Riverbender 🕸

ALTON - The Alton Community Unit School District #11 Board of Education released a statement Friday afternoon regarding the students involved in physical altercations on Aug. 30 at the high school. Superintendent Dr. Kristie Baumgartner shared that the Board concluded their student disciplinary hearings on Friday, Sept. 22. The district announced that 20 students have been expelled and 16 additional students “were administered lengthy suspensions” as a result of the fights last month. “The Board of Education and administration stand united in ensuring our school environments remain safe and free from disruptions to teaching and learning,” said Board President David Lauschke. “We have and will continue to treat any matters of this nature both seriously and expeditiously on behalf of our students and staff who deserve no less.” The student disciplinary hearings began on Monday , Sept. 18, with 25 hearings scheduled throughout the week. Hearings were

Continue Reading

SOUTH ROXANA - Chief Bob Coles of the South Roxana Police Department obtained charges today over a fatal traffic crash that occurred on June 1, 2023, at approximately 17:31 hours at 111 and Lakefront Pkwy. The incident involved a collision between a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle where the suspect vehicle fled the scene. The driver of the motorcycle, identified as Charles Taylor, had been transported to the hospital. Tragically, Mr. Taylor was later pronounced dead at Anderson Hospital. The driver of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, identified as Jasmine Andrews, later turned herself into the South Roxana Police Department. Ms. Andrews was interviewed and later charged with "Accident Involving Death" and "Fail To Report Accident." The South Roxana Police Department extends its deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Taylor. The South Roxana Police Department would like to thank the Edwardsville Police and Fire Departments, Madison County Coroner, and the Illinois State Police (ISP)

Continue Reading

CALHOUN COUNTY - On September 5th 2023, the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint of a Residential Burglary at the West Kamp Apartments on Route 96, Kampsville, Calhoun County, Illinois. Subsequent to the investigation, Karley J Varble, aged 21, was charged with the following offenses: Residential Burglary, Theft Over $500. All items were recovered and returned to the owner. Varble was arrested without incident and transported to the Pike County Jail. The Calhoun County Sheriff's Office would like to thank the Pike County Sheriff's Department for their assistance in this case. All suspect(s) are innocent until proven guilty.

Continue Reading

COTTAGE HILLS - VFW Post #7678 in Cottage Hills is hosting their first Veterans Festival this weekend, complete with the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Wall on display. Police officers, firefighters, veterans and active service members kicked off the festival on Friday morning with a procession from Gordon Moore Park to VFW Post #7678, located at 121 S. Williams St. in Cottage Hills. The group escorted the memorial wall, which travels throughout the country, to the Post, where it will be on display until 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 27. Many people came to Gordon Moore Park to welcome the wall and pay their respects during the procession. Alton High School’s Air Force Junior ROTC Color Guard was present. A member of VFW Post #7678 gave an invocation, and the morning concluded with the singing of the National Anthem. Post #7678 Junior Vice Commander Tim Brown arranged for fireworks in place of the 21-gun salute. A Bell UH-1 Iroquois utility military helicopter, als

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - A new mural with an SIUE-inspired design is coming to downtown Edwardsville in the next few weeks. The Edwardsville City Council approved a sign variance on Tuesday for the mural, which is set to be painted on the south-facing wall of the former Goshen Butcher Shop at 246 N. Main St., near the Wildey Theatre. The mural would measure 100 feet wide and 10 feet tall and serve as a “visual cue and landmark for the university in downtown Edwardsville,” according to the project description portion of the variance. Alderwoman Elizabeth Grant said at Tuesday’s meeting that the university wants to have a greater presence in downtown Edwardsville, noting the new mural will serve as an “Instagram-worthy” photo backdrop. Mayor Art Risavy voiced his support of the project and the city’s ongoing relationship with the university. “It's been no secret that since I became Mayor, my goal has been to have a better relationship with SIUE

Continue Reading

ALTON - State Representative Amy Elik invites the community to help her and other Madison County Republicans by attending a petition signing event this Saturday, Sept. 23. Elik and her fellow candidates will be at Piasa Armory, located at 3685 E. Broadway in Alton, from 10 a.m. to noon. They are collecting signatures in order to be included on the ballot for the general primary election on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. “This is just the first step to get good Republican candidates on the ballot,” Elik said. “It is vitally important that we keep developing and identifying and recruiting good Republican candidates in Madison County.” In addition to Elik, who represents the 111th District in the Illinois House of Representatives, the other candidates at Saturday’s event will include Chris Slusser for Madison County Board Chairman; Nick Novacich for Coroner; David Michael for Auditor; Tom Haine for State’s Attorney; and Tom McRae for Circuit Clerk.

