Riverbender 🕸

ALTON - Stephanie’s Place is hosting a back-to-school event where kids can play carnival games, snack on fair food and get school supplies for the coming year. From 4–7 p.m. on Aug. 12, kids and parents are invited to the space at 2526 Johnson Street in Alton to kick off the school year right. A bounce house and popsicle truck will round out the night. Stephanie Elliott, an Alton alderwoman who founded the organization with her husband Joe, explained that the event aims to introduce kids to each other and give them what they need for a successful year. “My goal is to make sure that the children that come see us are prepared for school, but in the process, they get a big push and something that makes them feel good and something that they can remember,” Elliott said. “Going to give out a lot of smiles on that day, too, because I have a lot of volunteers.” The organization will also be handing out backpacks and other school supplies. Elliott thanke

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LEBANON - For over 15+ years the Lebanon Emerald Mound Fire Department has been serving savory Ribeye Steak Sandwiches that leave picnic attendees demanding more. At the Lebanon Firemen’s Picnic, this year will be no different, as the fire department is excited to embark on another year of providing entertainment, activities, and your favorite picnic foods to families throughout the Lebanon community and beyond. Andria’s Steak Sauce has been chosen as a department and attendee favorite. “We think it’s important to work with a local longstanding family-owned business-like Andria’s. They resemble and reflect our community just like us, not to mention the dynamic flavor of our steak sandwiches,” says Kevin Schwaegel, volunteer firefighter and food stand chairman. “Every year our department looks forward to connecting with the community, giving families a place to have fun, providing entertainment, and showing our gratitude to our local communities.

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ALTON – OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center recently bestowed its Mission Partner of the Month Award to Nancy Robeen, a physical therapy assistant for OSF Rehabilitation Services in Alton. Her nomination states that Nancy equally demonstrates care and compassion for her patients and fellow Mission Partners. Robeen’s nomination reads in its entirety: “Her patients have nothing but positive things to say about her bedside manner and professionalism. She always maintains a professional demeanor while adding personal touches to make her patients feel safe and well-cared for. Nancy is also a ray of sunshine every morning when she comes in, and if she were having a bad day, you’d never know it!” Winners of the Mission Partner of the Month Award are noted for their exceptional manner by exemplifying the hospital’s Values, providing outstanding service through his or her work, and exhibiting a positive and supportive attitude. Winners also

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ALTON - An Alton woman is facing multiple charges after Alton Police responded to a criminal trespass report in the 1500 block of Clawson Street in Alton on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said an investigation revealed several subjects trespassing at the residence. One of those subjects, Kelsey A. Deardeuff, 29, was taken into custody for active arrest warrants. "Upon being taken into custody, illegal narcotics were located in her possession," Chief Ford said. "After arriving at the Alton Police Department Jail, additional illegal narcotics were located hidden on her person. "Based on the facts of the case, the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office charged Deardeuff with unlawful possession of contraband in a penal institution, a Class 1 felony, and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 1 felony; and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony." Bail was set at $75,000.

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GLEN CARBON - Whether your child is a pro player or hitting the field for the first time, Elite Fitness Training will offer fall soccer camps to help all athletes reach the next level. Elite FT is a high-performance fitness training center for kids throughout the Metro East area. Classes for kids ages 2 and up are available. They have several strength and conditioning classes that can benefit any athlete, but many of their programs are designed for soccer. “lt’s a program that is built to where anybody can join,” Roxie Strange, program director, explained. “One thing that we pride ourselves on is focusing on making sure they get individual needs met. So if there’s one kid that played a couple seasons of rec, as opposed to the kid that’s a beginner, we make sure to give them individual attention so they actually take from the class as well as the kid that’s just learning to touch the soccer ball.” Fall soccer classes start on Aug.

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WOOD RIVER - East Alton-Wood River football senior Dillon Gerner is expected to be a key player for the Oilers in the 2023 football season. Dillon is a Midwest Members Credit Union Male Athlete of the Month for the Oilers. He said his parents have helped him succeed, made sure he is always on time to every practice and keep motivating him in sports and the classroom. Garry Herron is Dillon's head football coach for the Oilers. Dillon believes that working hard and making sure everyone is on task and pays attention at practice are a few of his strong points in football. "I have been playing football since I was four years old," he said. "The thing I like about football the most is getting to know other players along with new coaches and creating a strong friendship with people, and obviously winning." In his free time, Dillon can often be found on a local golf course playing with friends. "Being involved with sports has definitely helped me be more responsible and has kept me out

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GODFREY - Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) required Pilot Ground School Classes are now forming for the Fall Semester at LEWIS & CLARK COMMUNITY COLLEGE , Godfrey. (Students must have Ground Training to qualify for Flight Training.) These are classes on the Lewis and Clark College campus and not at St. Louis Regional Airport. The following classes for Private Pilot, Instrument Pilot and Commercial Pilot, are FAA Exam Preparation Courses that will satisfy the mandatory requirements for passing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) written tests as first steps for a hobby or a career in aviation, or, to update “rusty pilots” who want to get back into flying. The courses may be taken in conjunction with or totally independent of additional airplane flight training lessons not provided by LCCC. Optional field trips outside of the classes may be offered. Registration of $350.00 each for PRIVATE, INSTRUMENT or COMMERCIAL PILOT for the following classes

