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ALTON – Heartland Regional Investment Fund (HRIF), a Certified Development Entity (CDE) managed by the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership (STL Partnership) has invested $8 million in New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) for the redevelopment of two commercial buildings in Alton. The Heartland Regional Investment Fund and the New Markets Tax Credits program support investments that create jobs and provide services in distressed communities throughout the greater St. Louis metropolitan area. The redevelopment project, led by AltonWorks, a company focused on revitalizing Downtown Alton, plans to transform the Wedge and Elfgen buildings on the 600 block of East Broadway into the Wedge Innovation Center. The center will be a hub to support startups and later-stage companies through education, mentorship, and finance opportunities. Companies located in the hub will benefit from private offices, co-working space, training events, and street-level retail and café space. AltonWorks

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JERSEYVILLE - A new Miss Jersey County and Little Miss Jersey County will be declared at 7 p.m. tonight at the Jersey County Fair. Eight Miss Jersey County contestants and 16 Little Miss Jersey County contestants will take the stage tonight at the annual Miss & Little Miss Jersey County Fair Queen Pageant. The winner will represent Jersey County for the next year. This year’s theme is “A Night of Dreams.” The 2022 Miss and Little Miss Jersey County winners, Matilynn Thornsbury and Tessa Huelskoetter, will be in attendance. Lori Hopkins will serve as the event announcer, and Jeff Bunch from Encore Sound will manage the sound. Many local businesses donated and sponsored the pageant. While the winners will be crowned tonight, the 2023 contestants have been busy at the Jersey County Fair all week. They volunteered at the Fair Kickoff Party & BBQ Contest, enjoyed the Christian Music Night and attended multiple 4-H Livestock Shows. They were also a part of the Jerse

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HIGHLAND - Illinois State Police Troop 8 has provided information about a fatal crash that involved a Greyhound passenger bus that was reported at 1:54 a.m. on Wednesday, July 12. Three reportedly died in the accident confirmed and multiple others were taken to a hospital with serious injuries, four by helicopter and at least 10 by ambulance. The crash also involved three commercial vehicles on Interstate 70, westbound Milepost 27 at the Silver Lake Rest Area in Madison County. ISP said a total of 14 were injured in the crash. No one in the commercial motor vehicles was injured. The Greyhound bus was apparently bound for St. Louis. ISP said the initial investigation indicates a Greyhound passenger bus with passengers was traveling westbound on Interstate 70 and struck three commercial motor vehicles parked on the exit ramp to the Silver Lake Interstate 70 westbound rest area. "All westbound lanes and the ramp to the rest area are open," ISP said. "This is an open and ongoing

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GLEN CARBON - Samantha Doolin, Coordinator of the Glen Carbon Heritage Museum, gave an Annual Update presentation at the Glen Carbon Village Board meeting on July 11. She said 2023 has been a great year so far for the museum, with several successful community outreach efforts, an expansion of their online presence, and much more. The museum has held or scheduled 24 new events in 2023, including Goat Yoga, Family Fun Days, Escape Rooms, and many more - Doolin added that another Escape Room event is being held this weekend at the Glen Carbon Centennial Library. “We’re really doing a lot of new and inventive things, trying to bring people out to the museum,” Doolin said. 2023 has also seen the return of 16 recurring annual events, including Ghosts of Glen, Cabin Day, field trips, and several more, as well as 11 scheduled private tours. Doolin added the museum has been “very busy this year, which is great.” Doolin said the museum has also been expandin

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MADISON COUNTY - Madison County Housing Authority (MCHA) will be accepting applications for Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8 rental assistance), and other programs, on the dates listed below. Applications for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and other programs, will be accepted at: Bernard Long Elementary School, gymnasium, located at 1003 Farrish St., Madison, IL 62060, on Saturday, June 29, 2023, from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm, and Alton Middle School, Annex gymnasium, located at 2200 College Ave., Alton, IL 62002, on Saturday, August 5, 2023, from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. Applications for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and other programs, can be accepted at the MCHA Central Office, located at 2 Eastport Plaza Drive, Collinsville, IL 62234 on Monday, August 7, 2023, through Friday, September 29, 2023, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday. There are after-hours application boxes located at the MCHA Central Office. Applications may also be accepted at any MCHA developments located throughou

