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ALTON - The ongoing sewer separation in and around Downtown Alton continues. Below is information regarding some more road closures in the area. Piasa Valley Area: 9 th Street remains closed to thru traffic from Alton Street east to George Street. Pavement restoration is ongoing and should be completed in the coming weeks. Belle Street sewer work has moved north of the intersection of 7 th Street. 7 th Street east of Belle Street is partially restored, with some restoration work to continue in the coming weeks. The area between 8 th Street and 9 th Street on Belle Street has had a large amount of work completed which will be wrapped up in the next two to three weeks. Please use caution in work zones and where final pavement restorations have not been completed. The next stretch of the work area will progress north to the intersection of 9 th Street and Belle Street. New sanitary sewer, storm sewer and water mains will be installed in this intersection, with work starting

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ALTON - St. Mary's Middle School would like to announce the students who made High Honor Roll or Honor Roll for the 2nd Quarter. 6th Grade High Honor Roll Avery Conrad Elaina Cowan James Fischer Katherine Fitzgerald Tucker Hamilton Eli Heischmidt Joseph Henesey Parker Hough Caleb Kasten Kainan Kelly Colette Manns Lucia Pulido Jenna Redman Caden Roth Caden Shewmake Olivia Smith Elizabeth Strickland William Waters Brendan White Brock Woodward 7 th Grade High Honor Roll Alivia Beaber Brooke Boston Clara Brass Alayna Graham Isabella Greenberg Gianna Grossheim Emily Hough Sophia Jacobs Jensen Janek Ryan Joehl Cameron Jones Chase Jones Samuel Jun Allison Nash Natalie Novak Gianna Pulido Nora Ringering Jocelyn Thomas Mason Widman 8 th Grade High Honor Roll Ellen Anderson Reese Bechtold Vyla Berkenbile Izabelle Brunaugh Jacob Campbell Ella Curry Chase DeRocchi James Elmendorf Grace Fischer Liilian Hannigan Patrick Henesey

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ALTON - Lifestyle/creativity coach and self-described “mind mechanic” Michael Gebben recently appeared on an episode of Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com to discuss the results of a recent brain scan and the possible ways ADHD can impact one’s approach to their career. In 2010 and 2011, Gebben had been very successful in the video production industry - he was featured in magazines, traveled, and earned over six figures in video production business two years out of high school at 20 years old. But when COVID hit in March of 2020, he had to rethink his business strategy and transitioned into coaching full-time, which led to a bit of self-discovery. “I noticed there were certain things that were happening with me that were interesting, and some stuff came up about ADHD,” Gebben said. “I’ve had people say with my energy, some things about ADHD here and there … some stuff started to come up and I dug into it really hardcore,

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ALTON - Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis CEO and President Michael P. McMillan was the keynote speaker with the theme; “Injustice Anywhere Is A Threat To Justice Anywhere” in the Annual NAACP Martin Luther King Jr. Day festivities Sunday at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Alton. McMillan’s delivery was well-received by the capacity crowd at the church. Alton Branch NAACP 2nd Vice President/Alderwoman Rosetta Brown, Alton Branch NAACP President Michael Holliday Sr., Alton NAACP 1st Vice President Leon Smallwood-Bey, and Alton Mayor David Goins were also key parts to Sunday’s ceremony, along with McMillan. Brown said this Dr. King ceremony was one of the best in recent years. The program for Sunday's event was as follows: Alton Branch NAACP 2nd Vice President Alderwoman Rosetta Brown, Expeditor Invocation – Elder Marcus Harrison, Deliverance Temple Lift Every Voice and Sing Presentation of Dr. King Wreath – Executive Committee Members, Alton Branch

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ALTON - Alton Police are investigating damage to a tombstone in Oakwood Cemetery over the weekend. Dianca Lacey, the mother of deceased De’Andre Shauntez Brewster, Sr., said her son’s headstone was overturned. “I received a devastating phone call at 3:52 a.m., telling me my son’s headstone had been overturned in Oakwood Cemetery,” she said. “I am still grieving the loss of my only child, who was senselessly killed and taken away from his eight young children. At this point, I would like to be able to grieve and for my son to rest in peace.” A shooting occurred around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 2, 2021, in the 200 block of East Elm Street in Alton that claimed Brewster’s life. Brewster and another person were wounded, but Brewster was pronounced dead at Alton Memorial Hospital. Brewster’s mother made this statement this morning about the damage to her son’s grave: “This is totally unacceptable. The lack of respect i

