Riverbender 🕸

ALTON - Alton Little Theater (ALT) welcomed over 100 kids at their first ever Halloween trunk-or-treat. On Monday, Oct. 30, 2023, ALT invited the community to stop by their parking lot at 2450 Henry Street in Alton to celebrate Halloween with the ALT Board of Directors. Kevin Frakes, the theater’s artistic director, explained that they wanted to provide a fun and safe evening for the kids who live near ALT. “We loved the kids and we had a great time,” Frakes said. “We just basically did it for the community and for the kids in our area, because a lot of the kids in our area, they don’t even have sidewalks. So we thought we would do something like that this year just for the safety of it, and just for the awareness of the theater and that we’re very much community-minded.” This was ALT’s first year sponsoring the trunk-or-treat. Frakes teased there is a “good chance” they’ll do it again following the huge response.

Continue Reading

ALTON/EDWARDSVILLE - There is no doubt about it, Alton and Edwardsville communities take Halloween seriously. East End Improvement Association sponsors the annual Alton Halloween Parade and it is nearly a year-long undertaking. The same holds true for the Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce Halloween Parade. Included here are a variety of photos that display the characters who were out on the streets of Alton and Edwardsville on Tuesday. Displayed are all ages from young to elderly. It was a jovial day for many in the region and those pictured enjoyed themselves! If you have photos from the big day you want to share send them here with the story on Facebook.

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Megan Knobeloch is a senior player for the Edwardsville High girls' volleyball team who emerged as one of the Tigers' key players for the 2023 season. Knobeloch played a key role in the Tigers' 25-17, 25-23 win over Quincy in the playoff opener at Alton's Redbird Nest on Oct. 24 with 13 assists in the semifinal of the Class 4A Alton regional. In the team's season finale against Belleville West on Oct. 19, Knobeloch scored four points with two aces in the Tigers' 25-19, 25-20 win. The win on the Tigers' senior night was a great way to round out Knobeloch's career at Edwardsville and in her post-match interview, she was very happy, indeed. "We had a lot of fun this year," Knobeloch said, "and I'm glad we got to finish it out winning first in our conference (going 12-0 in the Southwestern Conference), and I got to finish my season out with all the people I started it with." Knobeloch is a Johnston Law Firm Female Athlete of the Month for the Tigers. The out-of-town road

Continue Reading

GRANITE CITY – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that road repairs on westbound Interstate 270 between Illinois 3 and Riverview Drive in Missouri will require lane closures starting, weather permitting, at 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. One lane will always remain open. All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, Nov. 6, 2023. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this closure. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all construction signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling through the work zone. 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

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Director John J. Kim today announced the opening of the next round of funding for the Illinois Electric Vehicle (EV) Rebate Program. Applications are being accepted starting November 1 and must be postmarked no earlier than November 1. Individuals can access and complete an application for a rebate under Illinois’ EV Rebate Program at: https://epa.illinois.gov/topics/ceja/electric-vehicle-rebates.html . Rebates will be issued to eligible applicants subject to availability of funds. The General Assembly has appropriated up to $12 million to Illinois EPA for the EV Rebate program for the current fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. Actual funding amounts will be determined by the amount of money available in the Electric Vehicle Rebate Fund. Due to the substantial interest in the program, Illinois EPA anticipates the available funds being depleted in advance of the close of the application window on January 31,

Continue Reading

ALTON - In honor of Veterans Day, veterans can receive comprehensive dental care for no fee through the SIU School of Dental Medicine on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023. “There are way more veterans than you would anticipate that are without a dental provider or dental insurance,” explained Dr. Katie Kosten, the school’s Director of Community Dentistry. “So that’s an unmet need in that population, and we’re positioned to be able to give back in that way, so we try to take that day to do that for them.” Veterans can contact the school at 618-474-7200 to schedule their appointment for Nov. 9. Third and fourth-year dental students will see patients that day, under the faculty’s supervision. They will complete as much dental work as possible for every veteran who walks in the door. “This is a service we’ve provided for the last several years where we invite veterans to come to SIU School of Dental Medicine to receive, basically, a

Continue Reading

ALTON - People come from across the region to have a great time at Fast Eddie’s Bon Air . But during the Alton Halloween Parade , the Fast Eddie’s staff are the ones who are partying. Every year, the bartenders, servers and their families gather outside the bar to tailgate and watch the Halloween Parade. Angie Rook explained that the party, thrown by Fast Eddie’s owner Eddie Sholar, is a chance for the staff to spend time together and enjoy the parade with their kids, a fire and plenty of snacks. “This is more of a family-friendly party that they throw for us,” Rook said. “We’re having hotdogs and chili and snacks and fire to keep us warm. The kids are having fun. It’s something to do away from work, something to get together with our kids and our families outside of work and have fun and watch this great parade and not think about work for the evening.” But Rook is quick to note how much she enjoys working at Fast Eddie’s.

