Riverbender 🕸

ST. LOUIS - It’s that time of year when ghosts and goblins take to the streets for some Halloween fun. Halloween continues to be extremely popular with kids of all ages, however, it can pose some safety challenges. “It’s important to plan ahead for Halloween fun and festivities to ensure everyone stays safe while participating in the many different activities surrounding this holiday,” said Beth Elders, executive director of the Greater St. Louis Chapter of the American Red Cross. Here are some tips to consider to keep you and your family safe and healthy this Halloween. Trick-or-Treating Make your trick-or-treaters visible to others . Provide kids with reflective gear, flashlights, and glow sticks to help make the route easier for them to follow and more visible to any vehicles on the roads. Adding reflective tape to costumes and treat buckets can help increase your trick-or-treater’s visibility to traffic. Keep your hands clean. Bring hand sanitizer

Continue Reading

GLEN CARBON - Glen Carbon Code Enforcement Officer Brian Hunt recently gave a presentation to village trustees updating them on various properties around the village, most of which have become code compliant, aside from two problem properties. Hunt said so far, there have been 120 code enforcement citations issued in 2023. Most of these were issued for either junk storage, overgrown brush, parking in yards, and inoperable vehicles. Fines were collected on about 20 of those citations, and Hunt said the majority of them have since become compliant, either before or after going to court. He also commended the work of Next Mile Lawn LLC, a local mowing company founded by a pair of brothers which the village has contracted for seasonal mowing work. “They have done a tremendous job mowing for the village this year. It’s a couple of young brothers that decided to start their company from the ground up. The work they do is great, they have great attention to detail,

Continue Reading

GLEN CARBON - Jeff Garde and his family have once again constructed a memorable, family-friendly Halloween display at 54 Oakshire Drive in the Fairfield Subdivision of Glen Carbon. Garde said this marks the 11th consecutive year for the family Halloween display at their home. The home is located near Father McGivney Catholic High School. "Each year, we like to invite all families as we give out candy the night of October 30," Garde added. "Last year, we had over 300 visitors." Last year's special display was a spider display that attracted hundreds during the Halloween season. In 2023, the Garde family decided to construct the display with a Haunted Daycare theme. Jeff's family assists him with the project each year. He said before that the family asks people what their biggest fears are every year and somehow they formulate a plan for the display. He has said it is a complete Garde family effort to build and take down the display, plus formulate ideas. Close to Halloween

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Police and local law enforcement are reminding the public that impaired driving can lead to frightening consequences this Halloween. The message is simple – don’t be scared to “Drive Sober” and “If you “Drive High, you’ll get a DUI.” “Don’t let this Halloween turn into a nightmare. If someone has been drinking, using cannabis or any other impairing substance, don’t let them trick you into letting them drive,” said IDOT Director of Highways Project Implementation Steve Travia . “Thinking ahead is your responsibility and means you’ll avoid a costly DUI that will take away your driving privilege – and save lives.” As of Oct. 16, 991 people have died on Illinois roads, according to IDOT provisional data –12 fewer than on the same date a year ago. However, while crash fatalities are lower than this tim

Continue Reading

MARYVILLE - The Anderson Hospital Foundation 12 th Annual Sporting Clay Classic was held on October 7, 2023, at 1 NILO Farms in Brighton Illinois. The event featured 100 targets and 12 stations, the event also included a large BBQ buffet for the shooters. Anderson Hospital Development Director Lori St. John said: "We had 184 shooters, which was a record amount, that came out on a beautiful fall day to enjoy this event. We thank the Sporting Clay Committee who worked hard to make this event a success and the 33 sponsors that donated to this event and who continue to support us each year." The event raised over $54,500. The Foundation allocates funds for capital projects and programs in support of Anderson Hospital." The 13 th annual Sporting Clay event will be on October 12, 2024, at NILO Farms. Please contact Lori St. John at 618-391-6426 for more information.

Continue Reading

GLEN CARBON - 2023 has been a good year for the Glen Carbon Senior Center so far, with a wide variety of activities and programs for local seniors. Senior Center Administrator Felicia Voelkel gave a presentation to village trustees at their meeting this week to update them on the center’s progress this year. Voelkel said her time as administrator of the busy Senior Center has been “so far, so good.” “I’ve been at the Senior Center a little over a year, and so far, so good,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of activity, a lot of different projects going on.” The center hosts “Game Days,” which feature cookies, bingo, and the card game “Whoopee.” They also host an “Age Well” exercise class with a certified personal trainer, as well as a weekly Art Class which is currently working on a sculpture of a cardinal perched on a tree branch. Past activities included Chair Yoga and Tai Chi, the latter

Continue Reading

WOOD RIVER - The second annual Chili Cook-Off presented by Wood River Economic Development LLC on Saturday in Downtown Wood River was rated a big success once again, organizers said. For the second straight year, the Pump House Bar & Grill was the grand champion. Runner-up was Rachel & Co. Coffee House, third was C&B Boiled Bagels, and the Mayor's Choice award went to Harper Davis. Kristen Burns, a spokesperson for Wood River Economic Development LLC who coordinated the event, issued a huge thank you to all the volunteers, Money Shot band, who performed, the City of Wood River, City of Wood River Public Services and City of Wood River Parks & Recreation for their help in the very successful event. "Everyone seemed to have a great time," she said. "The chili was the best and we had some good competition. We can't wait to do this again next year." Wood River Mayor Tom Stalcup said the event was certainly a success with a lot of quality chili and once again had great attendance.

