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CHICAGO – As Illinois prepares to celebrate the New Year, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) says the CDC is reporting 54 counties in the state are at an elevated level for COVID-19. Of those, five Illinois counties are at a High Community Level, compared to 33 a week ago; while 49 counties are at Medium Level, compared to 55 last week. IDPH is reporting 15,904 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Illinois since December 23, and 47 deaths. “I applaud Illinois citizens for practicing important preventative measures to reduce the spread of infection and protect our hospital capacity,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “It is encouraging to see fewer Illinois counties at an elevated risk for COVID-19, with only five counties currently at high risk. However, as we continue to experience significant levels of flu, COVID-19, and other respiratory infections, it is important to continue protecting those most vulnerable to severe outcomes,

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SPRINGFIELD – Beginning January 1, 2023, upon a Firearms Transaction Inquiry Program (FTIP) approval, the Illinois State Police (ISP) will automatically renew a person’s Firearm Owner’s Identification Card (FOID) for individuals who have submitted a full set of fingerprints to ISP specifically for their FOID card or Concealed Carry License. The individual’s FOID card will remain active for a period of 10 years from the date of the FTIP approval so long as the cardholder is not subject to revocation or suspension under the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. As FOID cards are replaced, new cards will not include the issuance or expiration dates pursuant to FOID Act updates that took effect January 1, 2022. “The automatic renewal of a FOID card will expedite the process for many card holders while still ensuring people who are prohibited under the FOID Act do not have legal access to a card,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “Automatic

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SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced that all offices and facilities will be closed in observance of the New Year's holiday. • Offices and Driver Services facilities operating on a Monday through Friday schedule will be closed Monday, Jan. 2. • Offices and Driver Services facilities operating on a Tuesday through Saturday schedule will be closed Saturday, Dec. 31. All offices and facilities will be open on Tuesday, Jan. 3. Individuals can visit the Secretary of State’s website at ilsos.gov for online services including checking eligibility to renew their driver’s license online, applying for a duplicate driver’s license, or renewing license plate stickers. In addition, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has extended the federal REAL ID deadline to May 7, 2025.

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ST. LOUIS - This is a recipe for Peanut Banana Overnight Oats submitted by the St. Louis Dairy Council. Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats Start your new year with this easy, plant-based recipe for an on-the-go breakfast that will be sure to keep you fueled up all day long. With milk’s 13 essential nutrients, fiber from the oats, protein from the peanut butter and dairy foods, and not to mention the delicious taste, you will be ready to ring in the new year with a healthy routine! Prep time: 10 minutes Servings: 1 Ingredients: 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats 1/3 cup milk 1/3 cup plain yogurt ½ medium banana, sliced, divided 2 Tbsp. peanut butter ½ Tbsp. honey ¼ tsp. vanilla extract ¼ tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. chia seeds (optional) Directions: Mix oats, milk, yogurt, peanut butter, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and chia seeds together in bowl. Layer ½ mixture in a sealable container or jar. Top with half of the banana slices. Repeat

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ALTON - At approximately 5:10 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022, the Alton Police Department was notified of a shooting at the Fresh Cuts Barber Shop in the 1600 block of Washington Avenue, Alton, Chief Jarrett Ford said. "Officers arrived and located one subject who had been shot while inside the business," he said. "The victim was transported to a local hospital and then immediately taken to a St. Louis area hospital for further treatment to injuries described as non-life threatening. This does not appear to be a random act." Detectives with the Alton Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division are following up on leads. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Alton Police Department at 618-463-3505 Ext. 634.

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ALTON - The Alton Police Department is investigating a shooting that occurred in the 1600 block of Washington Avenue around 5 p.m. on Friday. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford confirmed the shooting had occurred and police were at the scene. One person was transported by ambulance to an area hospital. At the scene, there was an enormous amount of police presence. Ford said there is no information to believe any existing threat to the public exists from the situation. More to come.

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ST. LOUIS - Today, in partnership with the Saint Louis MHB, the City of St. Louis will complete disbursement of nearly $2 million to childcare providers to help providers recover from the economic strain of the COVID-19 pandemic. Childcare providers delivering high-quality care in the City of St. Louis applied in August for the one-time grant opportunity to ensure these critical services remain available. Eligible providers could apply for up to $49,500 of funding. “Working moms and dads rely on quality, affordable childcare in their communities,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “Childcare providers suffered during the height of the COVID-19 crisis. This partnership between the Community Development Administration and Saint Louis MHB will support dozens of providers and improve access to the childcare working families need.” Acting through the Community Development Administration, the City of St. Louis entrusted $2 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)

