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ALTON - State Representative Amy Elik recently gave a few updates on her work at the State House of Representatives, as well as what she wants to accomplish during the rest of her session and the great things going on in her district. Elik discussed these topics and more on a recent episode of Our Daily Show! On Riverbender.com . Last Friday, June 9, Elik said she received word that Governor J.B. Pritzker has signed three of her bills into law. “That’s always exciting, to see the bills that you wrote and that you worked on coming to fruition, and that they were signed and not vetoed, no surprises or anything like that came along." Among the bills signed was one requiring schools to recognize and celebrate Constitution Day, which she said despite some pushback in the Senate, ultimately passed with bipartisan support - something she seeks for all of her bills. “Any of the bills that I do, I’m always going to have bipartisan support on, because

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FULTON, MO. - Kaleb Hinkle-Pruett from East Alton was named to the Spring 2023 Dean's List for exemplary academic performance at Westminster College. Hinkle-Pruett is a Sophomore at Westminster. The Dean's List recognizes Westminster students who have shown high academic performance during the past semester. To be included on the Dean's List, a student must achieve a 3.60 semester grade point average with at least 12 hours completed that semester. The list of 220 students includes 44 freshmen, 58 sophomores, 65 juniors, and 53 seniors. President and Chief Transformation Officer Donald P. Lofe, Jr., recently commended the students for their exemplary academic performance. "These students worked extremely hard to achieve this honor," Lofe said. "On behalf of the entire Westminster College community, I want to congratulate each one of them for making an impact through this outstanding accomplishment." ABOUT WESTMINSTER COLLEGE: Founded in 1851 and home of Winston Churchill's

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GODFREY - Abby Kreitner Thurman didn’t set out to create a popular woman-owned gym, but that’s exactly what she did. With three passionate trainers and a growing list of clients, the business Ab’s Workout Plans is only growing. “We like to push people and drive people, and I think our clients see that energy,” Thurman said. “We’re going through our own journeys, too. We’re right there with them.” For the last year, Thurman’s journey has been this business. Ab’s Workout Plans offers individual training sessions, group sessions, consultations and workout and nutrition plans. They’ve expanded to a new location on Godfrey Road with a full calendar of available classes. While the gym’s success might have initially surprised Thurman, Ab’s Workout Plans has actually been in the works for years. In high school, Thurman participated in the Riverbend CEO program meant to foster entrepreneurial skills

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ALTON - Pride, Inc will be hosting its 2023 Garden Tour on Sunday, July 9. During this “Rain or Shine” event, attendees will have the opportunity to view selected private and public gardens in the Alton – Godfrey area. There will also be Master Gardeners, and Beekeepers in some locations available for questions and answers. The tour is from 12 – 5:00pm, and the cost is $20.00 per person. Tickets, tour maps and further information about the locations can be found by visiting https://pridegardentour.com/. Tickets may also be obtained at Karen Wilson’s State Farm Office at 225 Tolle Lane or Liberty Bank in Godfrey, or the Pride office in the Benjamin Godfrey Mansion. For more information contact Pat Stewart at pride@prideincorporated.org or call 618-467-2375 ABOUT Pride, Incorporated – Pride, Incorporated is a local, non-profit organization dedicated to community beautification. Since its Founding in 1966 by Dr. Gordon Moore, Pride, Inc. ha

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This is my super cool Dad, Quentin. My dad was born and raised in Hardin. He loves showing us his favorite places he used to enjoy as a kid. It could be something as simple as a creek or natural spring water he used to drink as a kid, but showing it off and having his three daughters absolutely love Calhoun County makes him the happiest camper. These adventures to Hardin happen every year and consist of a trip to the Hardin Drive-In for a quick lunch, followed by driving backroads, playing in the creek, and then taking the Kampsville Ferry home. These days were my favorite and still are to this day. It's a relaxing day full of plenty of laughs, good food, a possible sunburn, and so many memories. Sierra Palos If you have a Father's Day Memory to share with Riverbender.com, e-mail news@riverbender.com .