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is inviting fifth and sixth-grade writers and artists from around Illinois to participate in this year’s Annual Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest. The contest theme for the 2024 awards is “ Where Does Rain Go? How Can We Slow the Flow? ” focusing on understanding how rain moves through the landscape, the effects of droughts and floods, and how we can adapt to help protect our water resources. Educators are encouraged to introduce students to topics such as watersheds and the water cycle, how the amount of rain (frequency and duration) impacts water pollution and the landscape in droughts and floods, and how we can apply conservation practices (slow the flow) to help protect our water resources. Conservation practices can reduce stormwater runoff (nonpoint source pollution) and flooding impacts on our rivers and lakes and even our city’s sewer systems. Informational resources are available

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Madison County’s Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday Madison County’s law enforcement agencies, in cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, will operate a drop-off site for Prescription Drug Take Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28, in Edwardsville. The event will be in the Madison County Administration Building's back parking lot at 157 North Main Street, Edwardsville, 62025. Madison County State’s Attorney Thomas A. Haine, Sheriff Jeff Connor and Coroner Steve Nonn will be operating the drop-off site in coordination with the DEA. Haine said the event is “a convenient way for Madison County residents to help fight the overdose epidemic and save lives.” Connor added, “I strongly encourage local residents to take advantage of this service. It’s a way to dispose of unneeded medicines in a manner that is healthy and safe.” Nonn said, “Many of the tragic overdose deaths we see

Continue Reading

ALTON/GODFREY - The Alton Symphony Orchestra will kick off their season with a performance titled “The Musical Landscapes of European Minds.” Brett Klaus, a Marquette Catholic High School teacher, will solo. The concert is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, at Hatheway Hall at Lewis and Clark Community College. Maestro Shane Williams explained the power of sharing music with the community through the Alton Symphony Orchestra (ASO). “In my heart, it’s about the people,” Williams said. “My mission when I came onboard here at the orchestra was to make the music come alive for all. It starts with the players, and then it becomes the sections and then it moves to the audience so that everybody can enjoy it, from young to old, from violin to French horn. It comes alive for everybody.” To prepare for the concert, Williams asked the musicians to share what pieces they wanted to play that fit the European theme. The music

Continue Reading

GREENVILLE - Greenville University celebrated its annual homecoming festivities last weekend with a full slate of special activities, building dedications, musical concerts, athletic games, and alumni gatherings. Those events were conducted against a backdrop of beautiful fall weather and the emergence of orange and gold foliage on campus. Headlining the weekend was a packed concert by Christian music legend Michael W. Smith on Friday night at Whitlock Music Center. His nostalgic performance had the audience singing along with his praise songs from the past several decades. Another Homecoming highlight was the unveiling of a new look for Hoguey, the University’s mascot. After several decades of wearing a furry black suit, Hoguey now has a bright orange suit with black trim. It gives the mascot a new muscular appearance and a face that matches the redesigned Panther logo introduced in 2017. The weekend activities kicked off Thursday evening with a concert by the GU Choir.

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Chair of its Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation—issued the following statement after the United States Senate voted to confirm Michael Whitaker as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Whitaker’s confirmation comes amid a chilling surge in near-deadly misses involving commercial airlines that likely stems from plummeting aviation workforce experience levels after airlines paid tens of thousands of their most experienced pilots to stop flying, along with a wave of air traffic controller retirements. “At a time when our nation is experiencing an alarming aviation safety crisis, we need an FAA Administrator who will uphold the strongest pilot experience and training certification standards that ensure the flying public safety before our luck runs out and this year’s

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with Metra leadership to discuss ongoing rail improvements throughout the Chicagoland area, including the need for expanding Metra’s service to O’Hare International Airport. Duckworth, a member of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, met with Metra CEO Jim Derwinski and Metra Deputy Executive Director Janice Thomas to receive updates on Metra’s ongoing and proposed improvements throughout the Chicagoland region. This includes accessibility improvements made possible through the All Station Accessibility Program , which she created through a law she authored, that will provide $1.75 billion over the next five years to help build ramps, install elevators and make other improvements to ensure that all of America’s public transit stations are finally usable for everyone. Duckworth also reiterated her support for the Chicago Hub Improvement Program. A photo from

