Riverbender 🕸

GRANITE CITY - The Rotary Club of Granite City recognized eight juniors from Granite City High School as Students of the Month for September, October, November and December. Students were nominated by teachers, and were chosen on the basis of academics, as well as scholastic, extracurricular and civic honors and awards, and organization membership and leadership. Each honoree will receive a framed certificate and a gift card, and will be recognized at the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast on March 12, 2024. A'MIYA JAMES - September Member of Secondary Honors ... Honors chemistry and English ... Volunteer at Church ... Daughter of Loreal and Rekeida White. AUDREY WHITEHEAD - September Three-year member of volleyball team ... Member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Student Council, Spirit Club and Varsity Club ... Volunteer at Coolidge and GCHS Volleyball Camp ... Coolidge Volunteer Assistant Volleyball Coach ... Daughter of Scott and Jane Whitehead. LYDIA HARRIS - October

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DECATUR - The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request to review the Illinois Supreme Court’s decision on Illinois’ weapons ban law on due process, equal protection, and Second Amendment grounds, according to State Representative Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur), who filed the request. “Our case, along with about 200 cases, were denied a U.S. Supreme Court review,” Caulkins said. “The Supreme Court’s refusal to hear our case does not change the fact two of the Illinois Supreme Court justices, who accepted millions of dollars in donations from gun control advocates, should have recused themselves from voting. The denial of a hearing does not mean SCOTUS approves the conduct of the Justices. It is not just that they received donations from gun control advocates, but it also is the exorbitant amount of money they received in donations. There is no question, they should have recused themselves.” At issue is the denial of due process under the 14 th Amendmen

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ALTON - While national projections indicate a 4%-6% decline in inpatient admission volumes for hospitals during the next 10 years, OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center experienced the opposite in 2023 by realizing an increase in inpatient admissions. In fact, going back to 2021, OSF Saint Anthony’s has seen its market share increase by 15% overall with year-to-year increases from 2021-2022 and 2022-2023. “Our diligent and hyper-focused work is to make OSF Saint Anthony’s a full-service community hospital with all of the necessary primary and specialty care services needed to provide a comprehensive platform for patients here in the Riverbend region,” says Jerry Rumph, president, OSF Saint Anthony’s. “Our overall goal is to keep care close to home while minimizing the need to send patients to St. Louis for care.” And it’s not only in the inpatient acute care area that OSF Saint Anthony’s witnessed increased patient volumes.

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GLEN CARBON - The Village of Glen Carbon has partnered with CivicPlus ® , their website provider, to implement its mass notification software solution. The mass notification system, called CivicReady, will be able to issue urgent notifications, emergency instructions, warnings, and routine communications to subscribed residents via email, text message, and voicemail to keep people safe and informed. In an emergency, community members subscribed to the system will benefit from immediate, actionable information and instructions sent via their preferred notification channel. “After researching many of the local government mass communication options, CivicReady offered the most user-friendly, comprehensive way to connect with residents in the Village,” said Nicole Dicks, Communications Manager. “From urgent notifications to routine communications, subscribed citizens can select how they would like to be informed and what information they would like to receive,”

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ALTON - The SIU School of Dental Medicine (SDM) has temporarily closed its Main Dental Clinic building because of flooding. “Over the Christmas holiday weekend a water heater failed in the lower level of the main clinic building 263 at the SIU School of Dental Medicine…and a one-inch waterline flooded the basement,” the school said in a statement. Two buildings lost power as a result of the flooding. An SIU spokesperson said that maintenance crews have worked “around the clock” to restore operations. Building 280 is once again fully operational, but the Main Dental Clinic in building 263 remains closed, though portions of it will be “ready for occupancy soon.” For SIU SDM students, the temporary closure of the Main Dental Clinic will not disrupt their education. “The educational needs of doctoral and postdoctoral student patient training are being fulfilled during the ongoing restoration of full functionality in the clinic,”

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ALTON - Alton High School announced its fall semester Honor Roll lists. They can be viewed by clicking the links below: Honor Roll - 378 students High Honor Roll - 495 students

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WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement after President Biden renominated Julie Su to be Secretary of Labor—which builds on her strong support for Su—urging Republicans to join Democrats in finally confirming her to support working families: “Since day one of the Biden Administration, Julie Su has been helping lead the Department of Labor and delivering for working families. Now, after nearly a year as Acting Secretary, she’s proven her expertise and ability to serve as the Department’s highest-ranking official. Whether working to strengthen apprenticeship programs or helping to negotiate agreements in industries from rails to ports to auto companies, Julie Su is advancing workers’ rights and getting the job done. “I’m proud President Biden is renominating Su to serve as our next Secretary of Labor because she is the best candidate for the job. Any Senator who voted to confirm former