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MACOUPIN COUNTY - Dick Ferrando started working on cars at a Macoupin County body shop when he was just 16 years old. He bought his first Corvette in 1962 in Bunker Hill. Rescued from a junkyard where it was discarded by its third owner, the 1958 model was badly damaged. Dick paid $150 for the car. At the time, Dick was an engineering tech/design draftsman for the State of Illinois, so restoring the Corvette was something that could not take priority. In fact, it took Dick three years to repair the car, but the process ignited a flame in him that just grew brighter over time, and he started repairing other Corvettes as time allowed. When restoring Corvettes started making more money for him than his full-time job, he decided to repair Corvettes on a full-time basis. D&A Corvette in Mt. Clare opened in 1974. From 1974 to 1980 D&A Corvette was a typical Corvette repair shop. But a declining moment came in the late ‘70s when Illinois tinkered with vehicle title laws, ruining th

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ALTON - You might have met Dorothy McCoy before. After all, when she’s riding her Mo’z Sweet Treats tricycle through Alton and selling artisan popsicles, lemonades and ice creams to the people she passes, she’s pretty hard to miss. Mo’z Sweet Treats has garnered a lot of local love over the years. It’s been a great ride, but even better things are coming with McCoy’s plans to open a storefront this fall. “This journey has been amazing, and the support — oh my God — has blown my mind,” McCoy said. August is Black Business Month, which aims to recognize Black-owned businesses and encourage shoppers to support them. The Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity highlighted Mo’z Sweet Treats on their Facebook page earlier this week as their first Black Business Month feature, adding that the business is also woman- and veteran-owned To the people of Alton, McCoy is best known for her innovation

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GLEN CARBON - The Glen Carbon Centennial Library has had a successful past year according to Director Christine Gerrish, who presented an overview of the library’s past fiscal year and upcoming projects to village trustees on Tuesday, including some impressive statistics. Library visits are up overall compared to last year, though they haven’t quite reached pre-pandemic levels. However, Gerrish noted this isn’t due to people not using the library, as the number of books checked out and e-resources used both exceeded pre-pandemic levels. Checked out books totaled 99,350 over the past year - substantially more than 85,928 books the year prior and just over the pre-pandemic total of 98,008. E-resources (including electronic journals, books, online databases, and more) were used substantially more this past year at a total of 26,029, a steady increase from 21,281 the year prior and 14,616 before the pandemic. The total number of library cards was also much higher tha

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EDWARDSVILLE - As Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7 (ECUSD7) prepares for the first day of school on Aug. 16, Superintendent Dr. Patrick Shelton explains summer renovations and plans for the upcoming year. Edwardsville High School underwent a major renovation this summer when the media center that was previously housed in the high school was torn down and replaced with classrooms and offices. Shelton explained that this will allow freshmen students to stay at the high school all day instead of traveling between campuses. “That’s probably the biggest one,” he said. “They had to fill in part of and then build up from there. They ripped it all down except for exterior walls and started over. So we’ve got eight classrooms, four offices, a little collaboration space. It’s going to be a great space for kids." The ECUSD7 Board approved the renovation last March, accepting a bid of approximately $680,000 from C. Rallo Contracting Co.,

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EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Adriana E. Martinez, PhD, associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Departments of Geography and Geographic Information Sciences and Environmental Sciences, participated in the River-based ImmersiVe Education & Research (RIVER) Field Studies Network river rendezvous this summer along the San Juan River in southern Utah. “The RIVER Rendezvous was a great opportunity to further develop my skills regarding field education,” Martinez said. “I developed and tested a field lesson on how logjams influence channel dynamics and macroinvertebrate habitat and learned the workings behind organizing a river trip focused on inclusion.” The RIVER Field Studies Network is designed to strengthen undergraduate education in and around rivers by creating a network of educators who develop field lessons throughout the year, practice those lessons in the field with students, and participate

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JERSEYVILLE - The City of Jerseyville has the second Rock the Block concert for 2023 scheduled on Friday, August 11. The event will take place around West Arch and Washington Streets near the Water Tower. The band Porch Cafe will be performing from 6 to 10 p.m. "This will be a great opportunity for the community to not only enjoy some awesome music but also shop at our local businesses and enjoy a delicious meal at one of the local restaurants," Jerseyville City Clerk Denise Hayes said. "Some seating will be provided, but we encourage you to bring your own lawn chairs." Hayes pointed out that West Arch Street from Washington Street to State Street and Washington Street from Arch Street to the South entrance of Parking Lot L will be closed from 1 p.m. until 11 p.m. the day of the event. The alley from West Prairie Street to West Arch Street will also be closed from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.