Continue Reading

JOLIET— Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) were joined today by local officials and community leaders to celebrate several important milestones on the $1.3 billion overhaul of Interstate 80, setting up one of the cornerstone projects in the governor’s Rebuild Illinois capital program to be almost fully under construction in the spring. Entering next construction season, an estimated $385 million worth of projects just on I-80’s mainline lanes will be underway on almost 12 miles of the corridor, signaling the start of a major new phase. “Illinoisans deserve infrastructure built for the modern era, with the highest standards of safety and reliability, and a little less congestion and frustration,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “That’s why the General Assembly and I dedicated $1.3 billion of our road modernization plan — the largest single allocation — to the rebuilding and restoration of I-80 through

Continue Reading

ALTON - A local organization will celebrate the birthday of the late Police Officer Blake Snyder with a food drive to benefit Alton food pantries. On Friday, Nov. 3 and Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, you can stop by Alton Physical Therapy , located at 3550 College Avenue, to drop off donations and participate in raffles, games and giveaways. The food drive, sponsored by Mustache March 4 PD (MM4PD), aims to honor Snyder and help the community by collecting 4,100 pounds of food to celebrate Snyder’s 41st birthday on Nov. 7. “After Blake was killed in the line of duty in St. Louis, there was a group of us that wanted to get a better connection with the community and the police officers,” explained Tina Bennett, vice president of MM4PD. “And Blake was the kind of person, the kind of police officer we hope all police officers are. He was very generous with his time, helping people, always a very good husband and father and churchgoer, family man. To have him

Continue Reading

ALTON - For Cole Kribs, the Alton Halloween Parade isn’t just fun; it’s business. Every year, Cole and his family set up shop outside Town Club Bar and Grill , located at 2400 E. Broadway in Alton, and sell hot chocolate to the parade participants as they wait for the parade to start. The bar is owned by Cole’s father, Mark Kribs, and they are happy to invite people in for a few minutes of warmth and a hot drink. “It’s cold tonight,” Cole noted as he waited for the parade to start on Oct. 31, 2023. “I would think that would help.” It’s also a tradition. Cole and his brother have spent every Halloween Parade at the bar with their parents. The parade participants usually line up along Broadway, so they always get a sneak peak of the floats and bands before the parade officially starts. While they decided to stick to hot chocolate this year, they usually have crock pots full of hot chocolate and hotdogs to boost spirits

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Senate confirmed Jack Lew to serve as the United States Ambassador to Israel: “The recent terrorist attack in Israel and ensuing overlapping challenges in the region are a reminder of the importance of having top American diplomats at our embassies. Unfortunately, some Republican Senators have continued to block the confirmation of highly qualified U.S. ambassadors from key posts around the world. I was pleased to support Jack Lew’s confirmation and hope he will work with urgency to bring home the remaining American hostages, provide humanitarian relief for innocent civilians in Gaza, and pursue a long term two-state solution that brings a desperately overdue path out of continued conflict in the region.”

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Wolf Street will be closed to thru traffic for approximately one week for concrete patching beginning on Thursday, November 2. Christ Bros. will place a concrete patch over the portion of Wolf Street bisected by Madison County Transit’s Nickel Plate Trail. Wolf Street is expected to reopen for full access on Friday, November 10. While the work is underway, properties to the east and west of the work will be accessible, but there will be no thru traffic access. Alternate routes to bypass the closure include Brown Avenue, Schwarz Street and Fillmore Street. The City appreciates the cooperation and patience of all residents and businesses during this closure. Please contact Public Works at (618) 692-7535 with any questions.

Continue Reading

GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College invites team members to participate in LC Speaks, a new speaker series which will feature L&C professionals sharing their stories and perspectives. The inaugural event begins at 3 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 7, in Reid Memorial Library on the Godfrey Campus. LC Speaks will be held ­each fall and aims to establish and nurture connections across campus through storytelling and shared experiences. This year’s speakers are Adult Education Secretary of State Literacy Coordinator Sheila Vaughn, Speech Professor Elizabeth Grant, Speech Professor Mumba Mumba and Health Information and Medical Coding Adjunct Faculty Instructor Melody Davis-Wilson. Mumba hopes people will use the event to build connections and that those who wish to speak will have a platform to practice their craft on campus with a supportive audience. “I’m excited we are introducing a public space that encourages faculty and staff to share their stories and

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON DC - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees—issued the following statement after the Senate confirmed the Honorable Jack Lew to serve as the next U.S. Ambassador to Israel: “We must work as hard as we can to bring about a tomorrow for both Israelis and Palestinians alike where their skies won’t be marred with missiles and their streets won’t be scarred with blood. Amid this ongoing crisis, I’m relieved that the Senate confirmed Jack Lew to be our nation’s Ambassador to Israel and I’m confident Ambassador Lew will be effective in deepening the already-strong bond between our countries, while enhancing U.S.-Israeli cooperation to better respond and support our allies in the Middle East.”

