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GRAFTON - In memory of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, three firefighters with the QEM Fire Protection District climbed 2,200 stairs to honor 9/11 first responders. Firefighters Steven Looney and Tyler Feddersen and Firefighter Cadet Bradley Isringhausen donned their equipment and walked up and down the stairs of their three-story live-fire training facility. They logged 2,200 stairs, the equivalent of 110 stories, to recreate the experience of firefighters who responded at the World Trade Center and honor the 343 firefighters who lost their lives that day. “It’s really just to pay tribute to all of the firefighters that had fallen during 9/11,” Feddersen said. The others agreed it was a difficult experience, but a fitting tribute to their fellow firefighters. “To feel their pain, what they had to go through,” Looney added. The three climbed 2,200 stairs in about 20 minutes with no breaks. Their families watched as they made the trek

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) is reminding motorists and farmers about traffic safety as Illinois enters the fall harvest season. Agriculture is one of the leading industries in Illinois and farmers across the state will be moving equipment along roadways during the harvest season, which typically begins in early September and can last into November. As farmers are traveling between fields, ISP is reminding motorists and farmers alike to share the road to help reduce crashes involving tractors, implements, and other farm equipment. ISP encourages motorists to follow these safe driving tips during harvest season: Share the road and be patient. Allow extra travel time during harvest season. Don't pass until it's safe and legal to do so. It is illegal to pass at intersections and in no-passing zones. Improper passing can be deadly. Use extra caution around tractors and slow-moving vehicles. Farm equipment is easily recognized by the orange, slow moving vehicle

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ALTON - Piasa Armory, a gun store and shooting range in Alton, is celebrating Customer Appreciation Day with nachos, a bounce house, a gatling gun, and much more this weekend on Saturday, Sept. 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Scott Pulaski with Piasa Armory appeared on a recent episode of Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com to talk more in-depth about the event, the Illinois assault weapons ban, and more. “We’re open at 10 a.m., and we have all kinds of fun stuff going on,” Pulaski said of Customer Appreciation Day. “We do bounce houses for kids - it’s a family event, so a lot of fun. Bring everybody down!” He said the festivities also include free tomahawk throwing, and that local businesses can set up a table for free - Piasa Armory will even provide tables. He also said they pay the necessary state fees to allow machine guns at the event, giving visitors a chance to try out some unique weapons for a fee. “We’ve got a machine gu

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EAST ST. LOUIS – In August 2023, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office (SCCSAO) filed 15 charges in Illinois State Police Zone 6 Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG) cases, 14 felony and one misdemeanor charge. PSEG is a joint effort between the Illinois State Police and the East St. Louis Police Department (ESTLPD) for violent crime investigations. PSEG was created to provide more highly trained resources in East St. Louis to help solve and reduce crime. FELONY CHARGES : SCCSAO charged the following cases August. The dates listed are the dates the incident occurred. On August 27, 2022, PSEG agents responded to the 1800 block of Gaty Avenue reference a deceased female in the street. A 49-year-old was fatally struck by gunfire. On August 4, 2023, a 15-year-old male resident of East St. Louis was charged by SCCSAO with First Degree Murder and Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking. The juvenile was held without bond. On March 2, 2023, PSEG agents

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Letter To The Editor: Sign issues have been going on for more than two decades in Edwardsville. The city enjoys its power to refuse signage that in other communities would not have the same outcome. The sign in question with Edwardsville aldermen at Drunken Fish is unique and attractive. They should work to see it stay as is. Sometimes policy is just silly. This sign costs a great deal and is not a negative. Skip Schmidt Madison County Board member.

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SPRINGFIELD – State Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced today that almost $800,000 in unclaimed property - more than $515,000 in cash payments and $273,000 in stock value - are on the way to the rightful owners because of his office’s outreach efforts at the Illinois and DuQuoin State Fairs. “This level of success reflects the hard work we do in my office,” Frerichs said. “A key part of my job as Treasurer is to do whatever we can to return unclaimed property to the proper owners or their heirs. My staff and I are happy to help people connect with their unclaimed property, and part of our outreach is to assist fair visitors in checking the I-Cash database so they can see if something is waiting for them.” Fair visitors made almost 800 claims on unclaimed property during the Illinois State Fair on August 10-20 and the DuQuoin State Fair on August 25-September 4. A total of 590 claims were filed at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, and 199

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ALTON - After years of construction following the road’s collapse, Riverview Drive has reopened near Riverview Park. “Riverview Park is one of our iconic places to come to and see a very, very beautiful view of the river,” Alton Mayor David Goins said. “That's great news for the residents in that area as well as the city. It’s going to be safe and people can come back to the park and enjoy it again and drive through.” Riverview Drive has houses on one side of the street and a steep drop on the other side. In August 2019, the wall that ran alongside the drop collapsed due to rainfall and natural erosion. No one was injured, but it presented a major safety concern and closed the road for the next several years. You can read one of the original articles about this on RiverBender.com . Goins, who was elected in 2021, noted that it has been a long process to repair the street and wall. The City of Alton worked with the Federal Emergency Managemen

