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ALTON - When Troy Hughes decided to open We’re Outside, he knew he’d have to put in some hard work. But he had no idea how much that work would pay off. Two weeks after opening, We’re Outside has taken Alton by storm with its hearty barbecue menu. Hughes watches it all from behind the grill, serving up favorites like ribs, pork steaks, loaded nachos, pulled pork and 80 pounds of wings a day. “It just turned out that everybody liked it,” Hughes said. “I didn’t know what to expect. The first day, the anxiety was up, but it turned out to be a good turnout. I was really happy with it.” The turnout is still impressive; you can always count on a long line of eager customers. Located at 1692 Oakwood Avenue, We’re Outside is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from March to October. As the name suggests, We’re Outside is an open-air restaurant with umbrellas and space to sit out in the grass. In the future

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LITCHFIELD - The Litchfield Skyview Drive-In will be decked out in pink next weekend for a Barbie-themed party and screening of the 2023 “Barbie” movie. Doors open at 7 p.m. on both Aug. 25 and 26. The movie starts at dusk, around 8:30 p.m. While they wait, moviegoers can enjoy a raffle, photo backdrops, “Barbie”-themed cups and several live Barbies available for photos. Both nights will end with a double feature of “Barbie” and “Legally Blonde.” “With the drive-in and it not being a normal theater, my goal is to start making movies like a party,” owner Chelsey Semplowski said. “I’d like to do different things each weekend to tie in with the movie that we’ll be playing… just coming and sitting in your car and waiting for the movie to start.” The drive-in’s play area will have several pink and purple balls for kids to play with, and the raffle will include a basket of products targeted

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Note: This is one of a series of features about artists who will showcase their work at the Edwardsville Art Fair on Sept. 22-24. Avalon Eales of the Edwardsville Arts Center staff provided the information. Artist #1 Name: Angela Burns Location: Edwardsville, IL Medium: Painting Artist's Statement: " Angela is an acrylic and oil artist who paints in the style of the Impressionists. Her lifelike, expressive paintings have been awarded nationally and published internationally. Her art is inspired by the universal human need for renewal and expense through nature, in a world overcome by noise, hustle, and distraction. Many of her paintings explore renewing our sense of wonder about life, based in the landscape of Edwardsville, Illinois, where she lives and paints." Artist #2 Name: Tim Gusewelle Location: Bethalto, IL Medium: Painting Artist's Statement: "Art is something I have created since I was a kid, often with an aim to make something inspiring.

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is working with the Shelby County Health Department and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) to investigate a cluster of three Legionnaires’ disease cases. All three cases reside in Findlay, Illinois and reported illness onset dates between July 30 and August 4. IDPH staff are working with Shelby County Health Department officials to determine common exposures between the three cases. Illinois local health departments investigating recent cases of Legionnaires’ disease are being asked to inquire about any time spent in Findlay or Shelby County during the 14 days prior to onset of symptoms. On August 11, Illinois EPA conducted testing and evaluation of the public water supply serving Findlay and found no concerns with chlorine levels, an effective disinfection for Legionella. Illinois EPA has also requested daily sampling for chlorine residual within the system. Based on available

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EAST ALTON/WOOD RIVER - This week, the Wood River Drainage and Levee District (WRDLD) partnered with Keller Construction and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to prevent erosion near the Wood River Pump Station. The Wood River Pump Station drains water to prevent flooding, and WRDLD manages the Wood River levee system. Natural erosion has occurred near the pump station, which required a routine but large response from WRDLD, Keller Construction and IDOT. “Our contractor, Keller Construction, Inc., placed approximately 600 tons of IDOT RR3 riprap on the slope of the Wood River Pump Station impoundment to repair erosion and prevent future issues with the same,” explained WRDLD executive director Kevin Williams. This project was focused in the southeast quadrant of the intersection of Illinois Routes 3 and 143, near the city limits of Wood River. Keller Construction , which is based in Glen Carbon, lined the slope with IDOT’s approved side

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METRO EAST – Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 850, which establishes the Illinois Grocery Initiative – a multi-pronged policy designed to address food deserts across the state. It will support existing grocers and encourage new grocery stores to open through incentive opportunities. The legislation also allows grocery stores receiving grants as part of the program to be designated as High Impact Businesses, providing them the opportunity to receive tax credits and other incentives. “The Illinois Grocery Initiative is the latest expansion of our holistic approach to ensuring Illinois families can reach the big building blocks of a good life,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “When our residents struggle to keep a roof over their head, can’t put food on the table, or have to choose between paying for basic medical care and keeping the lights on—that’s a failure of the system. That’s why I’m proud to sign into law

