Riverbender 🕸

ALTON - In honor of Earth Month, the Three Rivers Project and Piasa Palisades Group of Sierra Club Illinois are celebrating significant conservation and clean energy progress in the Metro East. As the leading grassroots voice to explore, enjoy, and protect the planet, Sierra Club Illinois has worked on conservation and energy issues in the region for over 50 years and has made significant headway thanks to ongoing community participation and advocacy. After three years of advocacy from volunteers in the Metro East and across the state, Governor Pritzker signed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) into law in 2021. In the eighteen months since, community-based organizations, advocacy groups, and governmental agencies have worked together to inform the public about the benefits of the bill and work strategically to implement CEJA’s programs equitably. State agencies like the Illinois Commerce Commission and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity continue to build

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WOOD RIVER - The Wood River City Council has approved five-year contracts regarding employee pay raises within Parks and Recreation, the Fire Department, and Public Services, and will be negotiating with the Police Department in the future, City Manager Steve Palen said today. The ordinances for the contracts were passed at Monday night’s Wood River City Council Meeting. Palen said he wanted to see the longer-term agreements and he said the parties came together fairly quickly on dollars and language. “It took a couple of months but I am glad to have the contracts approved,” he said. “I thought the process went well overall. The police contract will be negotiated when their union situation is approved.” Palen said he believes it is important to have the contracts in place so that the city knows the various expenses for payroll and employees know what their pay will be for the next few years. The contracts sow increases of 3 percent in the first four year

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ALTON - Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford reported that at 10:43 p.m. on April 18, 2023, the Alton Police Department was notified of a traffic crash involving two vehicles on Illinois Route 143 at the intersection with Corporal Chris Belchik Memorial Expressway. "Officers of the Alton Police Department and members of the Alton Fire Department immediately responded and determined the driver of one of the vehicles was trapped within the vehicle," Chief Ford said. "The driver was ultimately freed from the vehicle and subsequently flown via helicopter to a St. Louis area hospital for treatment of serious injuries." Chief Ford said the driver was treated and remains in stable condition. "The cause of the accident remains under investigation at this time," he said.

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ALTON - Tycon Builders has been a fixture in the Riverbend region since 1985 and owner Paul Yost plans on keeping it that way. Yost stressed the fire that occurred Tuesday night was very difficult, but the business will continue on in a normal fashion. “We just want people to know Tycon is still in business as normal and will proceed ahead,” he said. “All the jobs booked will be fulfilled as scheduled.” “We are going to operate out of an office close by on a temporary basis,” Yost said. He said his insurance company has been contacted and once a cause is determined, work will begin to rebuild the old structure in the 3400 block of College of Avenue. “This is the busiest time of the year for us, he said. “We want to assure customers we will fulfill our obligations as planned. We are thankful the trucks were not damaged except for the smoke. We had four vehicles parked in the warehouse.” Tycon Builders is a major provider of residentia

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ALTON - Lauren Seymour, owner of Lindy’s, received a phone call last night that had devastating results when the business area she leases was ripped apart by a serious fire. On Wednesday morning, Seymour was at the scene of the Tuesday night fire in the 3400 block of College Avenue in Alton . She was shaken by the terrible fire, but her plan was to continue on and serve her customers. She called the fire “devastating” to her and her other part-time hairstylist, Veronica Tepen. “I love my clients, they are like family,” she said. “I just wanted them to know we are going to overcome this fire." Lindy’s is highly regarded in the community and Lauren now is searching for a place to temporarily house her business. She said hopes to be back in business within a week or two. Lauren, like Tycon Builders , is waiting on the insurance company to determine the claim and then she will rebuild the business. If anyone has a place that Lauren can rent

