Riverbender 🕸

MT. OLIVE - Mt. Olive High School was built in 1924 and torn down on March 13, 1993. During that time, the vice president of the New York Stock Exchange, a starting running back in the Rose Bowl, many authors, Hall of Fame members, etc all passed through those hallowed halls. Old high schools in the area all looked alike - a rectangular building made of red brick. All had a very small gym. The teams sat on the stage because there was no room on the floor for team benches. When entering a game from the bench, you either jumped off of the stage or swung out with one hand on the supports for the basket. All of these brick-and-mortar buildings held numerous memories of mostly good times. We all had to go to high school until at least age 16, or in the modern times, until you got your driver’s license. The less interested students would quit at that point. High school wasn’t for everyone. You can all remember your own stories of what happened during those very important four

Continue Reading

Illinois Agriculture Boomed During World War I: Record-Setting Crops in Both 1917 and 1918 By Tom Emery During mobilization for World War I, a popular slogan was “food will win the war.” Illinois farmers took it to heart. In both years of American participation in the war, Illinois agriculture broke records for yield and crop value. The success was part of a comprehensive organization of statewide resources, and farming was near the top of the list. The U.S. declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917, and five months later, a statewide plan for Illinois food production and conservation was implemented. The plan was under the State Council of Defense, a fifteen-member collection of state leaders that served as a “clearinghouse” for public and private agencies. The SCD was appointed by Gov. Frank Lowden and chaired by Samuel Insull, the energetic president of Commonwealth Edison in northern Illinois. Each county in Illinois had its own committee for food production

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - A valuable new tool for genealogists has just been completed by volunteers and staff at the Madison County Archival Library. It is expected that the new "Guardianship Index" will help genealogists solve roadblocks in their family tree and allow them to learn more about their ancestors. MCHS has put the index on its website so it can be accessed by anyone, although a visit to the library will be necessary to see the actual file. The index can be found at https://madcohistory.org/archival-library/archival-library-resources/probate-court-files/ . It can also be located by going to www.madcohistory.org and looking at Library Resources on the Archival Library page. The guardianship files are part of an estimated 34,000 pre-1960 probate court records donated to the Madison county Historical Society (MCHS) by the Madison County government in 2013. Estates involving a minor heir, unlike regular probate files, can be listed under the minor child, the parent, a court-appointed

Continue Reading

URBANA – Throughout the growing season, gardeners and arborists talk about the benefits of pruning woody ornamentals while they are dormant, and that time is almost here. “Pruning can seem like a daunting task, but it is an important cultural practice for the health and vigor of many trees and shrubs,” says University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator Sarah Vogel . Pruning is done to reduce the size and shape of the plant, increase flower or fruit production, and promote sound structure. The correct time to prune deciduous shrubs and trees is determined by the plant’s growth habit, bloom time, and health or condition. Timing will depend on the species, but any time is a good time to remove dead, dying, or broken branches. Be sure to sanitize tools between plants with a 10% bleach solution or undiluted 70% isopropyl alcohol. Sanitize between each cut if a disease is suspected. Spring flowering shrubs, such as lilac or forsythia, will bloom on the

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - The estate of a former patient at St. Anthony’s Health Center has filed suit against the hospital and an emergency room doctor, claiming the doctor failed to diagnose a rupture in the man’s aorta. Patricia Jones, the administrator of the estate of Jeremy Jones, claims that Jeremy Jones was taken to the emergency room on June 11, 2020, with chest pain and vomiting. The suit claims that Dr. Rodger Hanko diagnosed pleurodynia, a viral infection of the respiratory system, and sent the patient home the same day he arrived. Jeremy Jones died July 6, 2020, of a rupture to his aorta, the artery that carries blood away from the heart. The suit claims the defendants are guilty of failure to diagnose and treat the problem and failed to admit him to the hospital. The suit states Jones’ heirs, son, Michael Jones Jr., and daughter Jamiyah Monae Jones, have suffered financial damages as a result of their father’s death. The hospital administration had no