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), co-founder of the Senate’s Environmental Justice Caucus, and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced more than $42 million to Illinois school districts through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s first Clean School Bus Program Grants Competition. The awards, which are made possible through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, will help selectees purchase clean school buses in school districts across the state. By accelerating the transition to low- and zero-emission vehicles, these awards will improve air quality for children and their families and advance environmental justice, all while boosting the economy and creating good-paying jobs. “Transitioning to electric school buses puts Illinois on the path to healthier environments and it opens up new avenues for economic growth and job creation in our state,” said Duckworth. “With this federal support, we’ll be better

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ROXANA – Phillips 66 has opened two scholarships for application – the Phillips 66 Community Advisory Panel Scholarship and the Phillips 66 Community Scholarship. Both scholarship programs are open to high school seniors in the Riverbend region. Applications are due March 1. The Phillips 66 Community Scholarship is renewable for up to $5,500 a year for a four-year institution or $1,500 per year for a community college/technical school. Recipients are also guaranteed an internship interview (four-year institution) or a full-time position (craft/trade school) if they meet the minimum GPA requirements and are interested in a relevant field. The Community Scholarship program awards 66 scholarships to high school seniors who are members of Boys & Girls Club programs in Phillips 66 communities. “We are excited to work with the Boys & Girls Club of Alton and the Boys & Girls Club of Bethalto on this program,” says Melissa Erker, Director of Government & Community

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ROXANA - Rusty Wheat is a one-man “chain gang” , but because of him, more people are talking about ways to keep the roads clean. Wheat’s environmental advocacy work has been a big push toward litter cleanup in the area. In the past year, Madison County introduced an Adopt-a-Highway program and allocated $200,000 towards environmental clean-up efforts. Madison County and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) have also installed signs that warn of penalties for littering, and the Roxana Police Department has already issued two citations following the signs’ installation. “I will do anything and everything I can,” Wheat said. “I get out there and pick up trash on the hottest days. When it’s snowing out there, I’ll be out there picking up trash so people can see me and say, ‘Man, that guy’s an idiot. What’s he doing?’ But it draws attention to the issue.” Madison County’s

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ALTON - The Alton Committee of the Whole preliminarily approved amendments to the City Code regarding the zoning districts cannabis businesses are allowed to open/operate in, as well as minor changes to cannabis license renewal and parking space requirements. Dan Lytle spoke on behalf of Subsero Alton Ops during the meeting’s Public Comment portion to ask when the public will be able to review and comment on the proposed ordinance. “I represent Subsero Alton Ops, and they are an entity that’s been involved with a piece of real estate, that already owns a location 1400 E. Broadway in Alton. It’s previously housed an adult cannabis dispensary,” he said. “With respect to item five, I just have a question - in terms of timing, what is the expected timeline at which time any proposed text amendment might be disseminated for public review and comment?” City Attorney Tonya Genovese responded that while they could not have a “back

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GODFREY – Beverly Farm Foundation has announced that it will be collaborating with Boys & Girls Club of Alton to provide a new Therapeutic Equine Program Supporting Youth. The program will be offered through the Equestrian Center at Beverly Farm located on the nonprofit’s 200-acre campus in Godfrey. “At Beverly Farm Foundation, we value collaboration as a cornerstone of our success and are thrilled to announce our new partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Alton,” said Beverly Farm Foundation CEO Crystal Officer. ”We are excited about the opportunities that this partnership will bring and look forward to welcoming all program participants. Our wonderful team at the equestrian center is looking forward to helping more children enjoy the benefits of interacting with and being in the company of horses.” “We’re thrilled to be teaming up with Beverly Farm Foundation for this new program,” said Al Womack, Jr., Executive Director

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ST. LOUIS – The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis has launched the Ameren All In Scholarship Fund, a $1,180,000, five-year commitment to provide 25 students annually with scholarship grants up to $10,000 per student per year for up to 10 semesters, or five years. Applications for this opportunity are now open and applicants can visit sfstl.org/ameren-all-in-scholarship to apply or learn more. The Ameren All In Scholarship is designed to award critical “last dollar” funding to fill the gap between total cost of education and the financial resources available to students from family, school, state, and federal sources. The Ameren All In Scholarship will foster educational attainment and financial strength for members of the community often priced out of post-secondary opportunities. “Education is among our key AmerenCares focus areas, and this new partnership with The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis stands as an example of that ongoing commitment," said Gwe

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced Monday that a Troy man has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in connection with the fire-related death of a woman in Troy. Michael E. Sloan Jr., 41, of Troy, pleaded guilty to the charge during a hearing Monday before Associate Judge Neil Schroeder in Circuit Court in Madison County. Sloan faces up to 50 years in prison. His sentencing hearing is set for Feb. 26. “We intend to seek the full 50-year term,” Haine said. “This was an especially heinous and cruel crime.” Sloan admitted that he set fire to the home of 69-year-old Susanne Tomlinson in the 500 block of Wood Thrush in Troy on Sept. 22, 2022, knowing that she was inside. The fire resulted in the death of Tomlinson. Assistant State’s Attorney Lauren Maricle, in outlining the case to the court, said evidence and testimony would show that Sloan poured gasoline in Tomlinson’s duplex and doused her with gasoline.

