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EDWARDSVILLE — The Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office prosecuted a record number of felony cases to conclusion in 2022, according to the Annual Report released Monday by State’s Attorney Thomas A. Haine. The report also highlights a significant reduction in vehicle thefts in Madison County. The State’s Attorney’s Office prosecuted 4,451 cases to conclusion in 2022, topping the previous high mark of 4,320 cases resolved in 2021. “I could not be more proud of our fantastic team at the State’s Attorney’s Office,” Haine said. “One of our primary goals for the year was to reduce a case backlog that developed during Covid’s restrictions on the court. This achievement is a testament to the hard work of our prosecutors and staff, and to our collaboration with judges, police agencies and all the other entities involved in our criminal justice system in Madison County.” As a result of that effort, the number

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WOOD RIVER - Riverbend Family Ministries held its grand opening on Friday at their new location at 144 E. Ferguson Ave. in Wood River. Riverbend Family Ministries Executive Director Tammy Iskarous was beaming on Friday at the grand opening event. "We are finally in the whole building, and today is a celebration of a bunch of non-profits coming together to do incredible work and be able to move from the 7,000-square-foot building to this one," Iskarous said. "For 14 years, we helped families in crisis and ran out of room. In 2019, we bought this building - little did we know the world was going to shut down with the COVID-19 Pandemic. Then construction was going to take a little longer and it is now finished. "It seemed like we would never get this building open and I could not be more proud of this building or more thankful and for all the organizations across the board who do such hard work and work with families in crisis due to violence, addiction, homelessness. It has been

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ALTON - Alton High junior tennis player Luke Boyd is off to a good start this spring with the Redbirds boys squad. Luke served as a captain last year and this year. He was all-conference and all-conference academic team for the past two years. Luke is an Auto Butler Male Athlete of the Month for Alton. "Luke was our team MVP last year because he is a vocal leader who works hard in practices and matches," Coach Jesse Macias said. "He is a really strong doubles player and his partner is Nate Bartlett. "Luke is our number three player in singles. He has improved his serve this year and he is moving better. "He’s working on constructing longer points. He’s a good athlete and leader."

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EDWARDSVILLE – As part of their clinical practice, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) students provide home visits for senior citizens in the area. The SOP students and faculty go further than only providing health checks to their senior patients.“I noticed that they have a hard time keeping up with some of the larger jobs around the yard, and the state of their yards presented real fall risks,” said Chris Lynch, PharmD, professor and director of clinical programs. "We started this program in 2017 to provide yard cleanups for local senior citizens. Having a group of energetic and altruistic students is a real godsend when it comes to this type of service.” Throughout April, the SOP students and faculty have set days to go out in the community to pull weeds, cut up large limbs downed in recent storms, plant flowers and help with various other yard jobs for senior citizens in the area. “It is always nice to see how much

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WEST ALTON - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers River Project Office announced that Maple Island Access Area reopened to the public Saturday, April 15. The area was previously closed to provide a necessary staging area for work on the Melvin Price Locks and Dam. “We are happy to welcome our local anglers, bird-watchers, and other members of the public back to Maple Island Access,” said Katelynn Dearth, Natural Resources Specialist and Park Ranger for the Rivers Project. “Though the closure was necessary, we were eager to re-open this area for public access, because we know it’s an important river access point for our community. With the snagging season ending at Maple on May 15 th , we’re especially happy we no longer have to turn anglers away.” During the month of April, this location is also an important spawning site for lake sturgeon, an ancient species of fish that is listed as state endangered in both Missouri and Illinois. This species has

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today, as part of a bipartisan coalition of 33 attorneys general , asked the Supreme Court of the United States to hear an important case in order to protect veterans’ rights to their hard-earned benefits. “The men and women who have served in the military deserve our recognition and support for the sacrifices they and their families have made to protect our nation,” Raoul said. “That’s why I am proud to be a part of this bipartisan coalition asking that the U.S. Supreme Court ensure that veterans get the benefits they have earned. James Rudisill, the plaintiff in the case, is a Virginia resident and a decorated army veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. After his first tour, Mr. Rudisill used benefits to which he was then entitled under the Montgomery GI Bill to further his education, successfully complete his undergraduate degree, and return to the U.S. Army as a commissioned officer. Mr. Rudisill serve

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today, with 24 attorneys general, filed a brief supporting continued access to medication abortion and other essential health care for all Americans. In the brief filed in the United States Supreme Court, Raoul and the coalition support the federal government’s request for an emergency stay of a lower court decision in Texas that, if allowed to take effect, would drastically reduce access to safe abortion care and miscarriage management for millions of people across the country. “Let me be clear: mifepristone continues to be available in Illinois because of our proactive legal action. Regardless, I will continue to advocate for all Americans to have the same access to medication abortion that has been safely and effectively used by millions of patients for more than two decades,” Raoul said. “I continue to closely monitor these quickly moving cases and am committed to using all available tools to protect access to

