went out for dinner & drinks. Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Family trips, camping, concerts, and breakfast dates. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship : There is no love without forgiveness & there's no forgiveness without love.

Continue Reading

CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Revenue today highlighted the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Program which allows qualified seniors to defer all or part of their property taxes and special assessment payments on their principal residences. Seniors needing assistance paying their property taxes have until March 1st to apply for the program. The program, which works like a loan, allows qualified seniors to defer a maximum of $5,000 per tax year (including both first and second installment payments). Deferred amounts are borrowed from the State of Illinois, who pays the tax bill to the County Collector’s Office. Interest on the amount paid by the State accumulates and a lien is placed on the property for all deferred tax payments and interest, payable upon death of the homeowner, at the time the home is transferred to a new owner, or sooner, if the program participant chooses to pay off the deferred tax payments and interest. “I encourage all eligible

Continue Reading

ALTON - The Alton Community Service League, a nonprofit group focused on volunteerism, is now accepting grant applications from not-for-profit organizations interested in applying for monetary grants. Forms are available by contacting Carol Morris at cmorris191@sbcglobal.net , calling 530-2276 or 462-4063, or mailing your request to Alton Community Service League, P.O. Box 211, Alton, Il. 62002. Completed forms must be postmarked by March 14, 2022. Grant recipients will be announced in May. Alton Community Service League has raised funds for area beautification and non-profits for over 64 years. The ACSL was able to have their main fundraiser this year--Gift Wrapping at the Mall. A special thanks to all who supported us. The last fundraiser of the year is TJ’s Pizza. Contact any ACSL member if you would like to place an order. Anyone who would like to donate to the Alton Community Service League may do so at: Alton Community Service League, P.O. Box 211, Alton, IL. Available

Continue Reading

BETHALTO — 1st MidAmerica Credit Union is pleased to announce Julius Sims as the new Regional Manager. Sims comes to the credit union with over 15 years of experience in financial services. With his previous experience as a market manager, Sims will be an excellent addition to the operations team at 1st MidAmerica. Through the years, Sims has held both member-facing and back office positions at financial institutions that will lend him a unique perspective in his role. “I’m excited to get started at 1st MidAmerica. I’m looking forward to helping and coaching the leaders of the operations team,” Sims said. Sims resides in Florissant. He volunteers with the National Black MBA Association, with his church and other various organizations. 1st MidAmerica Credit Union has a mission of exceeding member expectations. Additional information can be found at www.1stMidAmerica.org .

Continue Reading