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ST. LOUIS – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District held a groundbreaking ceremony recently for the design and construction of a new 1,200 ft. x 110 ft. lock chamber adjacent to the existing 600 ft. x 110 ft. lock chamber in Winfield, Mo. The original Lock 25 opened May 18, 1939, as the third to the last lock built in the Mississippi River system and passes approximately 23 million tons of commercial commodities through annually. Eighty-four years later, the St. Louis District along with several dignitaries held the official kick off to welcome the new construction of the additional lock chamber that will allow for two-way traffic and the construction of a fish passage structure at Lock 22 in Saverton, Mo. Located in Winfield, Mo. (45 miles north of St. Louis), Lock and Dam 25 was selected for upgrades due to its location through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed into law by President Joe Biden in November 2022. The $829 million funding for the Mississippi Rive

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ALTON - Need something to do this summer? Melanie Holmes has you covered. Holmes’s fifth book, “100 Things to Do in Illinois Before You Die,” is out now and might add some fun new items to your bucket list. The book highlights Holmes’s appreciation for her home state. “I really wanted to tell a story — Illinois’s story, as told through a collection of experiences,” Holmes said. “I hoped to produce a book that says, ‘This is us. All of us.’” Holmes’s book is the latest to join the “100 Things to Do Before You Die” series , a line of guidebooks published by Reedy Press . The company allowed Holmes to make the book her own, with lists and region-specific tips for readers. With these additions, Holmes said there are nearly 200 experiences highlighted in her “bucket list book.” This includes a few nearby sites, including Cahokia Mounds , Litchfield’s Skyview Drive-In

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EDWARDSVILLE - Elsaventer Branch of Alton has been charged with Making A Terrorist Threat (a Class X felony), Aggravated Battery (Class 2), two counts of Resisting A Police Officer Causing Injury (Class 4), and Disorderly Conduct (Class C). Each of these charges stems from an incident that occurred on April 16, 2023. The Making A Terrorist charge reads as follows: "The defendant made a threat to commit or cause to be committed a terrorist act when he made the statement he would 'blow up' and 'shoot up' a McDonald’s Restaurant at 2400 Homer Adams Parkway. Police said he created a reasonable expectation of fear of throwing items onto the roof of the McDonald’s." He was also charged with the following: "Aggravated Battery of an Alton Police officer causing harm to the officer’s face with his hand. He also pulled away from an officer with Alton Police Department and failed to obey commands and pulled away from the officer. The Alton officer occurred injuries to his knees,

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ALTON - The Senior Services Plus 50th anniversary celebration on Saturday night at Lewis and Clark Community College was a night to remember. Sheila Goins was the emcee for the inaugural gala for SSP. She also serves as one of SSP's newest board members. Theresa Collins, CEO for SSP, presented Sheila with gifts, a flower arrangement, and a beautiful painting as a gift for emceeing the night. The Alton High School Jazz Band performed the evening's entertainment. State Rep. Amy Elik was also in attendance, along with many other community officials, including Alton Mayor David Goins. Recognized at the event were AARP Illinois because of their corporate partnership as well as Argosy Casino. BJC Alton Memorial Hospital was recognized as a Community Hero, Liberty Bank was a community partner honoree along with OSF Saint Anthony's Hospital. Zeke Jabusch was also recognized with a Community Volunteer Hero Award. The Senior Services Plus Board of Directors consists of Chuck Par as president,

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ALTON - Zeke Jabusch is most known for his Alton-Godfrey Business Association leadership as president since 1993. However, Saturday night, Zeke was recognized with a Senior Services Plus Hero Award. Zeke admitted he was truly touched by the honor. Senior Services Plus marked its 50th anniversary with the celebration on Saturday, and Zeke was one of the top honorees on that prestigious night. Zeke said he looks at what organizations like Senior Services Plus have done in the community, not at what he has done. “Senior Services Plus has achieved many positive results over the years,” he said. “It has been a very positive resource to the community and region beyond. I was on the board for nearly 20 years.” Zeke said Senior Services Plus’ programs speak for themselves, from the fitness center, wellness services, meal delivery, hosting a wide variety of events for seniors, home-care services, and even home repair and some lawn services and so much more. “Th