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ST. CLAIR COUNTY - Illinois State Police today provided preliminary information about a two-vehicle traffic crash that occurred at 6:27 a.m. on Thursday, December 29, 2022, on U.S. 50, just east of North Rieder Road, Lebanon Township. A 60-year-old male from Breese - Keith E. Van Ness - was reported deceased in the crash. Timothy S. Farris, a 58-year-old male from Lebanon, was transported by ambulance to an area hospital with serious injuries. This is the preliminary ISP report: The preliminary investigation indicates the following: Unit 1 was traveling eastbound on US-50, just east of North Rieder Road. Unit 2 was traveling westbound on US-50 in the same area. For an unknown reason, Unit 1 crossed over into the westbound lane and was struck head-on by Unit 2. The driver of Unit 1 was declared deceased by St. Clair County Coroner. The driver of Unit 2 was transported by ambulance to an area hospital with serious injuries. The ISP Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit (TCRU) is continuing

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FREMONT, NEB. – SunSprout Enterprises is voluntarily recalling four lots (#4211, 5211, 3212, and 4212) of raw alfalfa sprouts in 4-ounce clamshells and 2.5lb packages, with best by dates between 12/10/22 and 1/7/23, due to potential contamination with Salmonella. Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis. The company directly distributed 1406 pounds of product to five foodservice and grocery customers in Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa between late November and mid December 2022. No other SunSprout lot codes o

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DOW - Tom Cairns, owner and head beekeeper of Dow On The Farm Apiary, recently appeared on an episode of Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com to discuss the process of beekeeping and where to find his own homemade raw honey, which has proven popular at local farmer’s markets in Alton and Jerseyville. Cairns said he bought his first beehive after a couple of his coworkers got beehives themselves, not knowing how much work would go into taking care of it. After the first winter of having it, he decided he might as well turn his new investment into something productive - an experience he said taught him a few life lessons in the process. “You’ve gotta learn how to keep them - they’re just like other animals, you’ve got to feed them and take care of them,” Cairns said of the bees. “I joined a bee club in St. Louis at that time … since I joined that bee club, it’s been uphill since. I’ve had some losses, which is a learnin

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WOOD RIVER - The tax levy will keep the exact same dollar levy as the prior year. Due to the increase in the Equalized Assessed Valuation (EAV), this will still lead to a slight rate decrease of .0101. According to the county assessor’s office, the estimated EAV of the City has increased by approximately $906,112 to $147,548,745. These estimates do not include a multiplier. As of today, the county had no information on what multipliers might be. As such, please remember that these are estimates and the final numbers can, and most likely will, slightly change the rates. Also, worthy note that both police and fire pensions are now at 60.3% funded. This is the highest in at least the last 20 years. The city is committed to getting the police and fire pensions to the required funding status.

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JERSEY 44, URSULINE ACADEMY 39: Jersey used both a big second and third quarter to win the Duchesne Tournament title over Ursuline Academy 44-29. Tessa Crawford had a big game for the Panthers with 28 points, while Bria Tuttle added five points. Jersey is now 10-7, while the Bears go to 8-4. The Jersey girls' basketball squad is Female Athletes of the Month. The host Pioneers won the consolation final over Mehlville 43-30, while Ft. Zumwalt North won the third-place game over St. Louis Notre Dame Catholic 39-36. Panthers’ Coach Ron Twitchell said his girls' squad definitely had an excellent tournament and it was great to bring home the championship trophy. “I am very happy for the girls to win this championship,” Twitchell said. Tessa Crawford and Bria Tuttle are the leaders of the Panthers’ girls' basketball squad. Crawford had 54 points in the tourney and would have been the MVP if there had been that award, Twitchell said. “Tessa is our go-to

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PONTOON BEACH - Just in time for an unseasonably warm last week of December, a segment of the Madison County Transit (MCT) Nickel Plate Trail from IL-143 to Blackburn Road which has been closed for reconstruction, is now re-open and the much-anticipated trail improvements are now complete. In November 2021, MCT began the $2.6 million project to reconstruct a 2.3-mile section of the MCT Nickel Plate Trail in unincorporated Madison County with a new asphalt surface, new box culverts, and a new 210-foot, pre-engineered bridge with a concrete deck—the first concrete deck bridge in the MCT Trails system. The new asphalt surface not only provides bicyclists with a smoother ride, it reduces ongoing maintenance expenses. In response to concerns from the area’s running community, who prefer a softer surface, MCT installed 2.5-foot-wide limestone shoulders on each side of the reconstructed trail. The project also improved drainage conditions and replaced century-old box culverts

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SPRINGFIELD - Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) shared accomplishments made in 2022 to support our state’s number one industry. From the opening of the state’s first craft grow facility, to increasing Future Farmers of America (FFA) funding to ensure the future of agriculture in our state, to the success of the state fairs, great strides were made to further the success of agriculture in Illinois. “Illinois has always been—and will always be—an agricultural state. And this year, we continued to lay the groundwork for a thriving, sustainable agricultural industry for generations into the future,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “From waiving all FFA dues for agricultural education students to issuing hundreds of cannabis licenses to social equity applicants, 2022 was full of firsts—and we’re only getting started. My administration remains laser-focused on growing and supporting our number one