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate National Labs Caucus, joined U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jim Risch (R-ID), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and John Thune (R-SD), to introduce the bipartisan Testing and Evaluation Systems for Trusted Artificial Intelligence (TEST) AI Act , legislation that would improve the federal government’s capacity to test and evaluate Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems to drive innovation, protect national security, and safeguard Americans against risks. The TEST AI Act leverages the unique expertise and resources of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to advance AI innovation and guardrails. NIST’s deep expertise in AI risk management, combined with the technical expertise and computational and data resources provided by DOE’s National Labs will enable the U.S. government to conduct practical and meaningful

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, questioned Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on President Biden’s national security supplemental funding request, which includes emergency funds for Israel, Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific, and humanitarian crises. Durbin, Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, first questioned Secretary Austin about the need to continue to provide Ukraine with financial support from the United States and NATO, referencing a recent talk Ukrainian President Zelenskyy had with members of the U.S. Senate. “But he said without the continued financial support of the United States and NATO, we will lose this war. He was unequivocal. He repeated it—without the financial support of the United States and NATO, we will lose this war. Was he exaggerating?” Durbin asked. Secretary Austin responded that Zelenskyy was not exaggerating.

Continue Reading

JERSEYVILLE - Jerseyville is getting a new gym this weekend when JerseyFit Barbell celebrates its Grand Opening on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will be jam-packed with activities, including a bench pressing competition, kids’ competitions, food, and more. Owner Adam Hickson, who is also a JCHS Strength & Conditioning coach, partnered with Nick Bexheti to make JerseyFit Barbell a reality. Bexheti recently announced the Grand Opening, adding their overall vision is to “elevate the sports and wellness offerings in Jerseyville.” “In April, we turned that dream into a reality. Combining our shared vision and passion for sports, we launched JerseyFit Barbell - a gym that provides a functional fitness space catering to all training styles,” Bexheti said. “This wasn't just about starting a gym; we poured our sweat and heart into renovating an old building, transforming it into a top-notch fitness facility.” The

Continue Reading

ALTON - The Alton Halloween Parade sponsored by the East End Improvement Association was a cold one, but once again brought tons of smiles from children and plenty of candy with top-quality floats, East End spokesperson Steve Schwartz said late Tuesday night. This was the 106th Alton Halloween Parade. "I thought the parade went great," he said. "We had a great turnout on a cool night. I thought the floats were great, overall it was one of our best years for floats. There is some real creativity in our floats." Schwartz said several of the floats stood out, but some he mentioned were various winners, Dr. Vest and Company, once again the Commercial Division winner, the Boy Scouts Troop 1 float, and floats by Alton Physical Therapy, Montessori and Home Depot. Schwartz also commended the Alton Police Department and Alton Public Works Department for all their hard work in keeping the parade safe. This year, Schwartz said there were four marching bands - The Marching 100 from Alton High

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - It was a bone-chilling night, but revelers at the Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce Halloween Parade didn’t let that dampen their spirits or the once again fantastic event. The parade kicked off at 6:30 p.m. and did not disappoint with an abundance of memorable entries. The float winners will be announced soon and released. The theme this year was “Great American Road Trips.” The Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Chamber said in a statement, they are "always excited for the annual parade” and once again it went off without a hitch despite the cold temps. Edwardsville Police Department was again out in full force to keep the pathways safe for the tight-knight Edwardsville-Glen Carbon communities. The Edwardsville Arts Center had special comments and summed up the feelings of many about the parade: “There were many die-hard Halloween Parade fans out braving the bitter cold. We had so much fun in our first parade! Thank you to

Continue Reading

ALTON - The 106th Alton Halloween Parade is a huge event for the entire Riverbend region, but for Alton Mayor David Goins and his family, the night took on special meaning as they represented Alton and raised awareness for breast cancer. The mayor and his wife, Sheila Goins, worked with their family and friends to create a “Barbies for Breast Cancer Awareness” theme, complete with pink costumes and a car outfitted with Barbie memorabilia and pink ribbons. Sheila rode in the parade with the Goins’ friend Tina Mills, an Alton woman currently undergoing treatment for stage three breast cancer at Alton Memorial Hospital. “It is the last day of October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and so we still wanted to give Breast Cancer Awareness Month a nice sendoff and just bring awareness,” Mayor David Goins said. The mayor partnered with Alton Memorial Hospital to share some of their educational materials. While the group had plenty of candy to give

Continue Reading