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JERSEYVILLE - A man from Winchester has been charged with indecent solicitation of a child after he “knowingly solicited three (3) twelve (12) year old girls” to perform a sexual act, according to court filings from the Jersey County Circuit Clerk’s office. Austin K. Williams, 25, of Winchester, reportedly committed the offense on June 5, 2023. He was charged with one count of Indecent Solicitation Of A Child, a Class 1 felony carrying a sentence of four to 15 years in prison. His bail was set at $75,000. More information and updates on this case can be found here . The issuance of charges is based solely upon probable cause and is not an indication of guilt. All subjects charged with criminal offenses are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly expanded in 2023, and it’s here to stay. ChatGPT, Snapchat and altered photos and videos are just some of the AI encounters people have on their devices daily. AI has many positives. But experts say when it comes to health advice, take it from a trained human being, not a robot. And if you’re scared of "the rise of the robots" – as they say in Hollywood – there are ways to cope. "You’re absolutely normal to be anxious when there’s the first stirrings of big shifts in technology or other things that might change our life," says Ari Lakritz, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at OSF HealthCare who says he sees these concerns often. Coming to grips with technology advances Common fears include technology making your job obsolete or providing you with misinformation. Dr. Lakritz suggests being proactive to the changes, not reactive. Learn how AI is changing your job or hobbies. "See if you might be able to be part

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ALTON - The Miles Davis Jazz Committee recognized recent Marquette Catholic High School graduate Paige Masterson for her devotion to music, academics and service. Masterson considers music to be a strong influence on her. She played flute throughout elementary and middle school before joining Marquette’s Ukulele Club in high school. “The most significant thing about music is being able to hear and feel the different parts of a song,” Masterson said. Masterson was a member of Marquette’s Art Club, women’s bowling team and Academic Challenge team. Outside of school, she plays ice hockey with the St. Louis Lyons Hockey Club and volunteers throughout the Greater St. Louis area. Masterson joined Marquette’s National Honor Society early in her high school career with a high GPA and over a hundred hours of volunteer work. Timothy Harmon, Marquette’s principal and social sciences teacher, credited this “prestigious distinction”

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EDWARDSVILLE - Goshen Theatre Project will present Disney’s Descendants: The Musical Rotten to the Core is only one of the catchy tunes you will hear in Descendants: The Musical. The production will take place at Triad Middle School and will feature three shows: Friday, June 23 and Saturday, June 24 at 7:30 p.m. with the final show on Sunday, June 25 at 3 p.m. Disney's Descendants: Musical Rotten To The Core features many well-known Disney characters – good and evil. In Goshen Theatre Project’s production of Desendants: The Musical just under 30 performers, ranging in age from 11-19, will transform the stage into a battle of good vs evil. The public is requested to watch as some infamous villians – the teenage troublemakers and children of Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Jafar, and Cruella De Vil venture off the Isle of the Lost. These troublemakers will then be sent to attend prep school in Auradon with some of our beloved Disney heroes. How will they fair? Wil

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ALTON - Alton’s 26th annual All-Wheels Drive-In Car Show will be held on Sunday, July 16 (rescheduled date due to rain), on 3rd, State and Belle Streets in historic Downtown Alton. The event attracts 200+ classic cars, hot rods and motorcycles, which the public is welcome to browse. There is no charge for admission. Registration for automobiles is from 8am-Noon, and trophies will be given in thirty-seven classes plus five specialty awards at 4pm. The fee is $15 to enter the judging, or just $10 to display your wheels. Dash plaques & goodie bags are given to the first 125 participants. Alton Main Street organizes this Alton tradition along with Time Machines Unlimited Car Club. Enjoy live golden oldies music and a Pin-Up contest! Come out for the cars and stay for the music, 50-50 drawing, vendor displays, merchant sidewalk sale and great food. For more info, please contact Jamey Griffin at: 618-792-8901 or visit www.DowntownAlton.com/Events

