Riverbender 🕸

GODFREY – Future movers and shakers from the Young Adults Committee of the RiverBend Growth Association’s Class of 2021-22 recently wrapped up their year with an impressive scholarship award presentation after a recap of the year’s equally impressive portfolio of work. With a mission of teaching them the importance of giving back to their communities, 18 students from five Riverbend area high schools had the opportunity to work with mentors from RBGA member businesses over the past year. This year’s senior student representatives included Kamren Mason-El and Allie Schrumpf from Alton High School, Kennedy Bickmore and Allie Lively from Bethalto’s Civic Memorial High School, Addison Denton and Reaghan Williams from East Alton-Wood River High School, and Audrey Bosse and Thomas Strohmeier from Roxana High School. The YAC’s junior student representatives were Anbrielle Blake and Jayden Ross from Alton High School, Olivia Goodman and Benjamin Werts

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EDWARDSVILLE - The City of Edwardsville announced Monday it is working in cooperation with local facilities to provide cooling stations throughout the summer. Starting today through September 22, the facilities Edwardsville facilities below will be available as cooling stations when the heat index rises above 100°F. Additional sites and hours may be added as needed. Edwardsville City Library: 112 S Kansans Street – (618) 692-7556 Mondays - Thursdays: 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Fridays: 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturdays: 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sundays: 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Edwardsville Main Street Community Center: 1003 North Main Street – (618) 656-0300 Mondays - Fridays: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. YMCA Meyer Center: 7348 Goshen Road – (618) 655-1460 Mondays - Fridays: 5 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturdays: 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Sundays: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed on July 4 YMCA Esic Center: 1200 Esic Drive – (618) 656-0436 Mondays - Fridays: 5 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturdays: 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Sundays: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed on July 4

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ALTON - The Alton Salvation Army announced today it will serve as a cooling center when temperatures are 90 degrees or higher. The weather forecast for several coming days shows temperatures will top 90 degrees. The Salvation Army Alton location is at 525 Alby St. The center will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday during this high-temperature time for the public to cool off. The Alton Salvation Army will offer cold drinks, snacks when available, and a cool place to rest with games and puzzles. "People who want to support the mission can donate to The Salvation Army Midland Division on its website," Alton Salvation Army Capt. Cassy Grey said. The website is here: https://centralusa.salvationarmy.org/midland/

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ALTON – St. Peters True Value Rental is planning to expand by adding a third location in Breese, Illinois opening early this fall in September. The new location will add a third component to their business, Farm & Ranch. The 16,000 square foot building located off Old US Hwy 50 on N 4 th Street is currently being remodeled to include full-service hardware, farm, and ranch, along with equipment and party rental departments. This store will sell traditional hardware products such as fasteners, electrical supplies, tools, plumbing, and will feature several “store-in-a-store” concepts – Work Gear and Clothing, Farm Supplies, Inspiration Realized Paint Center, The Tool Shop, Smoke and Grill Center, Bird and Pet Shop, and Outdoor Power Equipment. Shoppers will find many top-notch brands, that they know and trust. Dealer agreements have already been made with Echo Outdoor Power Equipment, Milwaukee Electric Power Tools, DeWalt, Black & Decker, Freud, Diablo, Behrens,

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MARYVILLE – COUNTRY Financial Representative Mark Ringering in Maryville announced that he made a $1,500 donation to Got Your Six Support Dogs to help with the expenses for providing a support dog to a first responder or veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “Got Your Six Support Dogs is committed to providing specialized service dogs to veterans and first-responders suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and/or sexual trauma,” the organization’s website states. “Our mission is to help these men and women regain their lives through the healing power of dogs.” The donation provided will benefit the program by covering 18 months of veterinarian expenses and parasite preventatives for one of the service dogs in training. “We are so pleased to be able to help take care of those who help care for us and enrich our lives every day within our community – our first responders,” said Mark Ringering. “This

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CHAMPAIGN, IL – Busey is pleased to offer financial support toward continuing education endeavors to applicants of all ages and educational backgrounds through the Busey Bank Bridge Scholarship. Through the Busey Bank Bridge Scholarship Fund, $25,000 in scholarships will be awarded annually. Funds will be disbursed through 10 scholarships of $2,500 each throughout Busey’s service area. The scholarship funds can be used for tuition, fees, books or supplies for continuing education. The application deadline is June 30, 2022, and selected recipients will be notified by July 31, 2022. Applicants will be required to meet specific eligibility requirements. For more information, please visit busey.com/scholarship .