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ROXANA - The annual "Walk With Us to Prevent Suicide" event had strong participation and featured a powerful show of support for suicide prevention this past weekend. Spearheaded at the present time by Jen Herring, this event has become "a beacon of hope and unity for many," emphasizing the importance of community and togetherness in the face of adversity. South Roxana Mayor T.J. Callahan and resident Terry Chester volunteered their time and skills to D.J. the event, setting an uplifting tone for the day. Attendees enjoyed various food trucks and vendors, face painting and more, adding to the festive atmosphere and ensuring a memorable experience for young kids and older adults. Bob Coles, the Chief of Police/Village Administrator for South Roxana, participated in the walk and said the event is very personal to him. "I have lost family members and my best friend to this illness," he said. "Participating in this event is my way of showing support for those who need it the most."

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ALTON - Illinois American Water’s work to separate the Alton combined sewer system and install new sanitary sewers continues. Below is information about upcoming/current road closures. Sept. 11, 2023, Belle Street south of Hamilton Street to 10th Street remains closed to all traffic, with blocks north of Hamilton Avenue closing in the coming weeks. Please use US 67 and/or Alby Streets to the east to traverse north-south in lieu of using Belle Street. Access to Bo’s Hardware and Maher Automotive should use Belle Street, south from 20th Street, for easy access to these businesses. Traffic from the south, trying to reach businesses along this stretch, can go north on Belle Street, west on 9th, and back east on Hamilton Street. A major road closure will start on September 18th with the closure of the intersection of State Street and Madison Avenue. Southbound State Street traffic will be asked to use the detour of Jefferson Street to Grand Avenue to State Street. Alternatively,

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WOOD RIVER - Unionized refinery workers at Phillips 66's Wood River Refinery are voting on a final contract proposal with the company both Tuesday and Wednesday evening. A total of 370 operators in the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 399 will vote on the contract proposal. Melissa Erker, director of government and community and a public spokesperson for Phillips 66, made the following statement about the contract vote: "Phillips 66 values our good relationship with the union, and we are committed to engaging in good-faith bargaining. Phillips 66 believes that both sides want to reach an agreement that preserves a successful future, and we believe that the company’s offer satisfies that goal." The Wood River Refinery is an oil refinery located in Roxana, Illinois, approximately 15 miles north of St. Louis, Missouri, on the east side of the Mississippi River. More about the vote on Thursday on Riverbender.com.

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SPRINGFIELD – Today, Governor JB Pritzker announced record-setting attendance totals for the 2023 Illinois State Fair. The more than 700,000 attendees over the 11-day event make the 2023 fair the most highly attended fair since industry standards were enacted. “Once again, the hard work of the Department of Agriculture and hundreds of dedicated fair staff have resulted in shattered attendance records, serving as a testament to the value of our increased Fairgrounds funding and the spirit of Illinois,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Attractions like the new Multi-Purpose Arena and our highly attended concerts drew in hundreds of thousands of fairgoers from across the state and the country, bringing our community together in an unprecedented way.” “While mother nature will always be a driving force in attendance for any outdoor event, the 2023 Fair benefited from a return of programming at the newly renovated Multi-Purpose Arena (MPA), a result of Governor

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EDWARDSVILLE – Cherese Fine, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, has been appointed as the NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.“We congratulate Dr. Fine on her appointment as our Faculty Athletic Representative,” said SIUE Chancellor James T. Minor, PhD. “Our student-athletes at SIUE have an impressive record of academic success. I look forward to working with Dr. Fine as she partners with our faculty, coaches, and staff to support student-athletes.” The FAR serves as a faculty voice, ensuring balance between academics and athletics for the benefit of the student-athlete. “I am honored to be selected as SIUE’s third Faculty Athletics Representative,” said Fine. “I want to thank Chancellor Minor, Director of Athletics Andrew Gavin, Deputy Athletic Director Jaci DeClue, and the past FAR Dr. Bill

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - The deceased has been identified as Emmanuel Penson, 20 years of age, of the 8800 block of May Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri 63136, in a fatal motor vehicle crash in the area of Jennings Station Road and Fairhaven Drive in St. Louis County. St. Louis County Police Department Crimes Against Persons detectives and the Accident Reconstruction Unit are investigating a fatal motor vehicle crash in the area of Jennings Station Road and Fairhaven Drive that resulted in the death of a male. On September 11, 2023, at 1:23 AM, a St. Louis County police officer from the City of Jennings Precinct observed a Kia Optima traveling northbound on Jennings Station Road at West Florissant Road. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, however, the vehicle failed to yield. The officer turned off the vehicle’s emergency equipment. Approximately one minute later, the officer observed the Kia Optima, which had crashed into a building in the area of Jennings Station Road and Fairhave