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GLEN CARBON - A bid of over $2 million for a large-scale sewer project in Glen Carbon was unanimously approved by the Village Board at their July 11 meeting. The Nickel Plate Interceptor Sewer Project will extend the sewer from behind Fire Protection District Station 1 to Iron Mountain Lake Drive and reduce the pump stations in the area from four to one. Charles Juneau, president of Juneau Associates, Inc. spoke at the meeting and said the project would eliminate four existing pump stations, including the one at Meridian Road, with a proposal for a new pump station. He said the new pump station is also necessary for a developer planning a project off of Glen Carbon Road north of 270, who has agreed to contribute $100,000 toward the sewer project. “This is a very necessary project, eliminating four existing and one new pump station,” Juneau said. “It’s a very large pump station that will be sewered by gravity - that entire area of Summerset and the

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COLLINSVILLE – Cole Wendler, 23, of Edwardsville, has been charged with two counts of Aggravated Driving With a Blood Alcohol Level of .08 or More Causing Death (Class 2 Felony) and two counts of Aggravated Driving While Under the Influence Causing Death (Class 2 Felony). The Madison County State's Attorney's Office approved the charges on Monday, July 10. At 1:41 a.m. on July 8, 2023, Illinois State Police (ISP) Troop 8 requested the assistance of the ISP Zone 6 Major Crimes Unit to investigate a fatal traffic crash on Interstate 55 southbound at milepost 15 in Madison County. The black Chevrolet Malibu, driven by Wendler, struck the rear of a silver Jeep Compass. The Jeep overturned ejecting the driver and front-seat passenger, who were both pronounced deceased on scene. On July 10, 2023, Wendler was placed under arrest as a result of the investigation conducted by the ISP Zone 6 Major Crimes Unit. The Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office approved th

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ALTON - After a few years off, Rock the Hops returns for "a celebration of music, art, and craft beer" taking place on Saturday, August 12th, from 2:00PM to 8:00PM at multiple venues in downtown Alton. Attendees can "hop" around between the 5 official venues and catch as many as 25 unique and creative music performances. The lineup will include a wide variety of genres such as rock, jazz-fusion, indie, folk, singer-songwriter, Americana, psychedelic jam bands, ambient, electronic and more. There will also be artisan booths featuring visual artworks and handmade goods available for purchase. Each of the 5 venues this year will play host to all three creative elements noted in the festival's tagline, creating a fun and celebratory atmosphere throughout the day. Ticket holders can choose from over 25 styles of craft beverages to sample, from seasonal summertime craft beers and citrusy IPAs, to refreshing ciders and seltzers. Not just a festival, the event brings awareness to, and heightens

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced today he has filed multiple charges – including felonies – against two men who unlawfully harvested several wild turkeys in the Cahokia Canal area. The charges filed by Haine’s office allege that Hunter D. Baxter, 28, of Lucedale, Miss., and Dustin D. Goldsmith, 38, of McCall Creek., Miss., unlawfully harvested turkeys in the Cahokia Canal area on multiple occasions in 2022. Both defendants are charged with a Class 4 felony count of unlawful possession of wild game. Those charges allege that Baxter and Goldsmith possessed multiple turkeys with a combined value exceeding $3,000, for profit or commercial purposes. “When people violate game laws, it’s cheating. It’s unfair to all of the ethical hunters who practice good sportsmanship and are good stewards of our natural resources, and whose fees support conservation efforts,” Haine said. “The State’s Attorney’s

