Riverbender 🕸

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12), along with the entire Illinois Congressional delegation, sent a letter to President Biden requesting that Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provide federal assistance to the State of Illinois to help St. Clair County respond to significant damage from the flash floods on July 26. “We write in support of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s request for federal assistance for the State of Illinois to help St. Clair County to recover from severe flooding that occurred last month. Governor Pritzker has indicated that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response and recovery is beyond the combined capability of the state and local governments. As such, he requests Individual Assistance for St. Clair County to help the residents clean up and rebuild amid this large-scale flood damage,” the lawmakers wrote. In their letter, the lawmakers laid out the severity of the storm,

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SPRINGFIELD – Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) are encouraging families in need to apply for $300 million in available funding for energy bill assistance through the Help Illinois Families program. All families who meet the criteria and provide required documentation are eligible to receive bill assistance for natural gas, propane, and electricity through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). “Every Illinoisan deserves access to reliable energy—regardless of their economic status,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Thanks to LIHEAP, we are making natural gas, propane, and electricity assistance accessible for our state’s family that are feeling the squeeze from rising costs of living. My administration has always been—and will always be—committed to making sure that every resident has access to the services they need to keep the lights on.” Beginning September

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WOOD RIVER - East Alton-Wood River High School senior Launa Crank is the Midwest Members Credit Union “Oiler of the Month." A senior student is selected each month by members of the EA-WR faculty. Each student is awarded a certificate and a Subway gift card. The seniors selected each month will have the opportunity to compete for a $1,000 “Oiler of the Year” scholarship at the end of the school year. Launa is involved with soccer, Student Council, Spirit Club, Band, newspaper, Peer Leadership, Art Club, volleyball, Scholar Bowl, Academic Challenge, and Drama Club. Launa has received honors for DAR Youth Citizen Award, Top Oiler, and 3rd place in English for Academic Challenge. After graduation, Launa plans to attend SIUE and look to obtain a degree as a Nurse Anesthetist. Congratulations Launa and we all wish you good luck in your future! Midwest Members Credit Union has been serving your community for over 87 years. To find out more information about Midwest Members

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ALTON – If your loved one is in an emergency, you want the ambulance to have the latest life-saving technology on board. You can make that happen by participating in the second annual Duck Pluckers Online Auction that runs from 7 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 1 through 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10. You can preview the items now at www.virtualauction.bid/DUCKPLUCKERS . The auction has dozens of items, including: 2 person, 4-hour guided fishing adventure with a captain specializing in catching trophy catfish Sports memorabilia including a package commemorating the final ride of Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright Golf packages, including a Sunset Hills Country Club experience Canope party in your home for 20 people Wine tastings in your home Baskets from local boutiques Beer for a Year The online auction will support the Duck Pluckers, Deer Skinners & Fish Hookers Ball, an outdoor event Sept. 10 at NILO Farms near Brighton that includes a quail flush competition,

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BETHALTO - The Bethalto Police responded at approximately noon on Wednesday, August 31, to Kickapoo Village Mobile Home Park in the 700 block of South Moreland Road, in reference to a male subject who had been shot. Police from multiple agencies responded along with the Bethalto Fire Department and Alton Memorial Ambulance. Bethalto Police Chief Mike Dixon said the male victim was taken to an area hospital for care and treatment. Chief Dixon said the man was in "stable" medical condition when transported. "The suspect was taken into custody," he said. "The scene and surrounding areas are secure."

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GODFREY – Local college instructor and Lewis and Clark historian Brad Winn is the top adjunct faculty member in the state for 2022. Winn attended the Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA) conference this summer as Lewis and Clark Community College’s nominee for the Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member Award – and won. While the college typically nominates an Outstanding Faculty Member each year, Winn, who has taught classes at Lewis and Clark for 20 years, was its first nominee for the adjunct award. “I am truly honored to be selected as this year’s ICCTA Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member for 2022,” said Winn, who also works as the superintendent of the Lewis and Clark State Historical Site in Hartford. “It has been my sincere pleasure to be a part of the Lewis and Clark family now for over 20 years and my privilege to spend those years helping educate students in our community. I am proud to represent the college this