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SPRINGFIELD – An Illinois Conservation Police investigation into the illegal use of bait while hunting deer and turkey in St. Clair County resulted in the arrests of eight individuals for numerous hunting-related violations. Citations, warnings and court dates were issued to: • Seth E. Speiser, 58, of Freeburg – Unlawfully hunting deer with bait, unlawfully placing corn in an area where deer are present, failure to wear blaze orange while hunting, unlawfully transporting an uncased shotgun, failure to have deer permits in possession while hunting, and unlawful take of a whitetail deer with the aid of bait. • Danny B. Cox, 63, of Freeburg – Unlawfully hunting with the aid of bait, unlawful placement of bait, unlawful take of an 8-point buck and a 10-point buck with the aid of bait, unlawful use of an archery deer permit issued to another person, failure to wear blaze orange while hunting, and unlawful possession of a road sign. • Kamdan B. Cox, 27, o

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BUNKER HILL - The Bunker Hill Fire Protection District was joined by several other agencies in a destructive house fire that occurred overnight around midnight. Bunker Hill Fire Protection District Chief William Sloan said the large home was vacant and it will be “a total loss” because of the raging fire. Bunker Hill paged Dorsey, Brighton, Gillespie, Benld, and Dorchester to assist in the fire battle. “When we got there, about 100-foot diameter around the house was already burned,” he said. “Right now we don’t know the exact cause of a fire. It had been burning for at least an hour before we arrived.” Sloan said he appreciated the cooperation they receive from neighboring fire agencies in mutual aid blazes like this one.

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ALTON/EAST ALTON - Kevin Mogensen has been awarded a verdict of $3,310,000 by a Madison County jury after he was exposed to unsafe working conditions which aggravated his pre-existing asthma. After two hours and fifteen minutes of deliberation, the jury awarded Mogensen $60,000 in lost earnings, $2.75 million dollars for past and future pain and suffering as well as $500,000 for past and future loss of a normal life. Mogensen was represented by Benjamin Tobin and Zachary Tobin of Pratt & Tobin, P.C., located in East Alton, Illinois. Joseph Hoefert of Joseph E. Hoefert Attorney at Law, located in Alton, also served as co-counsel but was unable to participate in the trial due to a recent surgery. Mogensen worked as a towboat deckhand for the towboat company SCF Lewis and Clark LLC. The lawsuit alleged that the company “negligently ordered” Mogensen to be aboard a barge while terminal and dock crews were cleaning excess Corn Gluten Fertilizer off of the barge - which,

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ALTON - Marquette Catholic had three bowlers - Max Cogan, Hayden Sherman, and Nicholas Trefny - advance Saturday from the Columbia IHSA Boys Regional Bowling Tournament. The three boys will perform this Saturday in the sectional at Collinsville. Cogan was the leading individual qualifier with a 1,311 series. Sherman went through with a score of 1,233, and Trefny was next with a 1,225 . Marquette saw Andrew Roth have a 1,086 score and Corbon Barnard had a 1,019, while beside the two qualifiers for the Eagles, Brady Geisler had a 1,110 score, Jordan Teems tossed a 1,024 score, Ryne Breyer had a 524 set and Brayden Prott had a 507. Led by the trio Cogan, Sherman, and Trefny the Explorers team are Tucker’s Automotive Repair & Tire Inc. Male Athletes of the Month. Marquette Catholic head boys bowling coach Mark Jones said his fantastic trio have been members of the squad since their freshmen year. “We strive to get a team through, and I am just proud we have three boys going

