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GODFREY - On Friday, September 16, The Nature Institute will host “In Harmony with Nature”, a celebration of music and nature. This year will be the second year featuring the Alton High School Symphonic Orchestra, conducted by Laura Plummer. “In Harmony with Nature” begins at 5:30 p.m. with time for families to set up a picnic dinner on the skeet range. The concert, which begins at 6 p.m., will take place at the John M. Olin Nature Preserve, located at 2213 S. Levis Lane in Godfrey. T&S Smokehouse Food Truck will have BBQ and Shivers Frozen Custard will bring sweet treats for purchase. Outside food is allowed, however, no alcohol is permitted. Carpooling is encouraged and is sure to bring blankets and chairs for concert viewing. Your experience will start with a short, shaded walk to the skeet range on TNI’s newly paved trail. As you walk along you will see the butterflies and bees visiting the blooming flowers in the savannas, and hear the songs

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ST. LOUIS - Today, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones announced the appointment of Lakesha Robinson as the new Mayor’s Office Senior Advisor for Children, Youth, and Families. Her appointment comes as her predecessor Wilford Pinkney moves into his new role as the Director of the Office of Violence Prevention . In addition, Mayor Jones’ Policy Director Nahuel Fefer will be moving to the Community Development Administration (CDA) as its new Executive Director. “As a mom, I understand firsthand how important it is we offer our children every chance to succeed, and we need a proven leader who can help advocate for our babies at the highest levels,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “I am excited to welcome Lakesha Robinson into my administration to help make St. Louis safer and stronger for children and their families. I thank Wil and Nahuel as well for their hard work as they transition into new roles in city government.” Robinson is a St. Louis native who has

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ELSAH - Escape to the historic Village of Elsah Saturday, Aug. 27 for an afternoon of fun, music, tours, and more during the free Elsah Festival. The festival, which marks the end of the summer travel season, will include historic walking tours, a Wetlands Trail Tour, and a Pollinator Garden Tour. Live music will take place throughout the village including at the Riverview House and Gazebo at Green Tree Inn. All businesses and historic buildings will also be open throughout the afternoon featuring food, drink, and craft vendors. Businesses will also be offering specials. The festival runs from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. “We wanted to create a festival that celebrates the end of summer and that gives folks something to do before the start of school,” Connie Davis, Chairperson of the Elsah Tourism Committee, and co-owner of the Green Tree Inn Bed & Breakfast Inn said. “We want people to be able to get out, have a great day and enjoy the village.” Highlights of the festival

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined two separate coalitions of attorneys general opposing discriminatory efforts to limit voting rights and access to the ballot box. Raoul filed legal briefs supporting a challenge to a North Carolina law that restricts the voting rights of formerly incarcerated people and contesting a Florida election law that would make it more difficult for millions of Floridians to vote. “Limiting access to the ballot box reduces participation in our democracy and ultimately weakens faith in our government,” Raoul said. “These actions disproportionally burden voters of color, older Americans, and individuals with disabilities. States should be working to expand voter participation – not erecting frivolous roadblocks that disenfranchise large portions of the electorate.” Raoul joined a coalition of 15 attorneys general supporting a challenge to North Carolina’s felon disenfranchisement law, which prohibits some formerly

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) today invited middle and high school students from Illinois’ 12th Congressional District to participate in the 2022 Congressional App Challenge. Launched in 2015, the competition is a nationwide event intended to engage students’ creativity and encourage their participation in STEM fields. “In an increasingly technological world, the Congressional App Challenge provides students with an opportunity to grow their coding skills,” said Bost. “I encourage Southern Illinois middle and high school students to participate this year and am looking forward to seeing what they create.” The Congressional App Challenge is an opportunity to encourage students to create and exhibit their software application (also known as an “app”) for web, PC, tablet, mobile, Raspberry Pi, or other platform of their choice. We accept any programming language, such as C, C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, Ruby,