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ALTON/GODFREY - For most drivers, cheaper gas is a good thing - so it makes sense to seek the gas station with the lowest prices. But in a market where big, corporate-backed chain gas stations can buy in bulk and undercut the local competition, saving a few cents at the pump could cost drivers their beloved independently-owned gas stations, like Hit-N-Run in Alton. Hit-N-Run owner Dwight Fowler said there’s no way local, independently-owned gas stations can compete in this gas market. “We’re actually having issues with certain stations in this area that are undercutting everybody just to steal the business - like Walmart and Sam’s, those guys are the big ones that do it,” Fowler said. “In this area up there on Godfrey Road, the Walmart is literally almost selling under cost just to pull the people in and it’s killing all the other independents. We can’t compete.” As of this writing, the Walmart on Godfrey Road is selling gas

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Police on Tuesday announced that it has been made aware of unknown persons calling residents with a proposal to "reimburse" them for utility services. The Edwardsville Police stressed to residents that this is a scam. "These callers are also using fake caller IDs that represent local government offices," the police cautioned. "Please use caution when taking unsolicited calls; never provide a credit card or bank information over the phone to an unknown person. "If you are concerned about your utility services, contact your provider via a number on your bill." Contact the Edwardsville Police Department if you have any information about this ongoing scam at (618) 656-2131.

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ALEDO, IL - Chris Sullivan, police chief in the city of Aledo, IL., was indicted Monday on a battery charge that allegedly occurred during an arrest. The police chief was also indicted on two counts of official misconduct. Sullivan surrendered to the Mercer County Sheriff's Office on Monday. Riverbender.com contacted Sullivan, and he said at this time he could not comment because it is a pending charge. Sullivan was a long-time Alton Police officer and former chief. He was also a former chief of police in Grafton. Sullivan had a bond set at $10,000, with 10 percent to apply.

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SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White tested negative for the COVID-19 virus and has returned to work at the James R. Thompson Center. Last week, Secretary White tested positive for the virus. He experienced mild symptoms and worked from home while in quarantine. White is double vaccinated and twice boosted.

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ALTON – OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center in Alton has a vision of strengthening the Riverbend community by providing accessible, affordable high-quality health care to all. In line with that vision and a recently-announced strategic affiliation with SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, OSF Saint Anthony’s, and OSF Medical Group - Pediatrics will be holding a free open house to highlight pediatric services. The event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 17 th , at the OSF Medical Group – Primary Care office in Godfrey (6702 Godfrey Road). Parents can learn about resources and best practices related to safe sleep, injury prevention, healthy eating, sports care, psychology, and other outpatient services for children. Parents can also learn about how to put a car seat in a vehicle safely. The Alton Police Department will be giving away gun locks to help keep kids safe at home. Free food will be available. First Mi

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ST. LOUIS - On the heels of his historic MTV VMA performance as the first male country artist to perform on the show, Multi-Platinum, 5X AMA award-winning entertainer Kane Brown today announced his Drunk or Dreaming Tour will arrive in the US next year. Produced by AEG Presents, the US tour will kick off in Grand Rapids, MI on March 16, 2023 and hit 23 US cities along the way before wrapping in Greenwood Village, CO at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre on Saturday, June 10 . The Drunk or Dreaming Tour will make a stop in St. Louis on April 14. During the tour, Brown will perform his first solo headlining arena show at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on March 31. The international leg of the tour will wrap up in Stockholm on January 31 after hitting cities including Sydney, London, and Toronto. The new tour follows the success of Brown’s Blessed & Free Tour in which he visited all 29 NBA basketball arenas, making the “breakthrough entertainer” ( AP) the

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ST. LOUIS - Today, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones will sign a proclamation declaring August 31, 2022, International Overdose Awareness Day in the City of St. Louis. The City joins the White House , St. Louis County, and other municipalities across the country in raising awareness about the dangers of opioid abuse and overdoses. “Opioid abuse and overdose take a heartbreaking toll on St. Louis families and communities,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “Addiction is a root cause of crime, and addressing it will make our neighborhoods safer in the long run. From funding for community violence intervention programs to the pivotal work at the City of St. Louis Department of Health, my administration is working to educate residents about opioid addiction while taking steps to prevent it from taking hold in our communities. County Executive Page and I have discussed how we can work together on this issue, and I’m ready to collaborate with all of our regional partners to protect

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SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with the entire Illinois Congressional delegation, sent a letter to President Biden requesting that Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provide federal assistance to the State of Illinois to help St. Clair County respond to significant damage from the flash floods on July 26. “We write in support of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s request for federal assistance for the State of Illinois to help St. Clair County to recover from severe flooding that occurred last month. Governor Pritzker has indicated that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response and recovery are beyond the combined capability of the state and local governments. As such, he requests Individual Assistance for St. Clair County to help the residents clean up and rebuild amid this large-scale flood damage,” the lawmakers wrote. In their letter, the lawmakers