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EDWARDSVILLE - The 2022 Edwardsville Art Fair Sponsorship Drive invites your participation and is open to families and businesses that can show support at various sponsorship levels. Whether it’s a one-year sponsorship or a sustaining sponsorship for three years, the Edwardsville Arts Center is excited to offer the community opportunities to support the arts while promoting their business. The arts center will be reaching out to past and potential sponsors through the months of June and July to ensure there is ample time to include sponsorships in marketing materials and more. Art Fair 2021 was a huge success for the Edwardsville Arts Center (EAC) and participating artists reporting over $300,000 in sales. A variety of entertainment, treats, and amazing artwork surrounded residents and visitors alike. The Edwardsville Art Fair enriches the community and has become the largest cultural event in the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon area due to generous support of the sponsors, artists,

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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today unveiled a pilot program focused on reducing the long-lasting effects of violence in communities by assisting victims of violent crime in obtaining sustainable employment. The Rebound to Work program brings together community and corporate partners to provide substantive, in-depth and individualized assistance to victims of violent crime as they work to rebuild their lives. “Survivors of violent crime face a host of obstacles when working to rebuild their lives,” Raoul said. “Difficulty finding and maintaining employment can often be among these challenges. The Rebound to Work pilot program brings together community and business leaders to help survivors showcase their skills and find a path to sustainable employment.” Program participants first engage in a series of webinars created by human resources representatives from Rebound to Work’s corporate partners. The webinars focus on specific, fundamental

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(OSF HEALTHCARE) - A January grocery trip for Charlotte Davis turned out to be life-altering. The Shipman, Illinois, woman was loading food into the back of her van when she says the hydraulics failed, and the back door slammed into her head. While she didn’t lose consciousness or have any visible signs of trauma, Davis doesn’t mince words: “It hurt really bad.” Davis says she put up with worsening headaches, garbled speech and weakened memory as long as she could. “I tried to drive one day. I hit a flower pot, drove through the ditch, missed my turn, forgot where I was going three times,” Davis says. “My eight year old granddaughter told her mom, ‘Please don't let Mawmaw drive anymore. She's scaring me.’” When a CAT Scan found no brain bleed, Davis wound up at the OSF HealthCare rehabilitation office in Alton, Illinois. She was skeptical at first but now considers herself a prime example of why you shouldn’t

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ALTON - Alton Little Theater is going GREEN This summer! Yes, after a two year delay, ALT will finally be producing the full Broadway Musical SHREK in all it's glory. Kevin Frakes ( Director) is so excited to finally bring this long-planned BIG production to the Showplace for at least eight performances July 15th - 24th. Thirty talented performers from around the region have come together to make a little magic for this family-friendly showcase, with reduced ticket prices so that families can better afford to come and enjoy a very special time together. Audiences will love Brant McCance as SHREK, Julia Gilbert as FIONA, Kar'Mel Brewer as DONKEY, Devin Sadler as LORD FARQUAAD, Gabe Levi as PINNOCHIO, Therese Melnykov as DRAGON -- and thirty other players taking on 2-5 roles, to make this a singing/ dancing dream of a show! Grand Ball Costumes in Charleston, Illinois built the costumes for ALT nearly 3 years ago and has stored and waited along with the Directors to " Shine"

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ST. LOUIS - U.S. News & World Report has again ranked St. Louis Children’s Hospital-Washington University School of Medicine among America’s Best Children’s Hospitals. The publication ranked St. Louis Children’s among the top 10 percent nationally (No. 15) and No. 1 in the state of Missouri. This is the 14th consecutive year St. Louis Children’s has been ranked in the top 10% of all children’s hospitals nationwide. It is the only children’s hospital in a 200-mile radius to be nationally ranked in each of the 10 pediatric specialties evaluated by the report. In fact, of the 198 children’s hospitals evaluated, St. Louis Children’s is one of only 23 to be nationally ranked in all 10 specialties, exemplifying its depth and breadth of expertise. The 10 pediatric specialties and St. Louis Children’s national rankings in each are follows: Neurology & Neurosurgery (No. 5); Neonatology (No. 8); Orthopedics (No. 10); Pulmonology

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ST. LOUIS - Megan Ragan, assistant coordinator of the Centerstone Trauma, Treatment, and Training (CT3) program, is a finalist for the Young Professional Leader Award from the Marion Chamber of Commerce. After starting as an intern in May 2020 at Centerstone, a not-for-profit health system specializing in mental health and substance use disorder treatments, Ragan led the CT3 program to both achieve and exceed multiple grant goals including: Training 2,600 community members and service providers in mental health-related practices and activities Establishing 49 collaborative partnerships Creating and coordinating an advisory council with 100% of its members reporting lived experience Exposing nearly 200,000 individuals to mental health awareness messages Enrolled 129 children in the CT3 program between May 2020 – September 2021, a number which represents 194% of the enrollment goal for the period Ragan is one of three individuals up for the Marion Chamber of Commerce Young

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EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Dean Kevin Leonard, PhD, has selected Tisha Brooks, PhD, associate professor and chair of the Department of English Language and Literature, to serve as CAS interim associate dean. Brooks will assume the position on Friday, July 1. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as the CAS interim associate dean and work alongside of the rest of the CAS leadership team in furthering the mission of the College,” said Brooks. “I have greatly enjoyed serving in a leadership capacity as department chair and look forward to expanding that leadership to serve faculty, staff and students across the College. I have been deeply invested in faculty development and success since my arrival at SIUE, and I see this role as an opportunity to expand that investment.” In July 2020, Brooks became the chair of the Department of English Language and Literature, which is large and complex