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GODFREY - PJ Jun of Jun Properties, LLC raised concerns about groundwater and soil contamination that was discovered during a Phase 2 environmental inspection of the future development site of a BJC Outpatient Center parking lot at the corner of Godfrey Road and Celesta Street. He spoke during the public comment portion of the April 18 Godfrey Village Board meeting and explained how it was discovered, where it’s coming from, and what can be done about it. “Phase 2, we discovered that yes, there is contaminated soil, there is contaminated groundwater,” Jun said. “The culprit seems to be benzene. There’s a laundry list of chemicals that are in petroleum products … fortunately, the level isn’t that much higher than the threshold level - nonetheless, it’s there.” The source of this contamination appears to be from two or three former gas stations that operated between Godfrey Road and the railroad tracks to the east, Jun

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ALTON - The Alton Fire Department and Alton Police Department both played key roles in saving the overall structure that housed Tycon Builders and Lindy's Hair Salon in the 3400 block of College Avenue on Tuesday night. An alert Alton Police sergeant observed smoke pouring out of both sides of the facility that houses Tycon and Lindy's Hair Salon and immediately contacted the Alton Fire Department. A Box Alarm was issued and East Alton Fire Department also responded and positioned its ladder truck at the scene. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford made this statement about the fire: "In regards to the structure fire at Tycon Builders (3414 College Ave.) at 10:51 p.m. Tuesday, Alton Police Department’s Sergeant Mike Metzler was on his way to assist at the traffic crash scene on Illinois Route 143/Cpl. Chris Belchik Memorial Expressway. As he was traveling on North Rodgers, he smelled smoke and then observed smoke coming from the Tycon Builders building. He immediately notified dispatch

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JERSEYVILLE - Freddie R. Brimmage, 29, of Madison, has been charged with cocaine possession, transport of alcohol by a driver, driving on a suspended license, and obstructing identification, according to recent Jersey County court filings. Brimmage was issued the above charges in Jersey County regarding an incident on April 7. According to court documents, Brimmage had “less than 15 grams of a substance containing cocaine” and was charged with a Class 4 felony. He was also charged with obstructing identification for providing a false name to Jerseyville Police Officer Jamison Metcalfe after Metcalfe had lawfully detained him. Brimmage’s bail was set at $10,000 and his preliminary hearing has been set for May 9 at 1 p.m. More information and updates on this case are available 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 innocent until

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GRAFTON - Mary Lillesve has served Grafton in a wide variety of roles in the past, but the Grafton City Council meeting on April 18 marked her final meeting as Second Ward Alderwoman. Mary has served the City of Grafton in numerous roles, such as chairman of the Tourism/Marketing Committee, as a past city clerk, and as a coordinator/sponsor of Grafton’s several civic art programs. Her energetic involvement in the Grafton Chamber of Commerce supports all their events as a willing volunteer. A member of the Grafton Historical Society, Mary is actively involved in sharing the rich story of this authentic river town, past and present, with visitors and residents alike. To show the city’s appreciation for her many years of dedicated service, Mayor Morrow presented Alderwoman Lillesve with a plaque on behalf of the City Council in commemoration and appreciation of her years of devoted service to Grafton and its residents in her countless roles. “Alderwoman Lillesve has

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BELLEVILLE – Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs is looking to reunite hundreds of thousands of Metro East residents with more than $184.3 million in unclaimed cash and property. The Illinois treasurer said these area counties have the following unclaimed cash and property totals: *In Jersey County , there are more than 24,200 unclaimed properties totaling more than $1.3 million. *In Calhoun County , there are more than 5,000 unclaimed properties totaling $115,000. *In St. Clair County , there are nearly 483,000 unclaimed properties totaling more than $119.6 million. * In Madison County, there are more than 441,600 unclaimed properties totaling more than $44 million. The money is waiting to be claimed under the office’s I-Cash program, which safeguards unpaid life insurance benefits, forgotten bank accounts and unused rebate cards until they can be returned to their rightful owner. “It’s often a surprise for people to find out they have an