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ST. LOUIS - The following students have been named to the dean's list for the spring 2022 semester at Washington University in St. Louis: Chris Byron Jr. graduated in May from the university’s College of Arts & Sciences. To qualify for the Dean's List in the College of Arts & Sciences, students must earn a semester grade point average of 3.6 or above and be enrolled in at least 14 graded units. Dev Mathur is enrolled in the university's McKelvey School of Engineering. To qualify for the Dean's List in the McKelvey School of Engineering, students must earn a semester grade point average of 3.6 or above and be enrolled in at least 12 graded units. Dhruv Mathur is enrolled in the university's McKelvey School of Engineering. To qualify for the Dean's List in the McKelvey School of Engineering, students must earn a semester grade point average of 3.6 or above and be enrolled in at least 12 graded units. Usma Rizvi is enrolled in the university's College of Arts & Sciences. To

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EDWARDSVILLE - Aria Burnside has been highly successful with her business Aria’s Cookies and Confections and has plans to open sometime in the near future at Eastgate Plaza because of shopping center owner Todd Kennedy. Aria has been operating with a ghost kitchen and won a contest through the Alton Main Street IdeaBounce Contest and Eastgate Plaza. The teen entrepreneur will get six months of free rental space at Eastgate Plaza in East Alton, which also has offered to build out a bakery space for Burnside. Aria just turned 18 years old. After she finished Liberty Middle School, she attended Edwardsville High School for a period of time but was struggling and her mother moved her to homeschool. During that time, she started baking and after some of her items were shared at church, others continued to want to purchase cookies and coffee cakes. She started selling things at church bake sales and fundraisers. Before she knew it, her Facebook page blew apart, and she ha

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EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville was filled with new, smiling faces as first-year students began moving into their residence halls on Wednesday, Aug. 17. Move-in activities for first-year students continue Thursday, Aug. 18, with returning students arriving Friday-Saturday, Aug. 19-20. In total, more than 2,650 students will live in University Housing in fall 2022. “It has been a great day,” said University Housing Director Mallory Sidarous. “We are incredibly excited for this new class, and we couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day to help them through our move-in process and get settled in their new living spaces. The energy of our returning student volunteers and staff is carrying over to our new students. It is motivating and beautiful to see the campus filled with vibrancy ahead of the fall semester.” More than 200 volunteers, including faculty, staff and students, are helping streamline the move-in process. “Moving

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College is announcing its list of scholarship recipients for the 2022-2023 academic year, and it’s the biggest group to date. Of more than 400 applicants from throughout the college’s district this year, 155 students accepted awards for the academic year beginning next Monday, Aug. 22. Extending the scholarship deadline, the support of current and new donors, and the efforts of the Scholarship Awarding Committee aided the college in achieving one of the best scholarship awarding cycles experienced to date. “The Lewis and Clark Community College Financial Aid department and the Lewis and Clark Community College Foundation offer about 200 scholarships annually, with a value of more than $600,000, including opportunities for people of all ages, abilities and levels of academic achievement,” said L&C President Ken Trzaska. “This year, we are particularly excited to be able to make higher education more accessible

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EDWARDSVILLE – As families and friends plan their end-of-summer celebrations for Labor Day weekend, the Edwardsville Police Department is partnering with the Illinois State Police and law enforcement across the state to stop impaired driving and help save lives. “We’ll be out in force to keep impaired drivers off the roads with the goal of ensuring our community’s residents and visitors make it home safely once the parties end,” said Lt. Barry Jones. “If you’ll be celebrating, we urge you to plan ahead for a sober ride.” The high-visibility “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement campaign runs from Aug. 19 through the early-morning hours of Sept. 6. During this period, law enforcement will be stepping up efforts focused on the impaired, unbuckled, and distracted drivers. Before the party starts, remember to designate a sober driver and don’t let friends or family members drive impaired. Other important tips

