Riverbender 🕸

ST. LOUIS - Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE) is proud to announce that it has once again received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index, the nation's foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. "At Ameren, we're fostering a culture of diverse co-workers who bring a variety of perspectives that help us serve our customers better – and we work hard to provide the support that employees need to be successful in their careers," said Sharon Harvey Davis, vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer for Ameren. "That's why we've been intentional about providing meaningful benefits and services that give all our employees, including those who identify as LGBTQ+, the opportunity to grow at Ameren and provide for their families." Ameren's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Employees & Allies Network (GLEAN) employee resource group has

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ALTON, IL – A new, free winter festival will be coming to Alton later this month. Ice Jam at the Dam , held at the National Great Rivers Museum on February 19 th , will highlight winter experiences that can be had along the river, along with winter-themed movies, live music, animal shows, and more. From 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, the public is invited to visit the National Great Rivers Museum for a wide array of wintery activities. Behind the museum at the foot of the Melvin Price Locks and Dam, local organizations will have educational booths where visitors can learn about winter wildlife, view bald eagles, and hear about the Lewis and Clark over-wintering at Camp Dubois alongside a replica of the White Pirogue boat used on their expedition. Expert Rangers will offer campfire programs while families roast s’mores at fire pits and enjoy hot chocolate and live music. Melvin Price Locks and Dam will also be open for guests to tour as they please, with tour guides and eagle-viewing

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BELLEVILLE - The Belleville Area Humane Society is hosting their 2022 Slumber PAWty and anyone in the community is invited in participate. Hosted by Purina and 15 additional shelters, Slumber PAWty is one of the biggest slumber party events ever held in honor of animal welfare. Due to the ongoing challenge of the pandemic COVID-19, this event will be virtual. Fundraising starts February 14th; the live event is March 5-6, 2022. RSVP here. Just as soon as the fundraising portion of the event goes live, you will be assigned an individual fundraising link to share with friends and family to get the festivities underway. BAHS's goal is to raise $30,000 for the animals in their care. This event is a peer-to-peer focused fundraising event that is best promoted via social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc). Also, you can email or text your page link to friends and family to encourage donations. All participants who raise $5 or more will be entered to win a prize package that includes:

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CHICAGO – With Governor Pritzker more than doubling funding aimed at reducing gun violence since he took office, the Governor and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) are announcing the first of three Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) for eligible organizations to apply for over $150 million in state funding to further violence prevention efforts. The first round of funding includes more than $5o million for violence prevention services in Chicago including street-based violence interruption work and victim services. Subsequent rounds of funding for statewide youth development and high-risk youth intervention programs will open later this month. The grants are made possible through the Reimagine Public Safety Act (RPSA) , which aims to address the root causes of firearm violence in Illinois through targeted, integrated behavioral health services, access to economic opportunities, and violence interruption and prevention programs. Since his first year in office,

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Gori Law Firm, based in Edwardsville, Ill., recently announced it has earned the 2022 Top Workplaces USA award. The winners were announced on February 1 at the 2022 Top Workplaces National Celebration virtual event. More than 1,100 companies, including the firm, were recognized. Winners of the Top Workplaces USA list are based solely on feedback gathered by employees through surveys issued by Energage, a Philadelphia-based workplace survey and performance Certified B Corporation. The surveys measure aspects of the workplace environment such as performance, engagement, leadership and connection, among others. Energage also issues regional surveys, including one for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Top Workplaces, who announced its list of winners featuring The Gori Law Firm in June of 2021. “We are incredibly honored to be both regionally and nationally recognized as a top workplace,” said Sara Salger, managing partner of the firm. “This is an

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COLLINSVILLE - The Illinois State Police and Illinois Department of Transportation are urging motorists to be safe on the highways and roads if they are traveling Thursday afternoon. IDOT stressed that those operating the plows have a limited field of view and driving too close can result in a crash. “Give them room and let them work!” ISP said. IDOT and other local crews will be busy into the evening and Friday morning hours clearing the highways and roads. Residents are encouraged to stay home if possible. Many businesses are closed today and if not closed will close early Thursday evening. A winter storm watch is in effect until 6 p.m. Thursday.

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GREENE COUNTY - Greene County Chief Deputy Cale Hoesman reported this afternoon that while one county highway has been opened since this morning, road conditions are worsening overall. “From what we’re getting from our road crews, they’re actually a little worse with the drifting,” Hoesman said of the road conditions. “Our wind right now is picking up, I’m guessing 20-mile-an-hour or more.” Hoesman said the Greene County Highway Department closed Roodhouse Blacktop earlier this morning, but they’ve since gotten it re-opened. He also said there have been no reports of accidents or power outages in the county. Regardless, he said he would advise county residents to “again, stay home.” For more updates on road conditions around Illinois, visit gettingaroundillinois.com .

