Riverbender 🕸

SPRINGFIELD - Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and their advocates joined State Representative Charlie Meier (R-Okawville) at the Illinois Capitol in Springfield on Wednesday to send a message to lawmakers it’s ‘My Work. My Choice’ concerning legislation pending in the legislature that could jeopardize their job. At the state capitol, Rep. Meier was joined by disability advocates who wore t-shirts that said ‘My Work. My Choice.’ According to State Representative Charlie Meier, “We are here to protect the jobs of our residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We want to protect their choice and their job, hence My Work. My Choice. We are opposed to legislation pending in the Illinois House that would put at least 50% of 14c workshop employees with disabilities out of work throughout the state. This number comes from providers who have switched, and some even laid off 70% of their workforce.”

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD – There has been an outpouring of support and concern for the condition and recovery of State Trooper Dakotah Chapman Green, who was shot during a traffic stop in the 1600 block of Toronto Road in Springfield. The Illinois State Police (ISP) today provided an update on the condition of Trooper Chapman-Green and the investigation into his shooting. On Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, at 10:47 p.m., ISP Trooper Chapman-Green stopped 37-year-old Cristobal Santana from Chicago in the 1600 block of Toronto Road in Springfield. During the traffic stop, the suspect fired at least 10 gunshots, hitting Trooper Chapman-Green several times, and struck him repeatedly, causing facial fractures, a skull fracture, and a brain bleed. The suspect fled the scene but was taken into custody at 1:58 a.m. on Oct. 25, 2023. Trooper Chapman-Green remains hospitalized. The suspect was taken to the hospital for injuries sustained during the apprehension and remains in the hospital. “By the Grac

Continue Reading

ALTON - When Angel Clark’s little sister Arian announced she wanted to become a real estate agent, both Angel and their mother admitted they had a few doubts. Arian, a 21-year-old realtor on the autism spectrum, is smart and talented but sometimes struggles with communication, which is, as the sisters’ mother Burrae Rocha points out, an important part of real estate. But Burrae and Angel weren’t worried about Arian’s ability as an agent; they were concerned about the society she’d be up against. “Instead of us learning Arian, Arian has to learn how to deal with us,” Burrae explained. “She’s got to learn how to deal with the outside world, and that’s a real challenge. I think that social cues are very hard for her. I guess, from a mom’s perspective, I would love other people just to know: Don’t judge a book by its cover. You know what I’m saying? She’s a very kind person. She’s just very straightforward

Continue Reading

JERSEYVILLE - The former Riverbend Axe Throwing location in Jerseyville is undergoing a rebrand and change in management. “Axe & Ale” Co-Owners Christina and Chris Herren are bringing their vision for Jerseyville’s latest entertainment destination to life with a soft opening later this year and a grand opening next year. Axe & Ale will combine “the thrill of axe throwing with the comfort and camaraderie of a neighborhood pub,” according to a press release from Christina. The duo are transforming the space, striving to create an inviting atmosphere for families, groups, and individuals to have a “memorable experience.” The soft opening of Axe & Ale is scheduled for Nov. 27, 2023. The event will allow the community to “get a taste of what's to come.” The grand opening, set for sometime in January of 2024, will feature “exciting activities, special promotions, and a chance for guests to meet the Herrens and their friendly staff.”

Continue Reading

ROXANA - Roxana freshman runner Gianna Stassi and her senior teammate Raelee Kimbro have a lot to celebrate. Stassi and Kimbro two both qualified for the IHSA State Cross Country Meet. Freshman Stassi led the Shells' qualifiers with a time of 18 minutes, 29.40 seconds on the 2.92-mile course at Benton for 16th place. Kimbro was 24th with a time of 19:30.90. Roxana head girls cross country coach Ben Scamihorn, a previous SIUE cross country and track runner, has developed the girls throughout the season. Gabrielle Woodruff and Riley Doyle were both state qualifiers last year, so Stassi and Kimbro have continued the Shells' tradition. Scamihorn said the Shell's coaches had looked at Stassi's arrival on the high school scene with anticipation, and she did not disappoint in any way. Stassi has been everything the coaches bargained for and more. Stassi and Kimbro are Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athletes of the Month for Roxana High School. Kimbro was already recognized as a Shells'

Continue Reading

My opinion on candy has changed a lot over the years. You see, prior to teaching others about nutrition, I didn’t care one bit about what I ate. Having candy and sweets was a regular day in the life. When it comes to candy, you’re either a chocolate or fruity person – it’s chocolate for me. Snickers has been my favorite for as long as I can remember. There’s something about the salty/sweet combo of peanuts and chocolate in there. I had no control over my sweet tooth. There was candy available on a regular basis at my prior job – especially after Halloween. It was a time of year to get excited about, like an early Christmas gift when co-workers would bring in their leftover candy that didn’t go out to trick-or-treaters. They didn’t want to leave it in their house because they would eat it. However, I was happy to help them with that. As you may be able to guess, though, my opinion on candy changed as I started to dive into nutrition.