Continue Reading

Unless you were around to see it, you probably wouldn’t recognize the first Super Bowl in history. Under a different name, with teams from two rival football leagues, the game’s prices and attendance were nothing like what we know today. The average ticket price was a whopping $12 (equivalent to about $100 today). Compare that to an average ticket price of $8,772 for the upcoming Super Bowl LVI , and you start to realize just how much of a steal those first attendees really got. Not only were the tickets cheap, they didn’t even sell out - roughly a third of them went unsold . In 1960, the American Football League (AFL) was founded to compete with the National Football League (NFL) before the two merged in 1970. The first “Super Bowl” was actually called the AFL-NFL World Championship. On January 15, 1967, the AFL’s Kansas City Chiefs played against the NFL’s Green Bay Packers. Despite a somewhat close first half, the Packers

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS - National Children’s Dental Health Month brings together dental health professionals, caregivers, parents, and teachers to give children the best start on oral health. That start involves everything from brushing and flossing to healthy snacks and routine dental visits. For St. Louis District Dairy Council, this month is an opportune time to share yet another reason dairy is such an important part of a healthy diet. The need for dairy starts early in life. Not only are milk and dairy foods delicious, but they offer many nutrients critical to overall health, including calcium. This unique mineral supports vital metabolic processes. Ninety-nine percent of the body’s calcium is stored in bones and teeth; so getting enough of it throughout life is essential. “The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults consume 3 servings of dairy every day to ensure they are meeting their calcium needs.” States Kelsey Bentlage, Nutrition Educator. Many

Continue Reading

SEE VIDEO: WEST ALTON - The Raptor Saturdays has another weekend outing planned from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at 301 Riverlands Way at the Audubon Center in West Alton. Raptors include hawks, eagles, owls, and falcons. Sherri Stillwell, a facility coordinator for the Treehouse Wildlife Center, helps coordinate some of the presentations. She said they bring raptors from the treehouse and said they are always glad to present their lifestyles and information about their habitat. She said they are thankful the Audubon Center is here and the role they provide for the community. Emily Connor, education manager of the Audubon Center, said one thing she loves is that birds are everywhere whether a person is in the country or city. She said she thrives on the fact that the Audubon Center is able to connect with the community with the weekend presentations. “It is great to focus on the adaptations of the raptors and the different species available here,” she said. “This

Continue Reading

EDWARDSVILLE - A K-5th Grade Cheer Clinic is scheduled once again at Edwardsville High School. The EHS Varsity and JV Cheerleaders now extend the invitation to attend the annual cheer clinic. The clinic will be conducted by the EHS coaching staff and cheerleaders. Grades K-5/girls/boys will be split into age-appropriate groups. CHEER CLINIC: Saturday, March 19, 2022 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. at EDWARDSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL Check-in starts at 12:30 – There will be a 3:30 performance for parents Package Price: $35, Additional Family Members: $25. Includes: Clinic, Cheer Clinic T-Shirt, Snack and Drink There will be a photo prop to snap a picture of your mini cheerleader with her favorite high school cheerleader if you choose QUESTIONS? Call or Text Stephanie McOlgan 314-220-4663 The form to send back is below:

Continue Reading

SPRINGFIELD - Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved retailers Sam’s Club and Meijer Grocery for SNAP online purchasing. With these additions, Illinois LINK card users can now purchase groceries online through eleven retail chains across the state. Illinois has about 1.8 million SNAP recipients. The Pritzker Administration made it possible at the beginning of the pandemic for these customers to buy groceries online. Since March 2020, the pool of participating retailers has grown substantially. Illinois SNAP customers who want to shop at Meijer must reside in an area where Instacart is an option. Additionally, Meijer grocery locations are accepting Online EBT through Instacart. "Every resident in Illinois deserves equitable access to healthy food options,” said Governor JB Pritzker. "This latest round of expansion for online SNAP retailers is helping make that a