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ST. LOUIS - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed deeply that equality began with the fight against hunger and poverty. His entire life was devoted to the fight for justice and equality starting with the right of every person to be free from hunger. Sadly, today, nearly 40 million people in America go to bed each night hungry with no idea how they will feed themselves or their children. The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and The St. Louis Area Foodbank are teaming up to celebrate Dr. King and continue his work of ending poverty and hunger with a special MLK community food distribution event on January 16, 2023. The drive-through-only event will run from 12 pm to 3 pm at the Urban League’s Regional Headquarters at 1408 North Kingshighway. Staging for cars is on Page Boulevard starting at Aubert and going east. A short presentation will be held at 11:15 A.M. featuring remarks from event partners. There will also be a special presentation by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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DEKALB, IL. - Over 1,100 students received their degrees from Northern Illinois University in December. Included among the graduates were the following students from your area: Granite City, IL Nicholas Haddock, Bachelor of Music, Music - Education Nicholas Haddock, Bachelor of Music, Music - Performance About NIU Northern Illinois University is a student-centered, nationally recognized public research university, with expertise that benefits its region and spans the globe in a wide variety of fields, including the sciences, humanities, arts, business, engineering, education, health and law. Through its main campus in DeKalb, Illinois, and education centers for students and working professionals in Chicago, Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Oregon and Rockford, NIU offers more than 100 courses of study while serving a diverse and international student body of about 19,000. The 17 NIU Huskie athletic teams compete in the Mid-American Conference at the highest NCAA Division

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ALTON - Alton Community Service League has raised funds for area beautification and non-profits for over 65 years. Alton Community Service League, a nonprofit group focused on volunteerism, is now accepting grant applications from not-for-profit organizations interested in applying for monetary grants. Forms are available by contacting Carol Morris at 618-530-2276 or 618-462-4063 or mailing your request to Alton Community Service League, P.O. Box 221, Alton, Illinois, 62002. Completed forms must be postmarked by March 13, 2023. Thanks to the Riverbend Community for supporting the league’s various fundraisers through the years. One fundraiser, still ongoing until March 13, 2023, is the Aeries Resort Raffle. For $10 each or 3 for $20, you have a chance to win the following: 1st Prize: $300 Aeries Gift Certificate 2nd Prize: 2 nights Aeries lodging (Su-Th) 3rd Prize: 2 Aeries zipline tickets (Su-Tu) The drawing will be held on March 13, 2023. Tickets can be purchased from any ACSL

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CHICAGO - One lucky player in Maine won the massive $1.348 billion Mega Millions jackpot last night - the second-largest prize in Mega Millions history. Across Illinois, lottery players waited in long lines to snatch up tickets and now many will be queuing up to claim their prizes. Seven Illinois Lottery players are celebrating after winning big money from Friday night’s drawing. One lucky player won $1 million after matching all five numbers to win the second top prize. The winning Mega Millions ticket was purchased at 7-Eleven, located at 847 N. Dodge Ave in Evanston, IL. And an iLottery player matched four numbers plus added the game’s Megaplier feature to win $20,000, and five players matched four numbers and the Mega Ball to win $10,000 each. DRAW DATE PRIZE AMOUNT WINNING RETAILER LOCATION 1/13/23 $1,00,000 7-Eleven 847 N. Dodge Ave. Evanston, IL 1/13/23 $20,000 Illinois Lottery Website 1/13/23 $10,000 Casey’

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ALTON - IMPACT Strategies has completed its work at Building 111 in Alton, Illinois ­ formerly known as the Millers Mutual Building ­ with an 8,900 square foot tenant finish project for American Water. The firm began renovation work on the building in 2017; this assignment marks IMPACT’s eighth interior remodel project in the building. The approximately $1 million project for American Water included renovation of 3 existing tenant/shell spaces by providing modern office finishes. The project features an exposed concrete structure with acoustical ceiling baffles, huddle rooms, updated break room, conference room, and preservation of the decorative wood paneled walls within the old Miller’s Mutual Director’s Meeting Room that dates back to the early 1920’s. American Water expects to bring several new jobs to Alton with the completion of the new space, which will be used for the company’s call center operations The five-story Building 111 is

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JERSEYVILLE - The Jersey County Arts Council is excited to announce its latest lineup of classes. Sunday, Jan. 22, 1- 2 p.m. –Join Meagan McGlasson to learn how to recycle and reuse your calendars by transforming them into adorable gift bags. This class is for those 16 and over. All materials are supplied, and the cost is $10 per person. Thursday, Jan. 26, 6 - 9:30 p.m. – Looking for special something to hang on your door? Join Trudy Cairns to create a super cute cow sporting a wreath collar. The $40 fee includes the 18” door hanger and all acrylic painting supplies. Wednesday, Feb. 1, 6 - 8 p.m. – Celebrate the feast of St. Brigid’s with Rhonda Allen, as she teaches how to create a St. Brigid’s Cross. Those 10 and older are welcome to attend. The $10 fee includes all supplies. Friday, Feb. 3, 6 - 10 p.m. – Participants will create a beautiful 16” by 20” winter scene using oil-on-oil techniques taught by Bob Ross certified teacher