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD - When we talk about the Lincoln story, we often stop at Abraham Lincoln’s 1865 assassination, but three more generations followed Abraham and Mary. Join Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Lincoln Historian Christian McWhirter, Lincoln Historian at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Museum and author. He will provide a glimpse into the lives of President Lincoln’s descendants and how they dealt with living under his enormous shadow. Looking for Lincoln invites the public to watch and participate in this online program on Wednesday, November 8, 2023 at 7 pm on the Looking for Lincoln YouTube and Facebook video channels. Viewers can watch and participate in this free live program. Questions can be submitted by viewers for the host to answer at the end of their presentation. The program is recorded for viewing after the premier and is available on the Looking for Lincoln Facebook and YouTube video channels. Reservations are not required, an

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth—member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee—met with leaders of the International Committee of the Red Cross to discuss the organization’s work to respond to the crises in Israel and Gaza caused by Hamas’s terrorist attacks as well as the urgent need to secure a sustained flow of humanitarian aid for the innocent civilians suffering in Gaza. Duckworth, a longtime and steadfast supporter of Israel’s right to defend itself and its people, specifically called for restoration of essential lifesaving services like water as well as the safe, swift return of all of the hostages currently being held by Hamas. Photos of the Senator’s meeting can be found using the link here . “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

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Before the first bell of the day, first and second graders at Eastwood Elementary School in East Alton and Ellis Elementary School in Belleville engage in math instruction but with a twist: Math strategies and equations are made to look like fun and games, courtesy of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville elementary education teacher candidates. The project is known as CIED 441 Morning Math Enrichment. “Teacher candidates enrolled in CIED 441 Teaching and Learning Elementary Level Mathematics create hands-on math games to reinforce computation skills,” said SIUE Elementary Education Program Director Barbara Martin, EdD, associate math professor in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior’s Department of Teaching and Learning. “The teacher candidates visit either Eastwood Elementary or Ellis Elementary to ‘play’ the games with elementary students before school.” Elementary Education majors Caitlin Foster,

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has appointed a coordinator for Cahokia Heights and the Metro East to support progress on the flooding, sewage and drinking water crisis. In August of 2022, Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin announced millions of dollars in federal funding through Congressionally Directed Spending and expanded federal water infrastructure grants that could be used to address the crisis. In April of this year, Congresswoman Budzinski secured a commitment that the EPA would appoint a coordinator to leverage these funds with existing state and local efforts to bring much needed relief to the community. A video of Budzinski requesting and securing the commitment in an exchange with EPA Administrator Michael Regan can be found here . “For decades, residents of Cahokia Heights have suffered from repeated instances

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville recently signed an agreement to purchase up to 5.7 megawatts of energy through the State of Illinois’ Community Solar program . The purchase allowed SIUE to continue plans for a community solar garden, which kickstarts the University’s solar energy commitment by subscribing to multiple planned or under construction solar fields in the state. Craig Holan, Director of Facilities Management at SIUE, stated, “by participating in the Community Solar program as a major user of electricity in the Metro East area, we have not only supported our own and the State of Illinois’ energy sustainability goals, but also received a reduction in our electricity costs as well.” This is considered Phase I of SIUE’s Energy Plan. Phase II, for which plans are already underway, is the construction of up to 40 acres of solar installation on the Edwardsville Campus, which would allow the University

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, today announced that the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to authorize issuing subpoenas to Harlan Crow, Leonard Leo, and Robin Arkley II as it relates to the Committee’s Supreme Court ethics investigation. “The Supreme Court is in an ethical crisis of its own making. Thanks to investigative reporting, we now know that for decades, some justices have been joining billionaires with business before the Court on their private planes and yachts or receiving gifts such as private school tuition for a family member. And it is through this reporting that we learned the justices have not been disclosing these gifts as required by federal laws that expressly apply to them. By accepting these lavish, undisclosed gifts,

Continue Reading

CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul led a coalition of 11 attorneys general urging the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to adopt effective enforcement that would protect workers’ rights to prevailing wages on renewable energy and green economy projects where employers claim expanded tax credits. The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law by President Biden in August 2022, created a range of tax credits and deductions for renewable energy projects and other green economy investments. The act makes credits five times larger if employees working on such projects are paid prevailing wages. In their comment letter submitted to the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the IRS, Raoul and the attorneys general urge the agencies to ensure that wage requirements are enforced. “Bad actors can and do find ways to falsify records and avoid prevailing wage obligations,” Raoul said. “Using retrospective paper audits to determine