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SPRINGFIELD – A new law championed by State Senator Christopher Belt will tackle the increasing number of food deserts in Illinois. “Everyone should be close to fresh and affordable food ,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “This new Grocery Initiative Act will provide crucial support to grocery stores in areas where they are needed most.” Under the new law, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will be required to provide grants and other forms of financial assistance to grocery stores located in or to be located in a food desert. This aims to help mitigate the issue of food deserts across the state. An area is considered a food desert when urban residents have to travel more than a half-mile and rural residents more than 10 miles to get to the nearest grocery store. “When communities lack grocery stores, it can have a significant impact on the health and well-being of residents,” said Belt. “With this new initiative, we are heading

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EAST ALTON – Visitors to the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center’s Jerry F. Costello Confluence Field Station will notice a new addition atop its iconic green roof. A weather station, specifically called a Mesonet station, from the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Saint Louis University, was recently installed by NGRREC sm Post-Doctoral Research Associate Teresa Baraza, PhD, and Doctoral Student Ryan Kelly. "We are excited to be able to bring this collaboration to fruition,” Baraza said. “The NGRREC field station is a great location for a Mesonet station that can yield useful and reliable weather data, so this is a great opportunity for both institutions". The goal of this weather station is to continuously collect real-time data on temperature, pressure, moisture, rain fall, solar radiation and wind speed. The station will record each of these metrics every minute, giving researchers a more complete picture of weather fluctuations

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today commemorated August as Child Support Awareness Month by highlighting Illinois’ new law to improve the collection of child support payments and ensure families across the state receive the support they need to raise their children. Raoul initiated House Bill 3301, which was signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker and sponsored by Sen. Mike Halpin and Rep. Terra Costa Howard, to amend the Unemployment Insurance Act to require employers to report independent contractors as new hires starting Jan. 1. The new reporting requirement will ensure that the Attorney General’s office is able to better ensure that non-custodial parents employed as independent contractors are meeting their child support obligations. “August is Child Support Awareness Month, and I am proud to highlight the latest efforts my office is undertaking to ensure children in Illinois get the support they need. This law will help our child support attorneys in thei

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EAST ST. LOUIS – A U.S. District judge announced a sentence of a Worden man to serve seven years in federal prison after he admitted to possessing more than 600 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Joseph Vieth, 36, was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine, $5,000 in special assessments and $6,000 in restitution to the victims. Following his prison sentence, he will serve five years of supervised release. “Law enforcement recovered hundreds of images of CSAM from the defendant’s phone —photos and videos taken of real children being abused in sexually-explicit situations,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Vieth furthered the exploitation of the victims depicted by viewing and distributing the material, and his substantial prison sentence is warranted.” According to court documents, Vieth was active in an online group identified as a messaging outlet for distributing child pornography from March 28 through Oct. 18, 2021. On four

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WOOD RIVER - Members of the Wood River Planning Commission voted 9-1 not to recommend subdividing a portion of Belk Park to the City Council at their meeting last night. Last month , the item was tabled after over two hours of public testimony in opposition, and the developers have since canceled their plans for the park. The item only resurfaced because it had been tabled and now goes to the City Council for a vote on Sept. 5. While last night’s meeting wasn’t two hours long, it still saw plenty of public testimony against the proposed subdivision of the park. Nobody spoke in favor of the item, and nearly everyone who spoke against it said they were opposed to any subdivision or future sale of the land to any private developer. Several cited the land being designated a public park as part of Robert Lee Belk’s will, which the city agreed to when they accepted his donation of the land in 1953 . Many of them also cited alternative uses for that portion

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ALTON - Mary Cordes, executive director of the Hayner Public Library District, gave a few details about the district’s upcoming programming after their most recent event, an Elvis impersonator performance in the Alton Square Mall. Next month’s event, focusing on the “Dead People of Illinois,” brings researcher John Lynn to the mall for some spooky history just before the Halloween season. The district’s program for the month of August was a performance by Steve Davis, an Elvis Presley impersonator from Wood River who has performed around the world. Davis sang some of The King’s biggest hits on the second floor of the Alton Square Mall. A related story about Davis is available here on Riverbender.com. Cordes noted that the library district usually holds its larger lecture series events in that space on the Alton Square Mall’s second floor. She then spoke about some of their upcoming programming later this fall. “We’ll b

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ALTON - Justin Sims and Joe Jack discussed their “Reason 2 Doubt” podcast and the upcoming third annual Reason 2 Doubt Weekend on a recent episode of Our Daily Show on Riverbender.com . The podcast, which is available on YouTube , Spotify , and Apple Podcasts , features five friends from Alton offering their varying perspectives on current events and more. Sims, who hosts the show by the name “J. Sims,” described the Reason 2 Doubt podcast as a “podcast of five young Black men coming together and just giving their perspective on the world from where we see it.” The show was originally only about music, but several major news events (including a global pandemic) occurred in the four years since the podcast started, and Sims felt the conversation should expand to address those and other events. “We’ve been through a lot in four years, so of course the conversation can change,” Sims said. “We can’t b