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EDWARDSVILLE/GLEN CARBON - “If you knew Matthew, you loved him.” That’s what Matthew Butler’s loved ones want people to know about the former attorney who slept on the steps of the Madison County Courthouse. Butler died on Friday, July 7, after he was hit by a car the week before . Now, his family and friends are hoping to change the way people think about mental illness and homelessness by telling Butler’s story. “The thing about Matthew is that his heart was always good. I mean, his whole life, he was a sweet kid,” Chuck Youchoff said. While Youchoff and Butler were technically cousins, they were only 6 months apart in age and considered each other brothers. Youchoff explained that Butler was raised in a religious home by a single mother in Springfield. Butler rooted for the Cubs and debated baseball with Youchoff, who was a Cardinals fan. They collected baseball cards together. By high school, Butler already stood out for hi

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ALTON - Calvary Baptist Church in Alton is hosting their 2023 "Rise Up" Calvary Children's Music Camp later this summer from Monday, July 31 to Friday, August 4. They describe the camp as a great way to tune out distractions while learning about God’s word in a fun environment. Each day of the camp will run from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and registration is open for children ages 3 before September 1, 2022 through those that have completed fifth grade. Music Leader and Senior Adult Pastor Brent Syder joined Children's Pastor Mike Harrelson on a recent episode of Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com to discuss the camp and the mission behind it. One of their goals for the camp was to keep it affordable for families - the cost is $40 per child or $60 each for two children, and Snyder said the “max” cost is $75 for larger families. Harrelson said the camp includes songs and videos from Seeds Family Worship , a “music-based ministry,” which

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SPRINGFIELD - God is Alive, produced by Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, available to watch for free In a world full of selfishness, hardships, and despair, more and more people are asking, “God, are you up there?” God is Alive , an original documentary, created and produced by the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, answers that question in an adventurous, impactful, and local way. Andrew Hansen, host of the Catholic podcast Dive Deep , editor of Catholic Times , and former television personality on ABC, NBC, and FOX affiliates in Central Illinois, teams up with Father Michael Trummer, parochial vicar of St. Boniface Parish in Edwardsville and chaplain at Father McGivney Catholic High School in Glen Carbon, in a journey across Central Illinois, as they find five incredible stories of faith/miraculous events in five cities that will show God is alive and help move people to put their faith in action. “If you are full of faith, clinging to faith, o

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ALTON - Too many community-building practitioners cling to the notion that jobs alone build community. But, are jobs enough to attract and retain talent? Workforce training, manufacturing plants, and warehouses are touted as solutions. Creating a day labor center is not community-building. There is more to livability than a job and there is more to community-building than roads, workforce training, and the next Toyota plant. Downstate Illinois continues to bleed population. One side argues the cause is lack of opportunity, while the other sides argues it’s taxes. But maybe, just maybe, downstate Illinois isn’t paying enough attention to livability. Some regions in downstate Illinois have the bones to host the best bedroom communities in the Midwest, if we can recognize and appreciate the connection between community-building and destination-building. Instead of prioritizing blue-collar employment centers and giving handsome tax breaks to encourage large out-of-state

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ST. LOUIS - All Schnucks Locations Hosting “Hydrate Our Heroes” Beverage Drive July 12 - 18. From Wednesday, July 12 through Tuesday, July 18, all 115 Schnucks stores across the Midwest will host a “Hydrate Our Heroes” beverage drive to support local firefighters, law enforcement and first responders. Those wishing to donate should look for a donation bin at the front of each store. The most requested items include: Sports Drinks Energy Drinks Bottled Water Sparkling Waters

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EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is pleased to announce that it is offering 2023-24 Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) scholarships, now with expanded eligibility for those pursuing or interested in pursuing a credential or degree in early childhood education. The scholarship is now available at participating community colleges and universities beginning in a student’s freshman year, and depending on the participating institution and its programs, can be used for certain associate and bachelor’s degree programs, as well as for advanced degrees and endorsements. At SIUE, the scholarship is available for students in the undergraduate early childhood education program . Detailed information about eligibility and a link to the 2023-24 scholarship application is available on the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website at isac.org/ECACEscholarship . “Our dean, Robin Hughes, PhD, did not hesitate