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $5,063,700 in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grants. The funding will go to research institutions throughout Illinois to invest in groundbreaking research, improved care, and efforts to treat illnesses and diseases. “Illinois is home to world-class health care providers and research institutions. If we hope to expand our understanding of diseases, from degenerative neurological conditions to lung diseases, we must invest in developing new cures and treatments for families in need. Today’s announced support from the federal government is a smart investment in the providers and institutions that help advance public health,” Durbin said. “By increasing support for biomedical research, we can help deliver real public health results for Illinois families,” Duckworth said. “I will keep working with Senator Durbin

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today sent a letter to more than 300 Illinois school district administrators to inform them that their districts are eligible to participate in the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program (CSBP). The program, a $5 billion effort established under the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act , aims to convert the nation’s school bus fleets to low- and zero-emission vehicles. EPA has opened applications for the initial $500 million in funding for priority applicants that serve significant populations of students living below the poverty line. “We write to bring your attention to an important federal funding opportunity. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified your district as a potential priority applicant for the new Clean School Bus Program (CSBP). This program, created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,

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Letter To The Editor: "I was not asked to write this letter, I offered. I fully endorse and will support Major Jeff Connor for Sheriff, both in the Republican primary and in the general election. Enclosed with this letter is a brief look at Jeff and his accomplishments. It may well be that he is the most qualified and experienced candidate for Madison County Sheriff that we have seen in our lifetime. The recognition he has gained, his training, his experience, and his responsibilities in police work make him superbly qualified. I served as a judge in Madison County for nearly twenty years, with my last thirteen in criminal felony division. I have seen Major Connor's work and how he is respected throughout the county by law enforcement agencies, officers, attorneys, court personnel, and those individuals and communities he has served. In addition to his expected solid Republican support, his character and reputation will bring to the Republican ballot a great many additional voters.

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CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker today announced that Anthony Pascente will succeed Janel L. Forde as the Director of the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS). Anthony currently serves as CMS chief of staff. Forde has served as Director of Illinois CMS since Governor Pritzker took office in 2019. During her tenure, she oversaw the operational agency that coordinates with more than 80 state boards, agencies, and commissions, keeping state government at every level running behind-the-scenes. “Janel has been a faithful and dedicated public servant during an immensely challenging time in our state’s history,” said Governor Pritzker. “I am so grateful for her service and wish her the very best on her next venture. I am thrilled to announce Anthony Pascente will be succeeding Janel. As a long-time public servant in Illinois, Anthony has the experience, knowledge, and dedication to thrive in this role. I cannot think of a better person to fil

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ST. LOUIS - World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, is set to present one of its biggest drag racing events of the season this weekend. The Summer Speed and Fire Spectacular will feature two of the top Jet Cars in the country, as well as thrilling Pro Mods and a fireworks show. The Jet Cars are fielded by Larsen Motorsports in Palm Bay, Florida and piloted by Elaine Larsen and Dewayne Hill. The 2022 season is Larsen’s farewell tour after more than 20 years behind the wheel. The flame-belching Jet Cars are powered by General Electric J85 engines (used for powering military aircraft), capable of propelling the dragsters at speeds in excess of 280 miles per hour. The Mid-West Drag Racing Series will showcase six classes, including Pro Mod and Funny Car. Saturday night’s big show will conclude at approximately 10:20 p.m. CDT with a fireworks spectacular. Children ages 7-15 are $10 on Saturday and kids 6 and under are free. The weekend begins on Friday with qualifyin

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ALTON - The Upper Alton Association along with Scott Credit Union is proud to announce the 12th annual “Rockin’ with Robert” summer concert series, to be held on the 3rd Tuesday in June, July and August from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. The public is invited to enjoy these free family-friendly events at the Robert Wadlow Statue, located on the SIUE Dental School Campus located at 2800 College Avenue in Alton. The schedule for the season is as follows: June 21st Flip the Frog; July 19th Ralph Butler and GiGi Darr; August 16th Hill Williams Band. Concert goers are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket. Refreshments will be available for purchase. A 50/50 drawing will be held to offset the expenses of the event, along with gift baskets. In case of inclement weather, the concert will be held at a different location or rescheduled. Follow us on Facebook for updates. The mission of the Upper Alton Association is to support future improvements to the Upper Alton area fo

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GODFREY – Visitors to the Monticello Sculpture Gardens at Lewis and Clark Community College this summer will explore the world of fine art through botanicals in this year’s curated garden show, “Budding Masterpieces.” “This year, we are interpreting works of art in our pocket gardens through plants,” said L&C Horticulturist and Garden Designer Katie Piper. “We are the Monticello Sculpture Gardens and art is in our name – it only seems fitting for us to highlight the beautiful sculptures on campus and note the importance of art in the world around us.” Each pocket garden will feature a different artist, artwork, or style of art represented through foliage textures and bloom colors. Areas of note will include the ever-popular Living Wall, which will transport visitors into Andy Warhol’s Factory, while they take in an interpretation of pop art, bursting with color. The Rivers of Color garden, leading to the Overlook Pond,

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