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MARYVILLE - The Anderson Hospital Foundation recently welcomed Cory Darr to its Board of Directors. Cory holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with an emphasis in Finance and Accounting, from Illinois College. He is a Certified Public Accountant and earned an Executive Program Management graduate certificate from the University of Notre Dame. Cory spent three years in public accounting at Clifton Gunderson LLC working in the audit department focused on banking, Telecommunications and Universities. Cory then left public accounting and worked for Wells Fargo Bank for 18 years, holding roles as a mortgage-backed securities trader and then as Vice President – Global Interest Rate Risk Management. He spent four years as President of La Cross Dental and is currently Vice President – Operational Support at J.F. Electric. In addition to being a Director of the Anderson Hospital Foundation, Cory serves on the Finance Committee at Sunset Hills Country Club. He

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ROXANA - Lily Daughtery recently concluded a remarkable career in athletics at Roxana High School. She was a track and field sprint star, a volleyball player, and an exceptional honors student. She competed in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 4 x 100, and 4 x 200 relays. She was a leader on and off the court and track for every Shells team. Lily is a Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for the Shells. She was an AAU National Volleyball All-American during her time in Roxana. Julie Akal, one of Lily’s track coaches for multiple years, said Lily really did well during the track and field season and she couldn’t say enough about her as a person and student-athlete. “She was a big volleyball player and we loved her time in track and field,” she said. “I will miss the competitiveness and leadership Lily provided for the track team.”

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Fair is excited to announce new theme and discount days for 2023. Changes have been made from theme days in years past. County Fairs and Horse Racing Day will start it all off on Thursday, August 10 with gates opening at 7 a.m. This change will provide a full day of horse racing, county fair celebrations, free entertainment, carnival rides, all of your favorite fair food, traditional kick off activities, and the annual Twilight Parade. In addition to a full day of fair fun, anyone who pays for parking on the Illinois State Fairgrounds on Thursday, August 10, will receive a voucher for free parking to be redeemed on either Tuesday, August 15, Wednesday, August 16, or Thursday, August 17. Agriculture Day moves to Friday, August 11, allowing for more livestock exhibitors and youth in agriculture participants to be on the grounds to celebrate our state’s number one industry. The move to the first Friday will also help minimize the impact

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JACKSONVILLE - State Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Murrayville) today announced Jeanmarie Shafer from Winchester, Illinois as the top winner in the first round of his district-wide photo contest. Ms. Shafer submitted the winning photo of a Heli Team crop-duster helicopter turning into a corn field. “Thank you to everyone that participated. We have so many talented people in the 100th District. It was great to see so many pictures to make me feel at home. My staff and I had a hard time choosing just one. I will be hanging several in my Springfield Office. I look forward to the next round of photos,” stated Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer.

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ST. LOUIS - Gateway Arch Park Foundation announces star-studded lineup for 8th annual Blues at the Arch Festival August 11-13 With fans driving for hours hear some of today’s best blues artists, Blues at the Arch Festival presented by the Missouri Division of Tourism includes delicious food, drinks, all ages activities, a Kids’ Corner and more. A ticketed Sunday Blues Brunch will cap off the weekend. ST. LOUIS, MO (June 20, 2023)—Blues at the Arch Festival returns August 11-13, this year presented by the Missouri Division of Tourism, Visit Missouri. Held at the North Gateway of Gateway Arch National Park (bordering Laclede’s Landing), the Festival is free and open to the public on Friday and Saturday. Hosted by Gateway Arch Park Foundation as part of its mission to bring exciting, accessible community events to the national park, this popular end-of-summer celebration pays tribute to St. Louis' storied blues history and showcases the talents of national and local

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GODFREY – The RiverBend Growth Association has awarded the Small Business of the Month for August 2023 to Quality Buick GMC Cadillac, a third-generation family business. Located at 1620 Homer M. Adams Parkway in Alton, the business has been thriving now for 65 years. It has been part of the Stevenson family’s livelihood for decades, with Cody Stevenson and Chad Stevenson as its third-generation leader today. Quality Buick GMC Cadillac continues its mission to provide quality and affordable vehicle sales, care and repair to customers throughout the Riverbend region. To ensure its continued quality service, the company has built a new facility that doubled its body shop capacity and increased its service department’s overall capacity by 20 percent. They’ve also expanded north, setting up a new dealership in Jerseyville at 1200 S. State St. known as Quality Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. Stevenson notes that the dealership has also seen an increase in its number of

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LITCHFIELD - The Litchfield Pickers Market returns Sunday, August 13, 2023, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at 400 N. State St. in downtown Litchfield. This vintage and antique market is a fun, family-friendly event and we are excited to welcome back visitors and vendors for the third market of the season. It is the largest open-air pickers market in the region and specializes in antiques, collectibles, vintage items and refurbished items. Each month the market welcomes musicians to perform at the Carnegie Park stage. On August 13, two favorite picket market bands will return to the stage – B & B Strings will start the music at 9 a.m., followed by Skibbereen, who will take the stage at noon. A limited number of picnic tables are provided in the park area, so bring a lawn chair or blanket so you can sit and enjoy the music. To make the most of your pickers market experience, it is recommended that you bring totes, wagons, carts, pick-up trucks, and anything that will help haul all the great

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