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ALTON - Alton Main Street and Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau along with presenting sponsor Simmons Hanly Conroy are pleased to announce two free concerts at the new Alton Godfrey Rotary Park, located across the street from Alton City Hall at 101 E. 3rd Street in Alton, Illinois. Both concerts are free to attend and will be held from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Aaron Kamm & the One Drops will perform on Friday, August 18 th . Hailing from St. Louis, MO, AKOD merges flavors of Roots Reggae and Mississippi River Blues and infuses them with improv-laced jams, and soulful vocals. With their high-energy performance and unique sound, Aaron Kamm and the One Drops are a must see as they tour their way across the country for concerts and festivals. At Friday’s event beverages will be available for purchase from Cafe 111, and the following food trucks and booths will be on-site: Ray’s Soul Touching Tacos, Big Boys Q, Food Revival Food Truck, Mo'z Sweet Treats, Gumbo 2 Geaux,

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EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville School District 7 has been bustling with excitement on the part of students, faculty, administration and support personnel over the first two days in school. Dr. Steve Stuart was standing as he usually does on the first day at the school with a smile welcoming students back to Edwardsville High School. "We are really excited it is great to get the kids back in the building," he said. "They bring so much energy. We have some great plans for them this year and I am really looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish in the school year. We are adding seven classrooms to what used to be the media center. That will allow us to keep our students on campus instead of sending 200 and some odd ninth graders over in the morning. The media center conversation was our main project over the summer." Edwardsville schools opened doors for students on Wednesday morning. Edwardsville Superintendent Dr. Patrick Shelton said he and the others are so glad to have the

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EAST ST. LOUIS – The U.S. District Court in East St. Louis announced today that a long-time convicted methamphetamine dealer in Alton was sentenced to spend more than 21 years in federal prison after he admitted his guilt to multiple drug and firearm charges. Dane Tannler, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Following his prison sentence, he will serve four years of supervised release. In addition, Tannler was ordered to pay a $400 fine and $400 in special assessments. U.S. Attorney Rachel Aud Crowe commended the Alton Police Department for their courageous efforts to bring Tannler to justice. “Career offenders like Tannler who repeatedly distribute large quantities of drugs tear at the fabric of the community and endanger the families who live

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COLLINSVILLE – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that pavement repairs on the northbound Interstate 255 ramp to eastbound Interstate 55/70 near Collinsville will require a weekend ramp closure starting, weather permitting, Friday, Aug. 18, at 9 p.m. Motorists will be directed to Horseshoe Lake Road to access southbound I-255 to eastbound I55/70. In addition to the ramp closure, the right lane of eastbound I-55/70 will be closed during the same time. Two eastbound I-55/70 lanes will remain open at all times. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all construction signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling through the work zone. The closures are expected to be in place until 5 a.m., Monday, Aug. 21.

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ALTON - Alton High School’s cheerleading team is asking the community for help as they fundraise for new uniforms and tumbling mats. “They deserve the best,” head coach Megan Hodge said of her cheerleaders. “These kids are putting in the effort. They could be out running around with their friends, but instead they are working really hard because all of them have a goal to go to college and cheer. They’re very dedicated.” There are 34 athletes in Alton’s cheer program. The team works year-round, with practice three or four times a week on top of football and basketball games. They also compete on weekends starting in November. Some of them have been cheering since sixth grade. “We literally lift each other up,” Hodge joked. “We spend so much time together that we’re just a huge family. All of my kids are very close. They’re all best friends, and they are so committed.” Hodge explained that the cheerleaders

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PIASA - Maddie Gordon is a multi-sport student-athlete with unbelievable stamina and fortitude for the Piasa Birds. Maddie was a top cross country runner last year on the Piasa Birds’ girls squad and big things are expected from her again in fall 2023. Maddie is an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for Southwestern. “Maddie is very competitive in every sport,” Piasa Birds’ cross country coach Gary Bowker said. “She doubles in the spring with soccer and track and also plays volleyball in the fall.” Coach Bowker has to train Maddie slightly differently than the other girls in both cross country and track. “I have to be careful how much of a load of training I put on her legs,” he said. “We have talked several times and a major concern is we don’t want her to have dead legs in volleyball and soccer, too.” The coach said she has the desire and love of running needed to be one of his standout

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WOOD RIVER - When Oilers fans watch the sidelines of football or basketball games, they will notice senior Stormie Shoemaker, one of the leaders this year for the East Alton-Wood River High School cheerleading squad. Stormie is a Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for the Oilers. Stormie thanked her coach Alison Beachum for always encouraging her and the other girls. She also said her best friend - Emma Hall - has never let her go through anything alone. “I have gone through a lot within the past year, but I remain very outgoing, and positive, and strive to be a good role model for others around me,” she said. “I have been cheering since I was five. I enjoy the relationships between other teammates, coaches and other cheer teams. There is really nothing like it.” Stormie said cheering has led her to be a more outgoing, social and confident person. “There is a message behind every mistake in cheering, and cheering taught me it’s

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