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - The deceased in a homicide that occurred on December 29, 2022, in the 10600 block of Spring Garden Drive in St. Louis County has been identified as Jaylen Miles, 16, 10400 block of Spring Garden Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63137. St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating the homicide. On December 29, 2022, at 3:37 PM, St. Louis County police officers from the North County Precinct responded to a call for service for a male lying in the backyard of a vacant home. Responding officers located a juvenile male in a yard suffering from at least one apparent gunshot wound. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. St. Louis County Police Department’s Crimes Against Persons detectives are conducting the investigation. The investigation is active at this time. Additional information will be disseminated as it becomes available. Please contact the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210 to speak with investigators

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CHICAGO – If you’re dreaming of striking it rich - the Mega Millions jackpot for tonight’s drawing has swelled to a staggering $640 million. The Mega Millions jackpot has soared past $600 million just five other times in its 20-year history. If a player wins tonight’s massive grand prize, it would be the second-highest Mega Millions jackpot of 2022 and the sixth largest in the game’s history. Earlier this year, a staggering $1.34 billion Mega Millions Jackpot was won in Illinois. Two people with one winning ticket in Des Plaines claimed the largest lottery prize ever in Illinois, and the third largest lottery prize in U.S. history. You could be next! With over 7,000 Illinois Lottery retailers across the State, lottery players can conveniently pick up a ticket at their local store - or they can login to the Illinois Lottery website or app and purchase a ticket online. And If you have the good fortune to win a life-altering amount of money, the Lottery

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WOOD RIVER - Bowler L.J. Walker has discovered a new-found sport to love. He suffered a concussion and decided to make his transition into a new sport, where he has become a star. Walker is a Midwest Members Credit Union Male Athlete of the Month for the Oilers. "I would like to thank my family, friends, and coaches for standing by my side and helping me throughout my recovery process after I got my fourth concussion," he said. "They helped me get back to the position I am in today and that has allowed me to find a love of bowling. I would also like to thank my close friends for being understanding of my situation and still helping me maintain a good social life." Garry Herron is Walker's bowling coach for East Alton-Wood River. "Overcoming my significant brain injury and getting back into a sport has been a great accomplishment," Walker said. "I have been able to apply the strong character qualities I gained from my experience, into my sport such as hard work, determination, and

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GLEN CARBON - Father McGivney Catholic senior boys basketball player Jacob Huber has helped the Griffins get off to a good start this season. Huber is one of many seniors on a veteran team that has very good expectations, having played for the Griffins since his freshman year in 2019-20. He is one of his team's hardest workers and helps provide leadership to the younger players on the club. For all of his efforts both on and off the court, Huber has been named a Byron, Carlson, Petri, and Kalp Male Athlete Of the Month. Huber sees his role on the Griffins as a rebounder who looks for the open man first to start a fast break, shooting when he has the opportunity. "I see my role as try to get boards," Huber said, "hit the overlook and hit more shots." McGivney has a veteran team, with a total of five seniors on the roster this season, and Huber thinks that their leadership will play a vital role in the team's success this season. "It definitely helps," Huber said. "All five of us

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WOOD RIVER - East Alton-Wood River High School's Jada Dupy has had a strong bowling career for the Oilers. Jada was recognized today as a Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for East Alton-Wood River. She thanked her father for always encouraging her and helping her in times of need. Garry Herron is her high school bowling coach. She says she is most proud of her wins in multiple personal bowling matches and her contributions to her team. "I have been bowling since sophomore year and my favorite part is the bonds I have formed with my teammates and coaches," she said. "I find that the sports and school have helped me develop good stress management and have helped me become closer to my peers." Jada plans on attending Lewis and Clark Community College after her high school graduation. She is very proud of her participation in other activities at EAWR. "I am a part of the Renaissance Program, Gold Level," she said. "I am also a part of the Madison County Youth

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JERSEYVILLE - Two individuals broke into the new Jerseyville location of “The Cave” at approximately 2 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 27. Shattering the glass entrance door, they stole several pieces of merchandise and caused thousands of dollars in damages, according to store manager Nathan Badman. “Someone broke the door window, came in, broke a bunch of stuff, caused a bunch of damages, and got away with a few things that they thought were real weed, but were just CBD flower,” Badman said. The store is located at 610 S. State St. at the intersections of highways 67 and 109, and had only been open for two weeks before the break-in occurred. Nobody was in the store at the time of the incident, but Badman said the damages were extensive. “They took our register … the door cost about $400-500. I would say the damage done inside the store was close to $4,000-$5,000 worth of damage, probably just in repairs and stuff we’re going to have to go fin

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