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ALTON - It has been some time since Alton High has been able to host a full field for the annual Andy Simpson Doubles Invitational, but on Saturday that will happen once again. The COVID-19 Pandemic slowed the tourney, but Director Jesse Macias has it back as good as ever this year with 11 team entries. The tourney is named for one of the biggest names in tennis and athletics in general in Alton - Antigone "Andy" Simpson. Simpson died in 2016, but she left a lasting legacy with her tennis contributions and work in the community. “No family could give more to our area in regards to tennis than the Simpsons, and Andy was a true angel in our community," Coach Macias said. "They generously helped build the tennis facilities at Lewis and Clark and Gordon Moore, but Andy also loved all things Alton and we appreciate the time and love she gave to everyone. This tournament is for her and I hope we have terrific competition and sportsmanship all day to make her proud.” "Andy,"

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EAST ST. LOUIS – The U.S. Attorney's Office of the Southern District of Illinois Court in East St. Louis has announced that Mario A. Foster, of East St. Louis, was sentenced on Tuesday, August 16, 2022, in federal court to 13 years in prison for Possessing with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Cocaine. Following Foster’s release, he will spend three years on supervised release. Foster was also ordered to pay $200 in special assessments along with a $500 fine. According to court documents, Foster was stopped and arrested following a call to law enforcement regarding parental abduction. Law enforcement observed a 3-month-old infant sitting in a removable child safety seat. When the infant was removed from the seat, officers discovered the baby had been sitting on a baggy containing fentanyl and a baggie containing cocaine base. “Fentanyl’s deadliness is no secret,” said United States Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “It is unfathomable that this defendant

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ALTON - AltonWorks Spokesperson Susan Ryan paid a visit to the new Riverbender.com Our Daily Show! to more elaborately discuss Governor Pritzker’s Monday announcement that $3 million from the Rebuild Illinois Grant will go to the Wedge Innovation Center Project in Downtown Alton. Listen to Our Daily Show! for the full interview with Susan Ryan, a spokesperson for AltonWorks. The show is live daily Monday - Friday from 9-11 a.m. on Riverbender.com. John Simmons is the AltonWorks CEO, and Jayne Simmons is the president. The Wedge Innovation Center will be designed as an accelerator, incubator, co-working space, and digital hub focused on social impact innovation and specializing in livability, clean tech, and climate tech to benefit everyday lives. The Wedge plan is to support early-stage, growth-driven companies through education, mentorship, and financing. It will house startups, space for individuals or teams, and more established companies that want to accelerate

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EDWARDSVILLE - Madison County Clerk Recorder, Debbie Ming-Mendoza, is seeking ARPA funds to preserve over one million documents which date back to the 1800’s. These documents include birth, marriage, and death records of Madison County residents. Mendoza said, “American Rescue Plan Act funds were requested for consideration last year, but were not granted. With Madison County receiving a second installment of funding, now is the time to move forward with this preservation initiative.” This project would entail digitizing the historical material. Once the documents are in electronic form they become more disaster proof. The general public could also have greater access to their personal historical records through on-line access. Mendoza, explained: “The current condition of some of the paper documents are so brittle and aged, it is difficult handling them when the residents request to review them or in need of a copy. Also, the ink on some documents is

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EAST ST. LOUIS - The U.S. District Court in East St. Louis announced on Thursday that Mary M. Thornhill, 36, of Knoxville, Tenn., was sentenced on Wednesday, August 17, to 34 months in prison for her involvement in a bank fraud scheme that targeted female victims in Southern Illinois. The group targeted banks located in the Metro East, including those in Glen Carbon and Wood River. In July 2021, Thornhill conspired with others to cash stolen checks and fraudulently obtain funds from financial institutions using stolen IDs — including driver’s licenses —belonging to real individuals living in Southern Illinois. Thornhill admitted that on July 19, 2021, she and Mills went to Regions Bank in Glen Carbon, and successfully cashed a check made payable to a person whose identity had been stolen. Thornhill and Mills were arrested by officers with the Glen Carbon Police Department within minutes of leaving Regions. At the time of her guilty plea, Thornhill admitted that members

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ALTON - Alton Police and Fire Departments responded to a serious two-vehicle traffic crash at 10:55 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of College Avenue and Homer Adams Parkway in Alton. Alton Deputy Police Chief Jarrett Ford said the following about the accident: "One vehicle, a brown, 2016 Kia passenger car was eastbound on College Avenue at the traffic light. Unit two, a white, 2007 Chevrolet passenger car was traveling north onto College Avenue from Homer Adams Parkway off of the exit ramp into the intersection. Both drivers of their respective vehicles were transported to Alton Memorial Hospital by ambulance. Both drivers were in stable condition." The Alton Police Department traffic division is handling the investigation and the cause of the accident is still under investigation.