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – As Illinois and the nation approach the fall harvest season, the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) and Labor (IDOL) is encouraging farmers to stay vigilant and safe during this year's harvest. Governor Pritzker has proclaimed National Farm Safety and Health Week in Illinois the week of September 18-22, 2023. “Bringing awareness to the general risks associated with day-to-day operations on Illinois farms and our state’s leading industry is something I understand firsthand,” said Jerry Costello II, Illinois Department of Agriculture Director. “Illinois farmers face the enormous task of ensuring that Illinoisans and Americans alike have sustainable access to fresh and healthy foods. The safety and health of our farmers and farm workers is and must continue to be a leading priority.” Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics continues to show that the agriculture sector is one of the most dangerous in America, with th

Continue Reading

GLEN CARBON - The Father McGivney boys soccer team has been improving after each game and is coming off arguably its most impressive win yet this season, a 5-1 win over Gateway Metro Conference rivals Marquette Catholic. In that game, junior Spencer Martin had a goal and an assist. He now leads the team with five goals on the season. Martin is a Byron, Carlson, Petri, & Kalb Athlete of the Month for the Griffins. McGivney improved to 6-7-1 on the season after Thursday's result and sits at 3-3 in the GMC. Martin noted the team's slow start to the season but thinks the Griffins are turning it around. "Our first five, six games were against really hard schools like Columbia, Triad. So, we start slow, but we'll pick it up by the end of the season," he said after a 7-0 win over Metro-East Lutheran back on Sept. 13. He scored twice in that game. Martin has had a bit of an interesting soccer path throughout high school. He commuted from Edwardsville to Chaminade High School in Creve

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) today introduced bicameral legislation to improve the medical device recall process in order to protect patients. The Medical Device Recall Improvement Act would require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish an electronic format for medical device recall notifications to streamline communication between device manufacturers, FDA, hospitals, and health care professionals. It also would require manufacturers to include in recall notices information about how the recall could affect patients with medical devices and instruct hospitals and health care professionals to provide that information to patients. The legislation was inspired by Illinois constituents who had shared their personal stories about medical harms and other concerns related to recalled devices. FDA oversees the regulation of almost 200,000 medical devices in the U.S., from contact lenses

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) today introduced legislation to increase rural communities’ access to emergency disaster relief. The Rural Disaster Declaration Fairness Act would require the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to consider disaster relief based on economic circumstances when considering a designation, rather than solely focusing on population numbers. “FEMA’s current evaluation system for providing disaster relief is unfair to rural areas,” said Bost. “Small towns and farming communities shouldn’t be turned away for disaster relief they desperately need just because their population numbers are overshadowed by big cities and suburbs. My legislation will make sure rural residents, including right here in Southern Illinois, have improved access to relief following a natural disaster.” Bost’s legislation would require FEMA to consider factors such as the local accessible tax

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) passed a package of legislation to help bolster America’s health workforce, including reauthorizations of the mandatory funding for community health centers (CHCs) and the National Health Service Corps (NHSC), which are set to expire on September 30. In order to help pay for this legislative package, the Senate Judiciary Committee—which Durbin chairs—is working with the HELP Committee on the use of prescription drug competition measures reported by the Judiciary Committee to provide savings. Among other things, the HELP Committee package triples the mandatory funding level of the NHSC—up from $310 million per year to $950 million per year. This investment reflects the efforts of Durbin and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) to provide historic investments

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON DC - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the U.S. Senate’s Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees—issued the following statement after she and her Senate colleagues met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to hear about Ukraine’s ongoing fight against Russia’s outrageous and unprovoked invasion: “One thing remains clear: Ukraine has to win this war and Russia has to lose it. It was important to get President Zelensky’s readout of Ukraine’s current military operations and hear how the United States must continue to help our partner in the fight of their lives. So long as Ukraine needs our support, the U.S. should not shy away from our role as a global leader in the fight to uphold democracy, sovereignty and the rule of law. A world with a Ukrainian victory is a safer one, and I hope House Republicans will stop holding up the aid needed to help make that happen.” Duckwort

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON DC - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) re-introduced bipartisan legislation to make it easier for low-income families to afford the diapers they need. The End Diaper Need Act of 2023 would help assist low-income families to address diaper need by providing targeted funding for states, territories and other eligible entities working on this issue. This effort comes after Duckworth and Cramer successfully secured $20 million in the final fiscal year (FY) 2023 appropriations package—and $10 million in the FY2022 appropriations package —dedicated to expanding diaper distribution programs. A companion version of this bill was introduced in the House by U.S. Representatives Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03). “Between putting food on the table and keeping up with bills, the last thing working parents should have to worry about is being able to buy diapers that are essential to the health and well-being of thei