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EDWARDSVILLE - Senior striker Colin McGinnis has gotten off to a good start, with five goals and two assists for 12 points as Edwardsville High's boys soccer team has gotten off to a great start. Since losing the season opener to Springfield 1-0 in the Metro Cup showcase at the start of the heat wave that invaded the area two weeks ago, the Tigers have won five of their last six matches, including a 5-0 win over Waterloo Gibault Catholic, a match in which both McGinnis and Evan Moore each had a brace (two goals). McGinnis is a Johnston Law Firm Male Athlete of the Month for the Tigers. "I'm feeling good," McGinnis said during a post-match interview. "It was a good game, 5-0 lead. It's good for us to get a good game before our big game next week." The team has won many a big game to start off the season, having won their first three Southwestern Conference games, creating a great feeling among the players. "It feels good," McGinnis said. "We're undefeated in our conference so far,

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ALTON — The Agency for Community Transit (ACT) Board of Directors has awarded $100,000 to the City of Alton for the construction of a shared-use path. The funding was awarded under ACT’s Community Action Grants Program. The City of Alton will leverage the ACT grant against IDOT and City funding to implement Phase III of Alton’s Safe Routes to School program. “On behalf of the City of Alton, I am grateful to receive this funding that will improve the safety for all pedestrians and especially students in our community. My staff and I look forward to working with their talented staff on future opportunities,” said Mayor Goins. Improvements will include continuation of the shared-use path along College Avenue near Rock Springs Park and Alton Middle School, safety enhancements to the pedestrian crossing at College Avenue and Rock Springs Drive, as well as sidewalk improvements along Rock Springs Drive. This is part of the city’s ongoing efforts to secure

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GODFREY - Lewis and Clark Community College (LCCC) invites the community to join them for an evening in the gardens at their annual Garden Festival. This year’s gardens follow the theme “Discover the Monticello Sculpture Gardens,” with several gardens spread out across the 215-acre campus. The season will culminate in the festival from 5:30–8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14 at the LCCC campus, where attendees can take walking tours, play lawn games and enjoy food and live music. “We are really excited to celebrate this year with our garden festival,” Katie Piper, LCCC’s garden designer and horticulturist, said. “It’s amazing to see so many people on campus at once enjoying all the hard work that we’ve put into it. To really see people smile and enjoy it is my favorite part.” Piper added that the festival will be family-friendly, with plenty of games and places to lounge as local band Soulshine Groove plays.

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GLEN CARBON - Together We Learn celebrated a milestone of 10 years teaching Glen Carbon area preschoolers with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce and lots of kids’ activities. “We’re having our 10th anniversary ‘birthday party,’ we’re calling it, for 10 years that we’ve been open,” Carrie Mosella, co-owner and teacher at Together We Learn, said at the event. “We’re excited to celebrate that with the community and invite all of our former families and new families in.” Together We Learn’s 10th “birthday party” was jam-packed with kid-friendly fun. Mosella said the event featured a magician, Chef Bananas, a mermaid princess with Brittain's Princess Parties, a smoothie truck, and a dedication for a new garden on the school’s playground. Mosella said the preschool has grown significantly over the years and is making some changes and improvements

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ALTON - Illinois State Senator Erica Harriss (R-Glen Carbon) met with Damian Jones, the Executive Director of Student Athletes Leading Tomorrow, better known as SALT, to discuss the future and importance of youth sports in and around the Metro-East area. SALT is is a sports-based youth development organization directed toward youth in underserved communities. Founded in 2019, SALT seeks to establish programs that engage children in an organic way, helping them to develop active, healthy lifestyles while ensuring their personal growth in areas of life beyond sports. The 501(c)(3) organization is based in Alton. Harriss and Jones met at Alton's new soccer mini-pitch wedged in between the Alton Middle School and Rock Springs Park. The facility was completed last October . Alton Mayor David Goins, Alton Alderwoman Rosetta Brown, and Director of Alton Parks & Recreation Michael Haynes also attended Monday afternoon's meet-up.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today announced that he is cosponsoring U.S. Senator John Fetterman’s (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Lauren Underwood’s (D-IL-14) Convenient Contraception Act , legislation that would improve access to contraceptive products, including over-the-counter birth control. The bill provides individuals covered by private health insurance with the option to receive up to a full year of birth control at the time their prescription is issued instead of the current three-month supply or less that is standard in many states—an evidence-based policy that improves health outcomes. “Living in a post- Roe America, it is more important than ever that we work to protect and expand access to contraception. Everyone should have the right to decide when and if they want to start a family,” said Durbin. “With the Convenient Contraception Act, we can ensure

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EAST ALTON – The upcoming September Neighbor Night at the National Great River Research and Education Center (NGRREC sm ) will celebrate 21 years of Water Festival. All are welcome. Community members will have the chance to share their memories and learn about all of the incredible programs Water Festival has facilitated over the years. “Water Festival takes place every year on Lewis and Clark Community College’s Godfrey campus and we are so excited to welcome the community to the station to celebrate over 20 years of fun and water science,” NGRREC Environmental Educator Erica Doerr said. At Neighbor Night, guests will be able to participate in trivia, hear from past Water Festival organizers, who helped create the successful day of learning, and get a sneak peek from the NGRREC education team on what is in store for Water Festival 2023. “Water Festival has impacted over 12,500 area fifth graders through the years,” Doerr said. “It’s

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