Riverbender 🕸

WEST FRANKFORT — Centerstone, a national leader in behavioral health and addiction services, has named Jennifer Thomason, LCPC, as regional chief operating officer for its Illinois operations, effective August 7. As Centerstone’s Regional COO, Thomason’s day-to-day will entail providing statewide leadership and management to the organization’s $52 million operations in Illinois, which provides outpatient mental health counseling services, suicide prevention and crisis care, vocational training programs for special needs populations, residential and supportive housing services, and comprehensive outpatient and residential addiction treatment programs to more than 12,000 people annually. “Jennifer’s experience in different realms of behavioral health, plus her leadership skills, will ensure the expertise Centerstone needs to grow operations in Illinois while ensuring we are continuing to deliver care that changes people’s lives,” said

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE – Paris Somerville, Evergreen Hall resident at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, has been selected as the recipient of the 2023-2024 James R. Anderson Housing Scholarship. The scholarship is given annually to an academically motivated student with a GPA of 3.0 or higher who has demonstrated civic leadership in community service and housing activities. “I would like to thank SIUE for giving me this scholarship to assist me in pursuing my academic goals and education,” said Somerville. “I am very grateful for this offer to receive a scholarship.” The Chicago native will be graduating in May 2024 with a degree in computer science and mathematics. She hopes to pursue a master’s degree in computer science or management information systems upon graduation and hopes to secure a job as a software engineer or in the information technology field. Somerville has stayed involved on campus as a student-athlete on the Women’s

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - Main Street’s 222 Artisan Bakery doesn’t just offer coffee, pastries and sandwiches, though that is a big part of their menu. This spot in the heart of downtown Edwardsville is a refuge for residents to connect every morning. “The coffee is fantastic. The company is good,” Edwardsville Alderman Will Krause said. “It’s a downtown staple. Just a place to feel welcome when you come in…You don’t get that sitting at a Starbucks.” That’s what owner Kim Goodner has always aimed for. Krause, who sits at the window and drinks coffee every morning, calls Goodner “the mom of Main Street.” With several regulars and an endless supply of hot coffee, 222 Artisan Bakery has become a second home to many people in the Edwardsville community. Goodner owns the bakery with her son, Trevor, who used to work there as a barista. The duo knows almost all of their regulars by name. Goodner can point to each table and

Continue Reading

ALTON - Alternative solutions to the problem of “vicious” cats and dogs in Alton were brought before the City Council on Wednesday, prompting a discussion which turned heated when one resident criticized Public Works Director Mike Parsons for referring to animals as “things” at the Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday. Resident Bill Gilbreth introduced himself as a “lifelong pet owner” and said he took offense to Parsons saying that “things have to be euthanized so you can make room for other things” at the Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday. “You don’t have an opinion about considering animals to be ‘things’ to be euthanized?” Gilbreth asked the City Council members. He said he’s called the Mayor’s office to ask his opinion on the comment, but hasn’t received any response. “I have an opinion about ‘things,’ I sure do.” Parsons replied. When Gilbret

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS - The deceased in a recent homicide in St. Louis County has been identified as Latoya Brown, 36, of the 10200 block of Ashbrook Drive in Bellefontaine Neighbors, Mo., 63137. St. Louis County Police Department Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating a homicide that occurred in the 10200 block of Ashbrook Drive in Bellefontaine Neighbors which resulted in the death of an adult female. On July 25, 2023, at 10:51 PM, police officers from the City of Bellefontaine Neighbors responded to a call for service for a shooting in the 10200 block of Ashbrook Drive. Arriving officers located an adult female suffering from an apparent gunshot wound inside a residence. The female was transported to an area hospital for life-saving treatment but succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased. City of Bellefontaine Neighbors officers requested St. Louis County Police Department assume responsibility for the investigation. Preliminary investigation has revealed this shooting

Continue Reading

JERSEYVILLE - Got Faith? Steve Pegram does, and he invites everyone to join him at one of the upcoming events organized by the nonprofit Got Faith? based in Jerseyville. These events are designed to raise money for the organization so they can help local people in need. Got Faith? has many additional programs that are available to anyone in the St. Louis metropolitan area. “It’s God at work. That’s all I can say,” Pegram said. The Got Faith? website explains that their mission is to “Feed and Inspire the Hungry.” With several Christian support groups and programs that aim to serve the community, the nonprofit is growing. They have a busy few weeks ahead as they prepare for a few of their major annual events. The focus is currently on the upcoming 500 Men Breakfast. This event will start at 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 5 at the Jerseyville Walmart, with free breakfast and coffee available. Pastor Tim Ezell will give a sermon. “I talked

Continue Reading

PIASA - Austin Stanton qualified for state this past spring with his teammate Collin Robinson in the 100 meters. Stanton is also an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Male Athlete of the Month. Austin made his first appearance at the state meet. The last time this happened at Southwestern High was in 2010, when Ethan Hanold and Donny Garrett finished one-two in the 800m. Austin was able to run below the qualifying time in the 100 meters at the Gillespie Invitational. Collin broke the qualifying threshold in the 400 meters at Gillespie as well. Austin was a football starter in the offensive line and played outside linebacker on defense. Austin had a huge overall impact on the Piasa Birds track and field program. "Both boys were seniors and have given a great deal to the program," boys track and field coach Matt Hasquin said. "When Collin qualified in the 400 meters last season, it became a catalyst for the rest of the team," the coach added. "We had a lot of success from 2009