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CALHOUN COUNTY - Calhoun County Chief Deputy Greg Weishaupt said road conditions for the county have slightly improved since yesterday. “There’s still a little bit of snow. The wind has died down at the moment, but it’s been gusty,” Weishaupt said. “There is some drifting going on. The south end seems to be slicker than the north end.” Weishaupt added the drifting has been taking place on Highway 96 between Mozier and Kampsville. However, he said so far, Calhoun County is fairing better than some other nearby counties. “There’s hardly any traffic out, which is probably why the roads are as good as they are,” Weishaupt said. “They’ve all been plowed, and except for minor drifting, we’re doing much better than what they say Jersey County’s doing.” He said there have been no accidents reported today - one vehicle was reported as veering off the road, but nobody was injured and the driver arranged

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ST. LOUIS - Animal House Cat Rescue & Adoption Center is excited to announce the return of Cat Clips: A Competition in Cuteness! Celebrating its 3rd year, Cat Clips, a competition, and fundraiser, will include a compellation of short cat videos. The curated videos will be judged by a panel of cat-loving local celebrities. The call for submissions is now open, to submit a short film of your cat or cats visit https://filmfreeway.com/CatClips . Contest Submission fees: 1 st film submission - $10 Every film submission after that an additional $5 Winners will be announced at the screening and the following prizes will be awarded: Top prize - $250 Second place – $125 Third place – An awesome movie gift basket The selected shorts will be screened on Thursday, April 7, 6:30 pm – 10:00 pm at Third Degree Glass Factory (5200 Delmar Blvd. University City, 63108), doors open at 5:30 pm. Those attending Cat Clips will be part of the exclusive screening along with opportunities

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Our Love Story: The Couple: William(Jay) & Mallory Morris from Alton Date Met/Started Dating: June 26, 2004 Briefly Describe First Date: We met up at Gordon Moore park. Date Married: June 26, 2009 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Spending time with our daughter. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Communication and being honest.

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GODFREY - Tom Long was a man who performed many roles and is remembered as someone who enriched many people’s lives throughout the region. He was an attorney, an accountant, a family man, a civic volunteer, and highly involved in the Village of Godfrey and Lewis and Clark Community College. Above all, and what he was most proud of was he was a family man and a devoted Christian. Tom died on January 28, 2022, at the age of 71. His graveside services will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, February 5, 2022, at Sunset Hills Cemetery, 50 Fountain Drive in Glen Carbon. Visitation and a memorial service will follow at Vaughn Hill Church Of Christ, 662 South Bellwood Drive, East Alton, with visitation from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and memorial service beginning at 3 p.m. Some may not know this, but Tom was C.E.O. & Vice Chairman of Argosy Gaming Company in its infancy, starting in 1990 and helping the company grow into what it ultimately became for the Alton economy. Village of Godfrey Mayor Mik

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JERSEY COUNTY - County Engineer Thomas Klasner with the Jersey County Highway Department reported this morning that road conditions are getting more dangerous across the county. “They’re not good,” Klasner said of the road conditions. “Along the county highways, they’re not good here in Jersey County, and actually on a lot of the other roads. We’re having a serious drifting problem and trying to keep them open, especially the east-west routes.” Klasner added that strong winds from the north are blowing snow back onto the roads and filling in ditches, making it hard for snow plowing trucks to keep up. While the drifting problem is serious, Klasner said he’s heard no reports of accidents in the area. He also said there were a couple of power outages in the county that have since been restored. Still, he recommends people stay home and off the roads. “I would rather them stay home, because if they get caught in a snow drift,

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The Winter Storm Warning has been extended to 6 p.m. on Thursday. Illinois Department of Transportation and other crews are out in force on both state and county highways and city streets. Illinois Department of Transportation Operations Manager for this region Joe Monroe, of Godfrey, said most state highways are covered and snow is still coming down, at 11:10 a.m. on Thursday. Monroe was busy out on area highways monitoring the storm and conditions when interviewed. “We also have high winds blowing,” he said. “The I-255 loop is better than the outside I-255/I-270 loop because it has a little more protection and is a less exposed area for the blowing snow. The north and south routes aren’t receiving as much snow blowing as the east to west. We are reporting Codes 5 and Codes 6 in our region because the vast majority of our pavement is covered.” Monroe said how quickly the area can be cleared depends on the continuation of the snow and high winds. “I