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ALTON – February is recognized as American Heart Month – a time when the nation spotlights heart disease, the No. 1 killer of Americans. Since heart disease continues to be the greatest health threat to Americans and is still the leading cause of death worldwide, OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center (1 St. Anthony’s Way, Alton) is hosting an upcoming Healthy Workplace Lunch & Learn program providing important steps to achieving a healthier heart. This lunch & learn program, titled “You Can’t Beat A Healthy Heart,” will be held on Wednesday, February 7, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. in the hospital’s Perpetual Help Center and led by Laurinda Harjai, DNP, FNP, RN-BC, nurse practitioner specializing in cardiology. The program is free and lunch will be provided, but registration is required. Registration can be completed by visiting: https://AltonHealthyHearts.eventbrite.com . In most cases, heart disease is preventable when people adopt

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EDWARDSVILLE - Layne Logan, a junior forward with the Edwardsville High girls basketball team, has stepped up in the last few games and made a positive contribution to the Tigers during the team's five-game winning streak that's helping the team to turn its season around. On Jan 4, 2024, Logan scored only two points, but made many positive plays in a 58-36 home win over Collinsville, and two days later, on Jan. 6, 2024, she was part of an Edwardsville 59-53 overtime win over Wentzville, Mo., Holt at the St. Joseph's Academy Shootout in Frontenac, Mo., which extended the Tigers' winning streak to five and made their record now 8-9. Going into the game against the Indians, Logan has been averaging 1.3 points and 0.8 rebounds per game, with two assists and two steals, but has come off the bench to make many positive contributions to the Tigers. "I'm just glad our team is finally picking it up," Logan said during a postgame interview following the win over the Kahoks. "I think we're hitting

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ALTON - The Alton High School girls' tennis squad once again showed their service to the community with actions before the holidays. The Alton High tennis girls have been bell ringers for the Salvation Army Christmas campaign for many years and they performed that task again this year. Members delivered bags of pet food and tennis balls to the 5 A’s organization. The group also sent care packages to Alton High alumni in the military. The Alton High girls' tennis squad members are Difference Makers in the Riverbend area for their community service efforts. Tennis captain Lauren Massey led the packages to service people efforts with Finley Haynes. Another tennis captain, Jenna Fassler, has a brother, Connor, in the military and a care package was sent to him. The tennis girls joined the Social Studies Club in their efforts. Some of the girls are also members of that club. “We are proud of the Redbird alumni in the military,” head girls tennis coach Jesse Macias

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CARROLLTON - Carrollton High School is getting ready to host their annual Career Fair in the high school’s gymnasium on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. With the goal of showcasing the various career opportunities that can be found in the local area, the school is inviting businesses to send representatives to the Career Fair to inform students of the opportunities available. “Our goals are to show off the different careers that can be found in our community or a short drive away, as well as for those of you who are looking for potential employees to have a chance to interact with and recruit our students,” the school said in a press release. “This event also allows our students to work on much needed social skills by having the chance to interact with you. “Even in a small community such as ours, we are lucky to have a vast diversity of career choices for our students should they decide that they want to remain a part of our community upon completing

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in announcing funding that will bring 60 clean school buses to communities throughout Central and Southern Illinois. The funding comes through the agency’s first Clean School Bus Program Grants Competition. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has brought millions of Americans safer roads, bridges and neighborhood crosswalks. Now, it’s delivering better buses for our students and our environment,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. “I’m excited to announce that the Environmental Protection Agency has selected applicants in Cahokia Heights, Decatur and East St. Louis and Granite City as recipients of their Clean School Bus Program, bringing essential funding to upgrade and replace 60 buses across Central and Southern Illinois. This investment is only the start of our work to reduce air pollution, save money for our school districts and

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ILLINOIS - State Representative Amy Elik helped pass several bipartisan bills in 2023, and she has plans to do more in 2024. Elik is a Republican who represents the 111th District in Illinois with a homebase in Alton. From Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) cards to sexual misconduct in schools, Elik has multiple bills in the works that she hopes to pass this year after she returns to Springfield on Jan. 16, 2024. “I’m really proud, especially of the bills that I passed in 2023. I have a whole host of additional bills for 2024 that I’m working on,” Elik said. “I know that I'm looking forward to going back. I’m excited to work on the bills and things that I’ve been working on these last few months sort of behind the scenes…Honestly, my bills come from constituents that bring issues to me and I go, ‘Well, that’s not right. We can fix that.’” Elik is currently working on a bill that aims to lower

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