Continue Reading

ALTON - An Alton man is facing a fourth charge of domestic battery after he allegedly hit a woman in the head with a vodka bottle. Corey L. Gorsich, 50, was charged after being convicted three times of domestic battery and once of aggravated domestic battery. Bail was set at $75,000. The alleged offense was on Feb. 5; he was charged on Feb. 7. ALTON - Victor L. Smith, 32, of the 1300 block of Monroe Street, Alton, was charged with aggravated driving under the influence while license suspended, a felony, and misdemeanor leaving the scene of an accident. The alleged offenses were on Feb. 6 the charges were filed on Feb. 7. Bail was set at $50,000. LIVINGSTON - Mary A. Parish, 39, of the 500 block of Rodenberg Street, Livingston, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine. She allegedly possessed less than five grams of the drug on Feb. 5; the charge was filed on Feb. 7. Bail was set at $15,000. ALTON - Saundra A. Granden, 55. Of the 1300 block of Willard Street,

Continue Reading

Wood River – Midwest Members Credit Union is proud to sponsor the “Oiler of the Month” program at EAWR High School. A Senior student is selected each month by members of EAWR faculty. Each student is awarded a certificate and a Subway gift card. The Seniors selected each month will have the opportunity to compete for a $1,000.00 “Oiler of the Year” scholarship at the end of the school year. January’s winner is Reaghan Williams. Reaghan is a Senior at EAWR and is involved with Volleyball, Scholar Bowl, Peer Leadership, Big Sisters and Student Council. Reaghan has received honors for High Honor Roll, Renaissance, Illinois State Scholar, and a member of the National Honors Society. After graduation Reaghan plans to attend Illinois State University and look to obtain a degree in Biology. Congratulations Reaghan and we all wish you good luck in your future! Midwest Members Credit Union has been serving your community for over 86 years. To find out

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS — Today is recognized as National 2-1-1 Day to bring awareness to 2-1-1 as the number to call to find help for a variety of needs. United Way’s 2-1-1 is available to Missouri and Southwest Illinois residents 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 2-1-1 is staffed by trained specialists to assist individuals and families with fast, free, and confidential help finding health and human services. Last year, the resource and navigation center received nearly 170,533 calls for assistance across Missouri and Southwest Illinois. Locally, across the St. Louis region, 2-1-1 received 126,539 requests for help. The top requests were related to housing and shelter, utilities assistance, clothing and household goods, and food. Individuals looking to get connected with programs and resources in their area can dial 2-1-1 or 1-800-427-4626 or visit 211helps.org to utilize an online chat, search directory, and mobile app. A multilingual service for up to 250 different languages is

Continue Reading

It was televised by two networks and was nothing close to a sellout, despite tickets as low as $6. It was thrown together in twenty-six days. And it had an unwieldy name. Saturday (Jan. 15) was the 55th anniversary of the first Super Bowl, a matchup of the champions of the National Football League and upstart American Football League on Jan. 15, 1967. But it was not called the “Super Bowl” at the time. Dubbed the AFL-NFL World Championship Game, the event was a tiny fraction of the behemoth it became. “The NFL title game was what determined the NFL champion, and was treated accordingly by the media,” said Cliff Christl, the team historian of the Green Bay Packers. “The first two Super Bowls were almost treated like the old College All-Star Game. A big game, but more of an exhibition.” The Packers, led by the legendary Vince Lombardi, defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in a meeting later known as Super Bowl I.