Continue Reading

Kraft Heinz is announcing a voluntary recall of approximately 83,800 cases of individually wrapped Kraft Singles American processed cheese slices that were shipped to a limited number of customers. The voluntary recall comes as a precaution after a temporary issue developed on one of our wrapping machines, making it possible that a thin strip of the individual film may remain on the slice after the wrapper has been removed. If the film sticks to the slice and is not removed, it could be unpleasant and potentially cause a gagging or choking hazard. Only Kraft Singles American processed cheese slices with the case/package information below are affected. No other varieties or sizes are included in the recall. The issue was discovered after we received several consumer complaints about finding the plastic stuck to a slice, including six complaints of consumers saying they choked or gagged in connection with the issue. No injuries or serious health issues have been reported. Kraft Heinz

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON DC - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) celebrated the progress of their Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument Act after the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources today favorably reported the bill out of committee. This bill now can be considered by the full Senate, bringing this legislation closer to becoming law and preserving this critically important moment in American history as a national monument. “We are pleased the Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument Act moved closer to becoming law today because it means we are that much closer to protecting and preserving this critical historic site,” the Senators said. “We have been dedicated to preserving these important parts of our state and nation’s history and are committed to seeing the process through. Ensuring our National Park System honors civil rights events of extraordinary cultural and historical importance,

Continue Reading

ALTON - Marquette Catholic High School will be holding its annual Homecoming dance on Saturday, Sept. 23. This year's Homecoming Court is Ava Heinz, Caleb Thomeczek, Elizabeth Wills, Justin Fears, Layla Lincoln, Eli Waters, Ava Sanders, Braden Kline, Katie Johnson, Duarell Blocker, Emma Baggio, Nicholas Cardinale, and Abigail Taylor. The Homecoming Court will take part in a short parade on Friday, Sept. 22 before Marquette's home football game against Althoff Catholic. The parade will leave from Johnson's Corner at 6:50 p.m. The football game will follow starting at 7 p.m.

Continue Reading

GRANITE CITY - Over 50 teachers from three counties (Madison, St. Clair & Macoupin) gathered Wednesday for a workshop targeting Culinary Arts and Science teachers at the GCSD9 Board Office. The title was The Science Behind Food and Flavor. Topics covered were: What is food science, What is Flavor, Food Industry Overview, Industry trends, Careers, and Roundtable discussions. The event was sponsored by Madison County CTE System , St. Clair CTE, and Macoupin CTE.

Continue Reading

GODFREY - BJC Medical Group Convenient Care at Godfrey, formerly Alton Memorial Convenient Care, will move to a new, larger location at 5213 Godfrey Road on Sept. 25. Only one mile from its current location, the BJC Medical Group Convenient Care at Godfrey – part of the BJC Outpatient Center at Godfrey that will open later this year -- will offer three full-time providers and a staff of 10 to serve the Alton community with walk-in and scheduled care for minor injuries, common conditions, and illnesses. “The Convenient Care clinic has become a big part of health care in our area in recent years, and we’re happy to give it a new home,” said AMH President Dave Braasch. “As always, we will continue to look for ways to improve the health of the communities we serve.” Patients can reserve a time online to schedule an appointment HERE.

Continue Reading

ALTON - As Illinois American Water continues work on the Alton sewer system, more road closures are expected. The intersection of Belle Street and Madison Avenue in Alton will close beginning on Monday, Sept. 25. Blocks on Belle Street north of Hamilton Avenue will also close in the coming weeks. Belle Street south of Hamilton Street to 10th Street will remain closed. “The contractor ran into some delays with the work leading up to that intersection ,” Illinois American Water said in a press release. “The closure of this intersection is expected to last several weeks.” Illinois American Water has been working to separate the combined sewer system in Alton. They are replacing the system with new, more sanitary sewers. The intersection of Marshall Street and Belle Street will also close sometime in the coming weeks. Bo’s Hardware and Maher Automotive are still open and accessible, with parking along Belle Street or through the north parking lot entrance

Continue Reading

ALTON - The Zonta Club of Alton-Wood River has partnered with the Alton Police Department, Sacred Spaces of CARE and Oasis Women’s Center for a Walk to Build Domestic Violence Awareness. At 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30, community members are invited to gather at the Alton Amphitheater for a presentation and a short walk. The event aims to show community members that they are supported. “We’re gathering to come together and to be united with other organizations with the same goal in mind: to raise awareness and to advocate for people in our community,” said Jean Heil, advocacy chair with the Zonta Club. “We want people to know the facts, to know how we can help, to know what to look for, to know resources that we have available in our community, so that ultimately someday domestic violence isn’t an issue anymore.” The Zonta Club of Alton-Wood River is the local chapter of Zonta International , a global organization that aims

Continue Reading