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SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. - The US Air Force Band of Mid-America (USAFBoMA) will present a series of Memorial Day concerts at the following locations: Mon, May 22nd: Hettenhausen Center for the Arts, McKendree University, 7 p.m. (Lebanon, IL) Wed, May 24th: Skip Viragh Center for the Arts, Siefert Theatre, 7 p.m. (St. Louis, MO) Fri, May 26th: Kirkwood Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m. (Kirkwood, MO) These 90-minute concerts feature their 45-member concert band and will honor our nation’s fallen, share stories of their sacrifices, and reflect on all that makes us flourish as individuals and as a nation. In addition to marches and patriotic music, other selections will include Broadway tunes, orchestral transcriptions, and solo literature. Admission to these performances is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Please go to http://airforceband.eventbrite.com for all show information. The Band of Mid-America’s rock band “Roots in Blue”

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ALTON - People who have cardiac arrests may benefit from CPR, yet many people who witness cardiac arrest do not perform CPR. That’s why OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center (1 St. Anthony’s Way, Alton) is hosting an upcoming first aid and CPR training class so Riverbend area residents are prepared to take action if necessary. The first aid and CPR training class will be held on Tuesday, April 25, 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. in the hospital’s Perpetual Help Center and led by a certified instructor. Space is limited and the deadline to register is Monday, April 24. The cost is $65 per person. Registration can be completed by calling (618) 920-6816 or by email at susiesweetman22@gmail.com . “Knowing CPR and first aid can help save lives,” says Dennis E. Sands, MD, Chief Medical Officer, OSF Saint Anthony’s. “If your child or loved one isn't breathing, knowing how to do CPR could mean the difference between life and death. Emergencies can

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CARROLLTON - The Levee in Carrollton has always been a bar that identifies with the old Cheers TV show theme song of "Where Everybody Knows Your Name." Today that is definitely the case as the management and workers there always make it a pleasant place to visit with old friends. The annual St. Patrick's event is always a highlight every year for the establishment. This year, the cooks - Lyndell "Goat" Smith, Stanley Trimble, Bob Shannon, Jon Baker, Rich Stendeback, Bob Shaw, Buzzy Schnettgoecke, Luke Smith, Jacob Smith, and Jerrett Smith - were back in action as they always are year-in, year-out. Luke Smith, Lyndell's son, has been joined by his sons and former Carrollton athletic stars, Jacob and Jerrett, as part of the team. "I’ve been doing it steady for 20 years and when I could since the late 80’s," Luke said. "My boys have helped for the last four-five years. Dad has been a mainstay there since the beginning. It means a lot for my family. The

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ST. LOUIS - Safe Food Specialist Linda Petterson and Chef Michael Lapage appeared on the most recent “Food For Thought” segment on Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com at Ford Hotel Supply to discuss common allergens and ways to keep your family and/or customers safe. Chef Lapage said there are eight major common allergens: wheat, soy, fish, shellfish/crustaceans, milk, eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts, as well as a ninth allergen, sesame, which was recently added this year. Petterson said allergies are more common than you might think based on the responses she’s gotten in her food safety classes. “I have people raise their hands, ‘Who has allergens?’ and you’re amazed how many do raise their hands,” Petterson said. “And of course there’s so many more than the big eight or the nine we’re talking about, there’s many more people, and the ones that have them will tell you.” Lapage added that allergies ca

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that road repairs on Illinois 159 between E. Country Lane near Collinsville to Center Grove Road in Edwardsville will require intermittent overnight lane closures beginning, weather permitting, at 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 16. One lane will remain open in both directions at all times. All lanes will be open by 7 a.m. each morning. The lane closures associated with this portion of the project are expected to be completed by the end of the week. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this closure. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all construction signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling through the work zone. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.

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GRAFTON - Great Rivers Choral Society is hosting a Dueling Pianos Fundraiser on Saturday, April 22, with doors opening at 6:00 p.m. and the event beginning at 7:00 p.m. The event will be held at Grafton Winery The Vineyards, located at 21028 Eckert Orchard Road in Grafton. The fundraiser will feature a cash bar, raffle drawings, and 50/50 tickets. Event tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased online at this link . “We are very excited to announce the return of one of our favorite fundraisers, Dueling Pianos!” the group said on their website . “Proceeds help our community-based nonprofit organization to defray the costs of producing and presenting high-quality musical programs free of charge to audiences across the River Bend area.” The event will also feature a “grazing table” of snacks, with plates available for $10 each. For more information about this event, see the listing on Riverbender.com/events . To learn more

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ALTON - Alton Mayor David Goins laid out four areas of focus and the steps being taken or planned to address affordable housing in the city at the most recent Alton City Council meeting on April 12. “Our four main areas of focus in our housing strategy include strategic demolition, continuous rigorous code enforcement, looking at the infill housing development, and the possibility of growth through annexation,” Goins said. He added the city has completed 45 demolitions since May of 2021, with several more slated for the near future. Goins said his administration has been “aggressive at taking down these properties as quickly as we can.” As far as code enforcement, Goins said the city will utilize its Nuisance Abatement Task Force, including coordinated responses between the Alton Police and Building and Zoning Departments. He also said the city is considering setting up a Foreclosed Property Registry to “address the ill effects of vacant properties.”