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CARROLLTON – Good food, great music, free parking and room to spread out are major highlights of an evening in Carrollton on Friday, July 14, 2023, when the Carrollton Lions Club will host a fun-filled family event. Activities will begin at 5 p.m. when Bernie Faul opens her sandwich stand on site to sell rib eyes, porky burger, hot dogs. Proceeds from Bernie’s sandwiches will be donated to the Carrollton City Cemetery to pay for upgrading and maintaining old and broken headstones. Participants can continue by visiting the Lions Club stand to purchase ice cream and Texas cake, then settle in and prepare to be entertained by the Outlaw Opry Band in a gazebo concert beginning at 6:30. Everyone is cordially invited to attend, enjoy the fellowship and support a most worthwhile project. The Carrollton Lions Club members thank you for your participation.

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ALTON - The Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau is boasting “record-breaking” tourism growth and statistics for the region, including increases in both the number of visitors and the amount of money visitors are spending during their time here. Cory Jobe, President & CEO of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau, responded to a recent announcement from Governor J.B. Pritzker that there has been strong tourism growth state-wide - Jobe said the same is especially true for the Riverbend region. “In our Great Rivers & Routes region of Southwest Illinois, we have seen amazing tourism growth over the last 18 months,” Jobe said, adding that 2022 was a “stellar year” for the six-county region. “We saw a 6.5% increase in hotel revenues coupled with a 26% increase in visitors to Southwest Illinois.” The theme of the organization’s marketing campaign for the area has been ‘The Great Outdoors Inside the Midwest.’ Jobe

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EAST ST. LOUIS - This is one of those stories that people often don't want to hear about — a story about a highly regarded athlete and how his fate was turned upside down with a summer crime spree. Such is the case of Jamariante N. Burgess, now 21, of East St. Louis. Burgess and his co-defendant, Armon R. Simpson, 19, of St. Louis, have admitted to participating in a string of violent carjackings in the Metro East. Burgess received a 192-month sentence, meaning he will serve 16 years in prison. Simpson will serve 208 months in his sentence. Both men pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit carjacking, one count of carjacking and one count of use of a dangerous weapon to commit a crime of violence. At the time of the crimes, Simpson was 17. He was certified by the Court to be treated as an adult in the case. Burgess was 19 years old at the time of the crime spree in the summer of 2021. Burgess was a member of East St. Louis' football team that went 14-0 and won a stat

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COLLINSVILLE - The Collinsville Police Department is hosting its eighth annual 5K to support Special Olympics Illinois, but there’s a sweet, sprinkled twist. The 5K Run/Walk begins at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 29. Registration and packet pick-up begins at 6 a.m. that day. There will be three donut stops along the race route. The donuts are encouraged but not mandatory, so contestants can decide whether to forgo the stops and keep running, or eat a donut and shave one minute off their overall time. “We were trying to find something that was a little different than your normal 5K, so we’re kind of making fun of the stereotype of police and donuts,” Trent Ross, a Collinsville police officer and the race organizer, said. Ross works closely with Special Olympics Illinois . He wanted this fundraiser to help the organization and connect the community with the police department. Special Olympics is an important part of Ross’s life, and his experience

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EAST ST. LOUIS – A U.S. District judge sentenced a Belleville man to spend 15 years in federal prison after he pled guilty to four counts of production, distribution, and transportation of child sexual abuse material. U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe had this statement about the case: "Zachary R. Dennert, 21, will serve 10 years of supervised release following his prison sentence. The defendant targeted young boys on social media, gained their trust by pretending to be a young girl and exploited his victims for sexual images. “His sentence reflects the severity of his manipulative behavior, and I applaud the investigative agencies for their work in bringing this offender to justice.” According to court documents, Dennert created social media profiles on several platforms purporting to be a teenage female in 2020. Using the profiles, he contacted numerous male minors and requested explicit images. Dennert received images from victims ranging in age from 11 to 15 years

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