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ALTON - The successful Alton Food Truck Festival sponsored by Sauce Magazine will return to Liberty Bank Alton Amphitheater from 4 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, August 27. This year’s festival will feature twenty different food trucks offering a wide variety of enticing food options and musical entertainment by fan-favorite Groove Thang. Food trucks participating in the 2022 Alton Food Truck Festival are: Cajun Seduction Cheese Shack CinnaCrush Destination Desserts Doughboys Farmtruk Fire & Ice G Burrito Jaaise Grubb Pig On A Wing Scoops & More Spud Shack Street Cheff Sugarfire The Sweet Divine The Sweet Side TreauX’s Cajun BBQ Tuk Tuk Thai Wok and Roll Zacchi “This year’s Alton Food Truck Festival is shaping up to be the best one yet,” said Dan Herkert, Amphitheater Commission Chair. “This is one of the most popular events each season at Liberty Bank Alton Amphitheater, and we expect another great crowd this year.” “We

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GLEN CARBON – The former Village of Glen Carbon Mayor Ronald J. “Ronnie” Foster Sr. passed away at 2:03 pm on Tues., Aug. 16 at the age of 86 at Anderson Hospital in Maryville. Born and raised in Glen Carbon, he served as mayor from 1981-2001 and spent 16 years as a Village Trustee. In his honor, Village Hall will install bunting to recognize his enormous contributions to the community. During his tenure, Ronald Foster made significant accomplishments as the Mayor of Glen Carbon. He completed a major sanitary sewer project and a joint water agreement with Edwardsville, obtained funds to reconstruct Meridian and Glen Crossing roads, established the Historical Preservation Commission, and was the driving force behind the Illinois Central Railroad Right of Way which now represents the Ronald J. Foster Heritage Bike Trail. With Mayor Foster’s vision, the trail system which we know and love today became an integral part of the community. Other substantial contributions

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HARTFORD - Madison County Coroner Stephen P. Nonn on Wednesday morning identified a Bethalto man who tragically lost his life following a two-vehicle crash that occurred Tuesday afternoon on Illinois State Route 3 at 7 th Street in Hartford. A 9-1-1 call on the accident came in at approximately 4:11 p.m. The victim was the restrained driver and sole occupant of a 2007 Nissan Titan that was southbound on Illinois Route 3 when for reasons unknown turned east onto 7 th Street into the path of an oncoming northbound vehicle where it was struck on the passenger side in a “T” bone fashion. The victim in the fatal crash was identified as Jeffrey R. Hasenjaeger, 63, of Bethalto. Hasenjaeger was pronounced deceased at the scene by Madison County Coroner’s Office Investigator Shelbi Frakes at 5:05 p.m., August 16, 2022. A preliminary investigation shows blunt force chest and abdominal trauma as the cause of death. A final cause of death will not be issued until the

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CHICAGO — Governor Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) today announced the allocation of a $54 million increase in funding for the Early Childhood Block Grant as authorized by the Governor in the FY2023 state budget. The funds, which reflect a 10% increase in the overall Early Childhood Block Grant budget, will serve 4,500 additional Illinois students, adding to the more than 112,190 children who receive early childhood learning supports through state funded programs. “Supporting children from pregnancy to toddlerhood to preschool is one of my administration’s top priorities,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “And in Illinois, every child deserves an equal opportunity to learn and succeed, regardless of their family’s socio-economic status. So we are investing millions to strengthen our early childhood education system—empowering families, teachers, and childcare workers to build the foundation for the next generation of young

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