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EDWARDSVILLE — A 30-year-old Alton man on Friday received a 58-year prison sentence in connection with a fatal shooting, according to Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine. Charlton K. Merchant received a 55-year sentence for first-degree murder and another three-year sentence for being a felon in possession of a weapon. He will be required to serve the sentences consecutively, or back-to-back. Following a trial in January, Merchant was convicted of fatally shooting Terence J. Hicks during a dispute in Alton. The shooting happened on Oct. 11, 2020. At a sentencing hearing on Friday, Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Pat Carl asked the judge to consider that Merchant had been bragging on social media about having a gun, posting photographs of the weapon. She also noted that he had been to prison before, for a sexual assault in 2008. Haine said: “This crime was senseless. It caused much sorrow and grief for the family of T.J. Hicks, and it alarmed our community.

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ALTON - Pride, Inc. is hosting their bi-annual Alton City-Wide Litter Cleanup on Earth Day, which is Saturday, April 22, 2023. The cleanup begin at 9 a.m. and ends at noon, and will continue “rain or shine.” Free donuts, gloves, and bags will be provided to volunteers along with directions to the areas that need the most attention. Registration will be available at the following Registration Stations: Downtown: Riverbender Building - 200 W. 3rd Street (corner of 3rd and Belle Streets) Middletown: Hellrung Park - entrance at 7th Street and Central Avenue At 9 a.m., groups will depart from the following locations: Upper Alton: Taqueria Maya - 621 College Ave. North Alton: Joe K’s Restaurant - 2530 State St. After last year’s spring cleanup, Pride, Inc. Executive Director Pat Stewart said the event turned out widely successful. “It was wonderful - thank God we had beautiful weather,” Stewart said. “It was just really neat

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SPRINGFIELD – As of 3 p.m. Friday, the Illinois State Police (ISP) is reporting local law enforcement in 19 counties, totaling 21 calls, received threats directed towards schools throughout the state. Granite City and Collinsville in Madison County were part of the fake threat calls. Responders have not located any actual threats as a result of these calls. The ISP Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center currently has no information concerning credible threats related to school safety. Law enforcement, public safety, and private sector security officials are encouraged to remain vigilant and report all suspicious behavior to local police agencies. Granite City Superintendent Stephanie Cann had this statement about the fake threat at their high school: "As communicated on Thursday, the Granite City Police Department was alerted to a possible threat at Granite City High School. Granite City Police responded, swept the complex, and found the threat to be non-credible." Collinsville

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JERSEYVILLE - The Jersey County Sheriff’s Office recently released a map of the county’s new Community Patrol Zones, as well as the names of the deputies assigned to each zone, as part of a project that was announced earlier this year . They also offered some advice on how to stay safe from crime as the weather heats up. “We feel blessed to live in a safe and quiet community. Still, as Spring arrives, the Jersey County Sheriff’s Office is asking our residents to be vigilant and help us keep our county safe,” Sheriff Nicholas Manns said. “While we fortunately have no specific threats to report, we know from experience that as the weather warms and our farmers hit the fields, thieves and burglars often look for opportunities." The Sheriff’s Office is asking Jersey County residents to consider the following: Lock homes, buildings, vehicles, tractors, etc. and remove keys from the ignition. Also regularly check the exterior of your

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CHARLESTON – At a general membership meeting of the EIU University Professionals of Illinois (EIU UPI, IFT Local 4100) this afternoon, members thoroughly discussed the administration’s last, best, final offer. Though the offer was not endorsed by the union’s bargaining team, members decided to suspend the six-day strike to officially consider the administration’s offer. Faculty and staff will return to work at 8 AM Friday morning. EIU UPI President Jennifer Stringfellow commented on the difficult decision, “We knew this wouldn’t be easy from the start, and we were right. I am heartened by the unified strength and care that our members showed throughout this process, despite the administration's various attempts to derail and delay. We know our cause is just, and we stood up, together, for the entire campus to demand that this administration prioritize our students and the educators and staff who teach and support them.” “EIU’s administratio

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced a bipartisan national settlement with Visibly Inc. (Visibly) that resolves an investigation into deceptive business practices at the online telehealth company. Visibly, formerly known as Opternative Inc., is a Chicago-based company that markets and sells an online vision test, among other products. The Illinois Attorney General’s office opened the multistate investigation after a letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned Visibly about marketing its online vision tests without the requisite clearance or approval. Raoul’s investigation raised concerns about unsubstantiated claims made by Visibly regarding the accuracy and safety of its online test, including that it was as accurate as an in-person exam. In addition, the investigation evaluated Visibly’s misrepresentations about other product aspects, including customer satisfaction rates and satisfaction guarantees. “Individuals increasingly

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