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The application period for high school students to request a nomination to a U.S. Military Service Academy for the Class of 2028 from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) will close in two days, on Wednesday, November 1 st . Duckworth’s office has been accepting applications from high school students seeking a Congressional nomination to one of the four Military Service Academies through her website since March . Each year Duckworth, with the assistance of a nomination committee, selects from the applicants a group of outstanding Illinois students to receive Congressional nominations to attend West Point, the Air Force Academy, the Naval Academy or the Merchant Marine Academy. “It takes a special kind of young person to succeed at a U.S. Military Service Academy,” said Duckworth. “The rigorous nomination process demands outstanding test scores, a high GPA and a commitment to community service. I encourage all interested Illinois students

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, took to the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to pass a package of three funding bills currently pending on the Senate floor, known as a “minibus,” which provides funding for military construction, as well as for the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development for fiscal year 2024 (FY24). Durbin said, “Bipartisan efforts are necessary to get many meaningful things done in Washington. We accept that in the Senate. And right now, the most pressing item requiring a bipartisan effort is passing appropriations bills that finally fund the government for the next fiscal year. Government shutdowns should not be common place in Washington and yet the other party’s leadership, they have been.” During his speech, Durbin also condemned House Republicans for their failure to elect a Speaker for

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) requested information from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) about the actions they are taking to protect consumers against unfair and deceptive practices in airlines’ frequent flyer and loyalty programs. Millions of Americans participate in frequent flyer programs. While these programs may have originated to incentivize and reward true “frequent flyers,” they have evolved to include co-branded credit cards and now often exclusively focus on dollars spent using these co-branded credit cards. In the letter, the Senators requested that DOT and CFPB answer questions surrounding the deceitful marketing tactics of these frequent flyer programs. The Senators wrote, “At the same time, there are troubling reports that airlines are engaged in unfair,

Continue Reading

CHICAGO - U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Administrator Carole Johnson this weekend for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ M.O.M.S (Maternal Outcomes Matter Showers) Tour, highlighting their work on this important issue and the need to do more to address our country’s ongoing maternal mortality crisis. This national tour aims to improve maternal health outcomes, particularly among Black women, in communities with high maternal morbidity rates, bringing together mental health professionals, birth workers, medical professionals and community members to engage in meaningful discussions on maternal health disparities and explore ways to provide resources and support for women at risk. “In the richest country in the world, it is unacceptable that the United States continues to fail moms and babies. Black and Native women, especially, are most

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD - Enrollment at Illinois community colleges continues to climb for the second straight year according to the annual fall enrollment report, released today by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB).Overall, the Illinois Community College System’s opening Fall 2023 enrollments had an increase in both headcount (+5.7 percent) and Full-time Equivalent (FTE) (+5.2 percent) from the previous year. The Fall 2022 to Fall 2023 increase of 5.7 percent is the second largest Fall-to-Fall enrollment growth in the last 30 years. Only the Fall 2008 to Fall 2009 increase of 7.4 percent during the Great Recession was higher. “Illinois has the best community college system in the nation—and look no further than our fall enrollment numbers for proof,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “With a more than 5 percent increase in enrollment since last year, our community colleges are bouncing back better than ever—showing the rest of the nation what it looks lik

Continue Reading

ALTON - Local small business owners recently gathered for a presentation on “Becoming a Destination” in downtown Alton. The organizations Main Street America , Illinois Main Street and Alton Main Street sponsored the event. They invited Jon Schallert, the president of The Schallert Group, Inc., to speak about how to make a business a regional “must-see.” “I like talking to communities because you get a whole interesting mix of business owners from all over the place,” Schallert said to the ten owners who attended the presentation. Schallert has developed a 14-step process for becoming a “destination business.” He explained that a destination business is unique and not dependent on location. In fact, a true destination business will bring in people from outside the business’s traditional market. This is partly why destination businesses are so beneficial to communities. They also garner media attention and word-of-mouth

Continue Reading

GODFREY - Need some time for yourself? My Time Day Spa will offer an open house with discounts, free spa services and more from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. This year’s open house will celebrate the spa’s 17th anniversary and kick off the gift-giving season with deals for gift certificates and products. Owner and esthetician Diane Sconce explained that the open house aims to show her gratitude for her clients and the women who work with her. “We appreciate them being loyal clients and supporting us. I mean, we made it through the recession and we made it through the pandemic, so that’s pretty good,” Sconce said. “We want to thank our clients and we always appreciate new clients coming in. I want to thank my girls, too. I have a really great team that works there. Everybody helps out a lot and pitches in, and they’re just a really great group of girls.” This group includes hairstylists, massage therapists and nail

Continue Reading