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SPRINGFIELD – Thanks to the efforts of historic preservation advocates in Illinois, 15 sites in the state were added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) during 2021, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced today. The Jerseyville First Presbyterian Church in Jersey County was on the statewide list. The NRHP-recognized places are scattered across the state and include a 160-year-old farmstead, a tuberculosis sanitorium and a Chicago movie palace. Jerseyville First Presbyterian Church, Jersey County, Jerseyville Listed Feb. 17, 2021 The Jerseyville First Presbyterian Church is significant as an example of Victorian Gothic architecture, which was popular during the mid-to-late 1800s. The church is identified as such by its heavy masonry construction, pointed arch openings and time of completion. The sanctuary has a cloth-covered ceiling for acoustic purposes, and its layout shows characteristics of the auditorium plan, a design promoted by a 19t

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SEE PHOTO GALLERY: ALTON - Alton-area residents are on Day 2 of an intense winter storm on Thursday, February 3, 2022. The Alton area was hit with ice and snow Wednesday and another round of snow has added to the totals today. Reduced traffic on local roads was apparent through the day Wednesday which let snowplows “do their thing” and those workers took advantage of the open roads and they worked tirelessly all day and night to fight the increasing snow levels. Sidewalk shovelers around Alton came out in force. One shoveler said: “We’re just taking off a layer of snow, and then we’ll go inside and hunker down for the next wave.” The Winter Storm Warning has been extended to 6 p.m. Thursday for area residents.

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SPRINGFIELD - Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today announced a new $4 million grant program for the development of tourism, education, preservation, and promotion of the 100th Anniversary of Route 66. With more than 300 miles of Route 66 in Illinois from its starting point in Chicago to the Chain of Rocks Bridge, Route 66’s economic and historical impact is woven into the fabric of communities across the state. This grant opportunity – which is open to Illinois’ Certified Conventions and Visitors Bureaus - will help develop or enhance sites along Route 66, while prioritizing projects focused on future transportation and tourism trends such as electric vehicles. “Route 66 is nearly 100 years old and as we prepare to celebrate its historic centennial, I can’t think of a better way to honor its cultural contribution than preserving and promoting it for generations to come,” said Governor JB

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Chris and Kristin McCutchen from Wood River Date Met/Started Dating: March 18, 2012 Briefly Describe First Date: We worked together and went to Denny's one night after work with a friend. Date Married: September 12, 2020 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: We love taking drives up the river road or to parks. Enjoying what's in our own backyard. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Communication is everything! You have to support your partner; encourage them. A relationship is not 50/50. It's 100/100! You have to give it your all.

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State Representative Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich): “In a not-so-subtle campaign ploy, Governor Pritzker is dangling property tax, gas tax and grocery tax relief for working families. While it is nice to see the Governor finally admit that lower taxes benefit working people, the truth is his actions are disingenuous. The money for his one-time tax relief benefits comes from federal funds propping up the Illinois budget despite his protests to the contrary. What is needed is permanent, structural reforms to get our budget under control. The financial mess facing our state is a direct result of the gamesmanship we see all too often. Instead of addressing the long-term financial health of our state, we use one-time sources of revenues to play games and do nothing to improve the financial health of the state. Once again, the Governor is proposing a budget with record breaking spending. If the Governor really wanted to help working families in Illinois, he would find ways to

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GODFREY - The Godfrey Board of Trustees approved permission to apply for a Park Enhancement Grant that would be used to install a new fence around the new splash pad and also be used with work to connect the first phase of a bike trail that will connect Glazebrook Park with LaVista Park through country settings. Godfrey has utilized the Park Enhancement Grants before and this year will ask for around $71,000, Godfrey Mayor Mike McCormick said. In other matters, McCormick said the village board approved a rate hike for pavilion rentals from $5 to $10 each. The Park Enhancement Grants grants normally range from $15,000 to $165,200 and are used for projects such as a dog park, playground equipment, pavilions, a walking/bike trail, and outdoor lighting. The funding will be combined with city, village, township, and park district funds to finance the projects.

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Karen and Steve Masiero from Cottage Hills Date Met/Started Dating: June 1, 1976 Briefly Describe First Date: It was at a Y program. Date Married: January 3, 1977 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Riding motorcycles and going places. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Never go to bed angry. Tomorrow isn't promised.

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