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the Illinois Association of Letter Carriers to discuss protecting postal workers from armed robberies while out on their delivery routes. During the meeting, Durbin spoke about his efforts to pressure U.S. Postal Service (USPS) leadership to address the uptick in armed robberies. “Letter carriers perform an essential service of our government, and they deserve to feel safe when they are on the job,” said Durbin. “Today, I spoke with members of the Illinois Association of Letter Carriers about ways USPS can improve route safety to protect our nation’s letter carriers.” In February, Durbin met with Brian Renfroe, President of NALC, to discuss the steep increase in armed robberies against postal workers and to discuss improving safety protocols for letter carriers. In 2021, there were 154 armed robberies against letter carriers, up from the 36 armed robberies

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SPRINGFIELD - Illinois State Representative Amy Elik (R-Alton) honored Lewis & Clark Community College Board of Trustees Chairperson Julie Johnson and Desirée Bennyhoff, President & Chief Executive Officer of the Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce at the Emerging Women Leaders brunch held at the State Capitol in Springfield on Tuesday. The event honored the contributions of emerging female leaders from throughout the state. “Julie Johnson and Desirée Bennyhoff are two local leaders making a positive impact in our communities,” said Rep. Amy Elik. “Julie is strengthening our community college system to better prepare students for today’s workforce, and Desirée is committed to helping our region’s economy grow and prosper. It brings me joy to witness their success as two emerging leaders in the Metro East.” Julie Johnson serves as Chairperson of the Lewis & Clark Community College Board of Trustees and is a retired CPA.

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SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt advanced a measure through the Senate Transportation Committee today that would prohibit law enforcement from pulling a vehicle over for objects placed between the driver and their front windshield. “Often times, people hang small air fresheners, personal items or parking passes on their rearview mirrors only to be pulled over because of it,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “This has been a violation that has often been used as a pretext for law enforcement to pull people over, which disproportionately affects certain communities.” Under current law, people cannot drive with any objects placed or suspended between the driver and the front windshield which obstruct the driver's view. House Bill 2389 would clarify that vehicles cannot be stopped or searched by a law enforcement officer solely on the basis of a violation or suspected violation of this subsection. “No driver should have to fear they may be stopped

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GODFREY - Godfrey trustees unanimously voted down a request from Mike Logan Ministries to host a church revival in Glazebrook Park at their last meeting, citing issues of cost, insurance, and potentially setting a dangerous legal precedent for the village. “I don’t believe that parks should be used for reasons other than for recreational purposes,” Trustee Ben Allen said. “I think that private property can be used if you want to do what you want to do. I think that other churches have property, you might work with them … I respect everything you’re doing, but I’m sorry, you don’t have my vote on this.” Trustees Jeff Weber and Virginia Woulfe-Beile both agreed. Pastor Mike Logan responded by saying he believes the event would be a “good cause for the community,” and that he’s “pretty well known.” “I can’t present the amount of people that would be there, but I think it would be

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MARION - On April 18, 2023, at approximately 11:16 a.m., Illinois State Police (ISP) officials investigated a two-vehicle traffic crash involving an ISP Trooper’s squad car on Interstate 57 southbound near Milepost 56, north of Marion in Williamson County. On the above date and time, an ISP Troop 10 Trooper was stationary on Interstate 57 southbound near Milepost 56 with emergency lights activated. The trooper was finishing an inspection on a truck tractor semi-trailer when a Dodge Durango, traveling southbound, failed to move over and sideswiped the driver’s side mirror and door of the ISP squad car. The Trooper was inside of the squad car at the time of the crash, but was uninjured. The driver of the Durango, 37-year-old Lucas M. Williams of West Frankfort, IL, was also uninjured. Williams was issued a citation for Scott’s Law – Improper Passing of an Emergency Vehicle. So far this year, ISP had 10 Move Over Law-related crashes. In 2022, ISP had 23 Move Ove