Continue Reading

MADISON - A victim in the Tuesday, July 25, 2023, shooting in Madison has been identified by the Major Case Squad. The victim is identified as Jaylen I. Woods, 19, of the 1700 block of Edwardsville Road in Madison. Deputy Major Case Squad Commander Nick Novacich said at 1 p.m. on July 25, 2023, the Madison Police Department was dispatched to the 1700 block of Edwardsville Road, Madison, Illinois, in reference to a report of shots fired. "Upon arrival, officers located a male victim lying in the backyard of a residence with multiple gunshot wounds," Novacich said. "The victim had unfortunately succumbed to his wounds and was pronounced deceased at the scene." Novacich added: "This is an ongoing investigation and therefore no further information can be released at this time. We would like to express our condolences to the family of the deceased and ask that the community do the same." If anyone witnessed this incident or has information related to this investigation, please contact

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after the Biden Administration announced its support of the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation into the atrocities committed in Ukraine: “For more than a year, the world has borne witness to the unspeakable horrors that Putin and his forces have inflicted on the Ukrainian people: bombing maternity wards, beheading prisoners, raping women, torturing and executing civilians, and abducting thousands of Ukrainian children. Ukraine’s Office of the Prosecutor General has documented more than 92,000 war crimes, and the number continues to grow with each passing day. “Ensuring that the United States is doing all that it can to hold the perpetrators of atrocities in Ukraine accountable

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation is reminding the public that the roadside mowing period is underway, requiring drivers to slow down, avoid all distractions and proceed with caution when encountering equipment and personnel. The heaviest mowing operations will continue until Aug. 15. “Keeping our roadsides maintained during the summer and protecting the environment are both vitally important,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman . “As we enter our peak mowing season, please remember to reduce your speed, drop the devices and drive extra carefully if you encounter workers. At the end of the day, we want everyone to get home safely.” During the summer, IDOT conducts two primary types of mowing. Safety mowing occurs directly adjacent to the road as needed. Maintenance mowing, which lasts for approximately six weeks and started July 1, includes areas next to culverts, ditches, traffic control devices and other structures,

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - In May of 2022, SIUE was mentioned in several media reports following former graduate student Maggie DeJong’s lawsuit alleging that her First Amendment rights to free speech were violated. At that time, SIUE asserted our commitment to free speech. SIUE recently settled this case, but I believe it is important to underscore our institutional values and our unwavering defense of free speech. I trust that most people who care about these issues will see beyond the sensationalism of click-bait, media reports, and headlines in search of a more complete understanding of the facts. SIUE is unequivocally committed to protecting First Amendment rights and does not have policies that restrict free speech nor support censorship. SIUE remains committed to free speech, popular or unpopular, offensive or affable, in an environment that embraces the exchange of diverse views on every aspect of human society. For decades, universities have embraced the challenge of vigorously

Continue Reading

GLEN CARBON – Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois proudly recognizes Lindsey Lankford from Glen Carbon, Illinois. She is a member of the 2023 Girl Scout Gold Award class and recipient of a $10,000 scholarship from Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) for her work on providing sensory support to students with disabilities. Lindsey worked in the special education classroom at her school for six years. She also joined Key Club, which planned community events – including events for students with disabilities. Lindsey noticed some struggles that students with special sensory needs faced, so she centered her Gold Award project around making these students feel supported. Nationally, GSUSA is recognizing nearly 3,200 members of the 2023 Gold Award Girl Scout class who identified issues in their communities, took action, and found or created solutions to earn their Gold Awards. This year’s class of world-changers raised $2.5 million of support for their projects and invested over 300,000

Continue Reading

ALTON - Alton Municipal Band will wrap up its 133rd concert season this week. Director Jennifer Shenberger leads the program called “Dynamic Duos.” Back by popular demand, vocalist Willa SGne will join the band, with performances of jazz and hits from Broadway. SGne is making her second appearance with the band and is quickly becoming an audience favorite. The concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 27, at the Alton Amphitheater. It will then repeat at 7 p.m. on Sunday, July 30, at Haskell Park. Auditions for the 134th concert season will take place in May of 2024. Follow “Alton Municipal Band” on Facebook for updates about the 2024 season, or visit altonmunyband.org . "We hope that lots of audience members can come out and have some fun before back-to-school season starts," Adam Rodgers, board chair of the Alton Municipal Band, said. "We are so thankful for our local media in Alton who graciously cover the band and have helped us as we navigated