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SPRINGFIELD - Land of Lincoln Honor Flight (LLHF) Mission #67 takes off on Tuesday, June 20, 2023 with 5 Korean-era veterans and 86 Vietnam era veterans. These veterans will report to Springfield Abraham Lincoln Capitol Airport from 56 Illinois towns of Alton, Argenta, Ashland, Assumption, Athens, Barry, Bethalto, Bunker Hill, Canton, Carlinville, Casey, Champaign, Charleston, Chatham, Clinton, Cowden, Dalton City, Danville, Decatur, Divernon, DuQuoin, Effingham, Fairfield, Farmer City, Fithian, Godfrey, Jacksonville, Jerseyville, Latham, LeRoy, Lincoln, Litchfield, Louisville, Macon, Mahomet, Marseilles, Mascoutah, Mattoon, Mt. Olive, Mt. Zion, New Berlin, Newton, Normal, Oakley, Oreana, Philo, Ramsey, Rushville, Springfield, St. Joseph, Sullivan, Tolono, Urbana, Warrensburg, Watson and Worden. These 91 veterans and their 88 Guardians arrive at the airport Tuesday morning at 4:00 AM to travel to Washington DC on a chartered Sun Country 737 aircraft to visit the World War II, Korean

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SPRINGFIELD - First-in-the-nation legislation introduced by Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias aims to protect the privacy and safety of individuals seeking abortion care by restricting the use of Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs). Giannoulias joined the sponsors of House Bill 3326, State Rep. Ann Williams (11th District – Chicago) and State Sen. Sara Feigenholtz (6th District – Chicago), along with Jennifer Welch, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Illinois and other supporters today to underscore the importance of this model legislation. House Bill 3326, which passed the Illinois General Assembly last month and awaits the governor’s consideration, would prohibit the use of license plate readers from tracking individuals seeking abortion care or assisting them. No other state specifically prohibits ALPRs from being used to track or penalize individuals seeking abortion care or from criminalizing a person’s immigration status. “No

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ALTON - The June Memorial Service/Scholarship Awards Program of the Elijah P. Lovejoy Memorial will be held on Sunday, June 11, 2023 at the Lovejoy Gravesite in Alton City Cemetery. The gravesite is located behind the Lovejoy Monument. The program begins at 4:00 p.m. Bonnie Fox, President of the Lovejoy Memorial will preside and offer the welcome. Minister Elam A. King, III, Associate Minister, Greater St. James Baptist Church will offer the Invocation and Benediction. Vocal soloist is Dr. Rhonda Green. The scholarship awards will be presented by Lovejoy Board members Renee Bauer and Mary Buckley, and President, Bonnie Fox. The highlight of the program will be the presentation of scholarships to six (6) 2023 graduates of Alton High School. The Elijah P. Lovejoy Memorial Scholarship was first awarded in 1954. This year it will be presented to Kennedy Stephens. She will receive $25,000 total during the four (4) years of her college education. In 2019 the Lovejoy Memorial established

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MURPHYSBORO – U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) formally announced the launch of his reelection campaign at a meet-and-greet with supporters in White County on Saturday. “Joe Biden and the crazy liberals in Congress are attempting to fundamentally change our way of life. Their woke, radical agenda is causing chaos with our economy, confusion in our schools, and a crisis at our southern border," said Bost . "I’m honored to run for reelection because Southern Illinoisans deserve a fighter they know and trust to stand up for constitutional conservative values. We've got enough show horses in Washington as it is; that's why I remain laser focused on serving the people and delivering real results for Southern Illinois, the place I've proudly called home my entire life." During his time in Congress, Bost has compiled a proven, conservative record, previously receiving endorsements from the NRA's Political Victory Fund, Illinois Right to Life, and Illinois

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SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt championed a new law that will prohibit law enforcement from pulling a driver over for having an object hanging from their rearview mirror. “The number of traffic stops that have occurred just because of a small personal item hanging on their rearview mirror has been excessive,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “It’s time we eliminate this reasoning for being pulled over, as it has disproportionately affected specific communities.” Previously, drivers could be pulled over for any objects hanging from the rearview mirror of their car such as decorations, disability placards, rosaries and car fresheners. House Bill 2389 clarifies that vehicles cannot be stopped or searched by a law enforcement officer solely on the basis of this violation. “This law sends a powerful message that we will not tolerate racial profiling or other forms of discrimination in our state,” said Belt. “All drivers have

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