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) emphasized the importance of ensuring every American’s access to telecommunications, arguing that defending telecoms rights is inextricably interwoven with the fight to protect many of the other rights we hold dear, while speaking at the 41st Annual Everett C. Parker Lecture & Awards Ceremony. At the event, which honors the legacy of a civil rights pioneer who tirelessly advocated for the public’s rights in broadcasting, Duckworth received an award for her work writing, pushing forward and passing the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act . Her legislation—which President Biden signed into law earlier this year—applies the ethical imperative of Dr. Parker’s work to America’s incarceration system, empowering the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to finally end the predatory phone call rate scheme that all too often prevented incarcerated people from staying

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. During his speech, Durbin remembered the victims of the October 7 th horrific Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and commended President Biden’s emergency supplemental request to provide security aid to Israel, as well as the recent provision of humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians caught in the conflict. “The wanton slaughter of more than 1,000 Israelis and an estimated 200 hostages still being held is hard to fathom. One fact tells the grim story: more Jews died on this day than any time since the Holocaust. It was not just another bad day in the Middle East. It was a premeditated slaughter of historic proportion,” Durbin said. During his speech, Durbin also spoke on two Illinois hostages—Natalie and Judith Raanan—who were recently released from Hamas terrorists. Durbin called for all remaining hostages to be immediately

Continue Reading

CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced today that the State of Illinois has awarded $9.5 million in funding to 40 different applicants across the state to support post-pandemic child and adolescent health. The size of the grants ranges from $83,000 to just over $400,000. Sixty percent of the grants are going to schools, 20% to hospital or clinic-based programs, 17.5% to local health departments and 2.5% to colleges. The funding is primarily from the CDC’s COVID-19 Public Health Workforce Supplemental Funding program authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) plus $500,000 in state dollars. It is being offered to help schools and local agencies improve student care through workforce enhancements, developing frameworks to prevent adverse childhood experiences, interventions to assist children suffering from trauma, and training for medical and school staff to expand adolescent mental health resources. “We

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, and U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19), member of the House Committee on Armed Services, are leading 18 of their colleagues in a bipartisan, bicameral call to the leadership of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, urging them to retain the House language in the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) expanding servicemember eligibility for the Department of Defense (DoD) Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) program. The BNA program provides a monthly allowance to qualified eligible low-income servicemembers with dependents. This allowance addresses food insecurity faced by some military families and improves overall military readiness. The expanded program will address the needs of the growing number of servicemembers who are food insecure and will support long-term efforts in solving military hunger. “Our servicemembers

Continue Reading

CHICAGO - Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced that his office filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc. (Meta), the company that owns and operates Facebook and Instagram, for its harmful business practices targeting children. The lawsuit, backed by a broad, bipartisan coalition of 33 states, was filed today in the federal district court for the Northern District of California. In their lawsuit, Raoul and the attorneys general allege that Meta’s business model, which seeks to capture as much user time and attention as possible to sell advertising, has targeted youth, including teenagers and even younger children, in ways that take advantage of them. “Our children are in crisis, and we need to act,” Raoul said. “The addictive features on Meta’s social media platforms interfere with sleep and education, enable cyberbullying, and contribute to depression, anxiety, body dysmorphia and thoughts of self-harm. I believe the action we are

Continue Reading

ALTON - Free family fall fun is coming your way with Falliday at Calvary Baptist Church. Starting at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023, families can enjoy inflatables, carnival games, a petting zoo, a trunk-or-treat and more at the church, located at 1422 Washington Avenue in Alton. Kids can check out a firetruck and police cruiser, and a few good-spirited church members will be available for dunking in a dunk tank. “Come dunk a pastor,” laughed Mike Harrelson, the Calvary Baptist children’s pastor. “It’s going to be a great time for families in our area here to come and just have a good time…We want people to know that we’re here and that God loves them, and this is just a practical way that we can do that.” The Falliday event aims to bring together community members for a fun, safe and free night. Harrelson warns there will be “lots of candy,” but also plenty of ways for kids to work out that energy on the inflatables,

Continue Reading

CARROLLTON - The Greene County Housing Authority has sold its first house, clearing the way for more residents to find affordable housing. The housing authority works with the government to provide affordable housing for people in lower income brackets. The organization maintains these properties and sells them at a lower price while also supporting buyers as they navigate homeownership. “After the first one has been sold, we’re literally blazing the trails going forward,” Wendi Rensing said. “I always say I have the most rewarding job in real estate.” Rensing is a managing broker and homeownership coordinator with CCDC Realty, LLC . She works with housing authorities across Illinois “to offer homeownership to those who normally wouldn’t be able to purchase.” The Greene County Housing Authority works with the Illinois Housing Development Association (IHDA) to secure loans to purchase or build properties. Rensing describes

Continue Reading