Continue Reading

BELLEVILLE — Illinois American Water today filed a request with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) to adjust its water and wastewater base rates following an extensive examination of investments to provide safe and reliable water and wastewater service. The request is driven primarily by over $1.1 billion in completed or planned investment – $948 million in water system improvements and approximately $204 million in wastewater system improvements – across the state from 2018 through 2023. The filing is a necessary first step in the 11-month ICC rate review process; rates are not changing at this time. Any new rates would not become effective until early 2023, six years since Illinois American Water’s last general rate change in 2017. “We carefully plan and invest in our water and wastewater systems to provide safe and reliable service to nearly 1.3 million Illinoisians in 146 communities across the state,” said Justin Ladner, Illinois American

Continue Reading

ST. LOUIS COUNTY - The deceased has been identified in a homicide in the 7200 block of Norstead Walk in the Central County Precinct as Kylen Dalton, 19 years of age, of the 1500 block of Oak Grove Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri 63113. Two adult males, ages 23 and 20, were arrested relative to this incident. The shooting occurred as a result of an altercation due to a personal feud. The case has been presented to the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and is currently under review. On February 10, 2022, at approximately 1:45 AM, St. Louis County Police officers from the Central County Precinct responded to a call for service for a shooting in the 7200 block of Norstead Walk. Responding officers located an adult male suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. The victim was pronounced deceased on the scene. The investigation is very active at this time. Additional information will be disseminated as it becomes available. Please contact the St. Louis County Police

Continue Reading

Our Love Story: The Couple: Justin & Elizabeth Scoggins (Pet name: Honey) from Kane Date Met/Started Dating: August 3, 2002 Briefly Describe First Date: Honestly, I'm not sure what I would describe as our first date. The first time we met was back in school before Justin graduated in 2001. Back then I would say he wasn't my type. Met his brother on the side of the road because my friend's car broke down and he stopped to help us. We got invited to Justin's brother's birthday party at the end of July 2002. Then Justin and I became officially dating on Aug 3rd, 2002 and we have been together ever since. Date Married: May 6, 2004 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: We enjoy just about anything together such as dinner dates, playing cards, watching a movie on the couch. As long as we are doing something together it's always a great time. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship : For a happy relationship that will last, you have to have communication. Listen t

Continue Reading

Our Love Story: The Couple: Cameron and Catherine from Bethalto Date Met/Started Dating: February 14, 2017 Briefly Describe First Date: Pasta House for some amazing food, I spilled the water on myself and will never live that down, and the movie theater afterward! Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Texas Roadhouse is always a fun time, building cars, Jeep stuff, and enjoying a good night in! Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Never go to bed angry at one another, and always remember what matters.

Continue Reading

WOOD RIVER — Madison County Child Advocacy Center continues to benefit from the generosities of 1st MidAmerica Credit Union and its employees. Credit Union officials presented the Child Advocacy Center (CAC) with a check for $24,000 that it raised through its annual charity golf tournament. “The credit union is an active ‘partner in hope’ with the CAC and consistently supports its mission,” CAC Executive Director Carrie Cohan said. Since 2013, the funds raised by 1st MidAmerica’s golf tournament has been donated to the CAC. “The support that the Center received through this tournament is incredible,” Cohan said. “We are grateful to 1st MidAmerica for their generosity, partnership and commitment to ensuring children and families are heard supported and connected throughout an abuse allegation.” President and CEO of 1st MidAmerica, Alan Meyer, said the partnership between the credit union and CAC is special and the credit

Continue Reading

WOOD RIVER — Madison County Child Advocacy Center continues to benefit from the generosities of 1st MidAmerica Credit Union and its employees. Credit Union officials presented the Child Advocacy Center (CAC) with a check for $24,000 that it raised through its annual charity golf tournament. “The credit union is an active ‘partner in hope’ with the CAC and consistently supports its mission,” CAC Executive Director Carrie Cohan said. Since 2013, the funds raised by 1st MidAmerica’s golf tournament has been donated to the CAC. “The support that the Center received through this tournament is incredible,” Cohan said. “We are grateful to 1st MidAmerica for their generosity, partnership and commitment to ensuring children and families are heard supported and connected throughout an abuse allegation.” President and CEO of 1st MidAmerica, Alan Meyer, said the partnership between the credit union and CAC is special and the credit

Continue Reading