Continue Reading

WOOD RIVER - Anika Bella has dreams of being on Broadway, but in the meantime, she’s heading to Las Vegas. Anika is competing in the U.S. National Finals for the World Karaoke Championship, with hopes of making it to the World Finals later this year. “To be a young aspiring artist coming from such a small town, to come and represent them in Vegas is going to be a huge opportunity,” Anika said. “Even if I don’t make it to the World Finals, just getting my name out there and being able to say good things about our area and the people that brought me up.” Unlike other singing competitions, karaoke competitions are for people who have “natural raw talent and need a way to get out there, and can’t afford to put themselves out there,” Anika explained. It’s not necessarily for professional singers or people who have an extensive background in music. Participants in karaoke competitions are running on passion and practice. &ldquo

Continue Reading

EAST ST. LOUIS – The Illinois State Police (ISP) is adding another tool in its toolbox to help reduce and solve violent crime in the Metro East. Earlier this year, ISP began coordinating the installation of automated license plate readers (ALPRs) in the Metro East. Already, 45 ALPRs have been installed and are operational along Interstate 55, Interstate 70, and Interstate 64 in the Metro East. ISP will continue to work with Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to install more than 30 additional ALPRs along highways throughout the Metro East area before the end of the year. “This force-multiplying technology is a game changer in deterring and solving crime,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “We have seen the impact license plate readers have made in Chicago through the reduction of expressway shootings and we anticipate seeing similar crime reduction in the Metro East.” ALPRs are specialized cameras that take still photographs of

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police is joining law enforcement agencies from eleven states in National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) Region 5 and 7 (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri) on July 26th for this year’s high visibility Speed Awareness Day enforcement campaign. This campaign is an effort to address a continued trend of speeding and hazardous moving violations as contributory cause violations leading to personal injury and fatal crashes. Speeding is involved in approximately one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities nationwide. Early NHTSA statistical projections for 2022 show 42,759 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes which represents a marginal decrease of 0.3% in traffic deaths when compared to 2021 (42,939 fatalities). In 2021 there were 5,864 fatal injuries in the Region 5 six-state area with 1,780 (30.35%) being speed-related fatalities. Traffic crashes

Continue Reading

WOOD RIVER - Five Below is coming to Wood River with plans to open next spring. The store will be located at 662 Wesley Drive in Wood River Plaza near Walmart. The shopping center is managed by Broad Reach Retail Partners, LLC and already includes other stores like GameStop, Sally Beauty and Subway. Five Below will occupy a space that’s approximately 10,000 square feet. “We’re happy to announce that Five Below will be joining Wood River Plaza in Wood River, Illinois in the Spring of 2024!” Broad Reach Retail Partners, LLC wrote in a Facebook post. “Five Below will be a great addition to the already fantastic tenant mix as well as the surrounding community.” The closest Five Below stores are in Fairview Heights, IL and Florissant, MO. The majority of Five Below’s merchandise costs less than $5. They sell a variety of products, including clothing, toys, tech supplies, beauty products and candy. To learn more about Five Below and their

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - A Wood River man is facing a pair of serious domestic battery charges for an incident on July 22, 2023. James E. Smith, 49, has been charged with one count of Aggravated Domestic Battery (Class 2) and one count of Domestic Battery - Second Subsequent Offense (Class 4). The first count reads: “In that said defendant in committing a domestic battery, intentionally strangled a family member or household member of the defendant.” Count two reads: “In that said defendant struck the victim in the face with his hands, causing bruising and the defendant having been convicted of the offense of Domestic Battery in the Circuit Court of Madison County, Illinois, on 7/8/04." The Wood River Police Department investigated this case. Bail for Smith was set at $60,000. It is important to note that this individual is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Continue Reading

Letter to the Editor: Over the years, I served the city in many ways, as a department head, of Alton’s Park, Rec, Golf, and Forestry, for 11 years. Over the years I was appointed to and served on many commissions, one for well over 10 years. Mayors must have felt I added something to these commissions. I took those appointments seriously. Never even thought about resigning from any, was never a one termer. I served because I am a lifelong resident of Alton, as were my parents and their parents before them. I love my city, and if there was a service I could provide, I felt it was my duty to serve. Previous Mayor Brant Walker appointed me to the Civil Service Commission 3 years ago. My commission expired this month, and based on merit, I should have been reappointed to serve another three. This three-person Civil Service Commission’s duties are to interview applicants for full-time city jobs, police, fire, public works, and the other city departments. To do my best, I studie

Continue Reading

CARROLLTON - Several individuals have been charged in Greene County with crimes ranging from aggravated domestic battery to criminal sexual abuse and more over the past two weeks, according to recent court filings. Joseph C. Bailey, 40, of Kampsville, was charged with criminal sexual abuse by use/threat of force and two counts of violating animal owners’ duties. Bailey also had outstanding arrest warrants from St. Clair and Greene Counties. He was arrested by the Calhoun County Sheriff on July 15 and remains in custody. Russell A. Baker Jr., 43, of White Hall, was charged with violating the Child Sex Offender Registration Act. Baker also had a warrant for his arrest out of Greene County. He was arrested by the White Hall Police Department on July 21 and has since been released on bond. Craig F. Dillman, 35, of Roodhouse, was charged on July 18 with one count of aggravated domestic battery. He was taken into custody by the Roodhouse Police Department and has since been give

Continue Reading