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ST. LOUIS - World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, will kick off its annual season of street-legal drag racing and drifting on Friday, March 24. The Ranken Technical College Midnight Madness fuel by NOS Energy Drink program offers a safer alternative to illegal street racing by offering organized-yet-informal drag racing on the safer confines of WWTR’s NHRA-sanctioned ¼-mile drag strip. Each Midnight Madness is an event, featuring street-legal drag racing, drifting in the drift pit, DJs and promotions. Ranken Technical College Midnight Madness fuel by NOS Energy Drink is open to any licensed driver with proof of insurance and any street-legal car or motorcycle. Minors must present a signed parental release form (available on WWTR’s website). Each vehicle must pass a basic technical inspection and a fire and safety team is present at each event. 2023 Midnight Madness schedule: March 24, April 14. May 12, June 23, July (TBD), August 11, September

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DEKALB, IL. - Northern Illinois University announces its fall 2022 Dean's List students. To earn this distinction, students must meet a minimum semester grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale in the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology or a minimum of 3.75 on a 4.0 scale in the colleges of Business, Education, Health and Human Sciences, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Visual and Performing Arts. Students from your area who achieved this honor include: Joseph Sommer, of Glen Carbon, who is majoring in Mechanical Engineering - B.S.. Sommer is a graduate of Edwardsville Senior HS. Northern Illinois University is a student-centered, nationally recognized public research university, with expertise that benefits its region and spans the globe in a wide variety of fields, including the sciences, humanities, arts, business, engineering, education, health and law. Through its main campus in DeKalb, Illinois, and education centers for students and working professionals in Chicago

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GODFREY – Students new to Lewis and Clark Community College for the Spring 2023 semester were welcomed to campus Thursday for student orientation. About 40 newly-minted Trailblazers attended the event, where they were able to speak with academic advisors, sign up for parking tags and meet with financial aid experts. Pictured, Alexis Bell (left) of Grafton, and Hayleigh Clothier, of Elsah, study a map of L&C's Godfrey campus. There's still time to enroll. Call or text the Enrollment Center at (618) 468-2222 or email enroll@lc.edu .

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BETHALTO - Civic Memorial High School announced its 2023-23 2nd Quarter Honor Roll lists. The lists are alphabetized by last name. Seniors - High Honor Roll Joseph Aiello Clarence Arnold Evangelynn Beasley Hailey Becker Carter Bloodworth Hayden Bodwell Jade Bowker Ellah Brown Sophee Brown Gabrielle Bryant Dalton Buhs Lauren Carpenter Jocelyn Combes Madelyn Daniels Isabella Dugger Olivia Durbin Carter Ehlers Maireli Figueroa-Santana Nicholas Fiorino Zachary Fitzgerald Jynnifer Floyd Kylee Golden Olivia Goodman Haley Greeling Dathan Greene Addilyn Hadley Nolan Halcomb Ryan Halley Journey Hammons Logan Hanner Hayley Hicks Laura Hicks Dylan Hoffmann Cael Huber Noah Huth Tyler Jenkins Isabella Kallal Travis Kramer Caitlynn Laird Jarrett Lamb Hannah Laper Alyssa Mann Hannah Meiser Ethan Miller Karli Miller Dylan Moore Baylea Nickle Emma Niemeier Kaitlyn Pfeifer Aurora Phillips William Piening Peter James Postlewait Kaitlyn Rider Kaydence

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SPRINGFIELD, IL. - In Illinois, we protect the right to bodily autonomy. The sweeping legislation signed into law today is another step we are taking in our mission to ensure people can make medical decisions about their bodies without fear. Reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare are under threat nationwide. In Illinois, we fight back by expanding access to the critical services that help people be their healthy, authentic selves. I commend the advocates, stakeholders, and providers for meeting this moment and working with us for the health and wellbeing of communities throughout Illinois, as well as those seeking this care from other states. Thank you to bill sponsors Rep. Kelly Cassidy and Sen. Celina Villanueva and all the lawmakers in the General Assembly who worked to pass this legislation. And thank you, Governor Pritzker, for signing this bill into law to ensure that our state remains a beacon of hope. May we push forward and keep building the groundwork to create a

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