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GODFREY - The Godfrey Village Board approved pay raises for all village employees, including full-time and part-time non-union employees, after some debate within the trustees at their April 18 meeting. The proposed raises would be flat dollar-amount increases each year for the next two years, affecting two categories of village employees: a raise of $2,600 per year for each non-union full-time staff member for 2023-2024, and a raise of $1,300 for one non-union part-time staff member for the same time period. “This is a conservative and fair two-year wage increase recommendation for staff members who do their jobs well,” said Mark Cappel, Director of Human Resources for the Village of Godfrey. He added that this also allows budgets to be looked at/done in a more timely manner and gives village employees an idea of their salary over the next two years as the village seeks to retain employees. Trustee Rick Lauschke disagreed with the two-year timetable of the proposed

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EAST ST. LOUIS – A U.S. District Court judge sentenced a St. Louis man to a total of 50 years in federal prison after he murdered a security guard during a bank robbery in East St. Louis in August 2021. Jaylan Quinn, 23, pled guilty to one count of bank robbery and one count of using a firearm to commit murder during and in relation to a crime of violence. After his imprisonment, the defendant will serve five years of supervised release. Quinn was also ordered to pay $7,280 in restitution. “Although this sentence won’t bring back Ted Horn, it’s a small sigh of relief that the man responsible for taking his life will spend the foreseeable future in federal prison for his crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Swift action by the FBI, the Illinois State Police and the East St. Louis Police Department led to this successful investigation, and I applaud their efforts to remove this dangerous, uncivilized criminal from society.” FBI Springfield

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GODFREY - Some may or may not know this, but C.W. “Zeke" Jabusch, the president of the North Godfrey-Alton Business Council, is an Eagle Scout. That is why a fellow Eagle Scout - Martez Moore, the Greater St. Louis Area Council Boy Scouts Of America Director of Field Service and the key speaker at the recent North Alton-Godfrey Business Council - deeply touched his heart. Martez discussed his upbringing in Memphis and how Scouting literally made him into the person he is today. Jabusch has a similar feeling and believes the principles he learned as an Eagle stayed with him for the rest of his existence. “Martez really brought back memories for me,” Jabusch said. “His presentation talked about leadership and how it relates to your life. I think he did a great job. I think everybody was moved by his comments.” Kevin Botterbush, shown above, is also an Eagle Scout and was in attendance at the meeting. He was the district chairman of the Piasa Bird District

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ALTON - Residents are encouraged to attend a new monthly forum with open discussion on Ward 1. Alderman Betsy Allen will host the monthly meetings which will take place on the third Wednesday of each month, April through October from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Alton City Hall. “In addition to getting to know my neighbors and answering questions, my goal is to listen and to become informed of people’s concerns. Engaging with the citizens of Alton will provide the knowledge I need to create and follow a plan which aligns with community desires.” Meetings will follow an informal agenda. The first hour will be dedicated to residential concerns, the second commercial. “All are welcome. I hope to engage others in the management of neighborhood concerns. We will let our conversation guide us through the evening.” Ms. Allen is entering her second term as Ward 1 Alderman which runs through March of 2025. She was appointed to the position by Mayor Goins and th

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COLLINSVILLE - The Mighty Name Tour is about to make a name for itself at the Gateway Convention Center in Collinsville on Sunday, April 23. This event will bring the music performances of Stars Go Dim, We Are Vessel, After Grace & HNRY. At 6:30 p.m. the music will begin. Judith Grantham an event organizer said prepare for an evening of incredible music, fellowship and fun as these groups deliver music that inspires and leaves attendees wanting more. Judith said Discovery Family Church is the sponsor of the event. “We are so excited that Discovery Family Church will be the host," she said. "We are ready for some amazing music, story time and how these people became musicians." Judith said those with VIP tickets can go through the doors at 5:30 p.m. for a question-and-answer period. Sponsorships are available to have an opportunity to be a part of this event at the Gateway Convention Center. About Stars Go Dim: Formed in 2007 as a mainstream pop band, today Stars Go

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