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul sent a letter to the administrators of Illinois colleges and universities highlighting new guidance from the U.S. Department of Education that allows students to be paid through the Federal Work-Study program for working to register voters. The Federal Work-Study program provides part-time jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial needs, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to the student’s course of study, whenever possible. The department’s new guidance allows students to be paid with work-study funds for participation in voter registration activities. “As we approach the 2022 election, it is vital that young people have a voice in the direction of our nation by exercising their fundamental right to vote,” Raoul said. “This guidance offers a way to engage students in the democratic process and instill a lifelong

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ST. LOUIS - Former news anchor Dick Ford died at his home on Tuesday at age 88 years old with his family present. In his long career, Ford was on KMOV-TV, KSDK, and KTVI. Dick Ford’s son Dean described his dad to one of the St. Louis television stations as “a loving father, who just happened to do news,” as a wonderful message about him. Dick Ford and John Auble were members of KSDK’s Newsbeat which was highly successful. He worked with several well-known broadcasters - Karen Foss, Deanne Lane, Bob Richards, and Mike Bush. During Ford's time, his respective station was always positioned high in the ratings. Ford left KSDK in 1992 and finished his career as the anchor of KTVI. He was with KSDK from 1969 to 1992. Ford graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in political science. All told, Dick Ford had 55 years in the broadcast field.

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CHICAGO - Today Governor JB Pritzker announced opportunities for organizations to apply for an additional $100 million in grants to fund gun violence prevention programs in municipalities across Illinois. This funding, part of the Reimagine Public Safety Act (RPSA), will support nonprofit community-based organizations and local governments in 16 municipal areas outside of the City of Chicago as they work to prevent and interrupt gun violence in their communities. This $100 million builds on $113 million in funding made available in May as well as $10 million in funding surged to Chicago and other areas of the state in advance of the summer. “This administration is delivering historic levels of violence prevention funding to interrupt violence and keep our communities safe,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I am grateful for the thoughtful work of our Local Advisory Councils in recommending community-specific solutions that can get at the root-causes of firearm violence.

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GREENVILLE, IL. - Greenville University’s new Robert “Ish” Smith Champion Scholarship awards students who have shown the ability to overcome adversity in their lives. GU recognizes there are students deserving of recognition based on what they have been able to accomplish in spite of the circumstances they have encountered. Robert “Ish” Smith (GU class of 1957), former GU baseball coach and president of GU, challenged students to be their best, often seeing their potential to be great before they saw it themselves. GU established the Champion Scholarship to continue recognizing champions, just like “Ish” did. Champion Scholars: Display determination in their pursuit of education Show they can overcome hardship, whether physical, mental, emotional or other Do not let their circumstances defeat or define them Inspire others because of their grit and perseverance Prove they can excel because they do not quit “At

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today applauded the U.S. Department of Education’s announcement that it will discharge all remaining federal student loan debt owed by borrowers who attended any Westwood College location or enrolled in its online program prior to its closure in 2016. Borrowers who attended Westwood before it stopped enrolling new students in November 2015 are entitled to full loan forgiveness, including more than 12,000 Illinois borrowers who owe over $228 million. Westwood borrowers will not have to take any steps to apply for forgiveness – the department will discharge affected borrowers’ loans automatically. “Westwood tricked students into enrolling, falsely promising that its criminal justice degree would help students find jobs as police officers after graduation. After graduation, students were instead left with a useless degree and a lifetime of student loan debt,” Raoul said. “Today’s announcement goes a long

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EDWARDSVILLE - Metro East Humane Society’s (MEHS) 2022 Woofstock presented by Carol House Furniture is back in action after having to be canceled for the past two years due to the pandemic. The fundraising event is set to take place on Sat., Sept. 17 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Triangle H Farm in Edwardsville, Ill. This year’s theme is “Stick It to The Man for Man’s Best Friend”. The proceeds from this family-friendly event will benefit the homeless animals that MEHS serves. "The return of Woofstock to Triangle H farms has been highly anticipated since we last hosted it in person in 2019. For starters, we have an incredible lineup of events for this year's festival-goers that really hone in on the Woodstock '69 vibe, and there's really nothing like the event space, a 300-acre farm on the outside of Edwardsville,” said Mady O’Reilly, Development Manager of MEHS. “All of us at MEHS are so excited to get back to celebrating peace, love

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