Riverbender 🕸

ST. LOUIS - Today, 3x GRAMMY® and Emmy Award-winning, RIAA multi-platinum certified artist Lizzo has announced the second North American leg of her wildly successful 2022 tour. The Special 2our kicks off Friday, April 21st in Knoxville, TN at Thompson-Boling Arena. Coming off her Emmy Award win for Outstanding Competition Program and her VMAs Video for Good Award for “About Damn Time” (which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and the top 10 in 12 other countries), she will be performing in 17 cities across North America next year. Her most recent album Special peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard 200 chart, hailed by Rolling Stone as “ the most unabashedly joyous, sonically diverse, and emotionally profound album put out by a major label since Beyonce’s Lemonade.” Produced by Live Nation, the 17-date second leg of the tour continues through St. Louis, Montreal, Chicago and more before wrapping up on Friday, June 2, 2023,

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JERSEYVILLE - St. Francis Xavier Church Parish in Jerseyville had a beautiful celebration and remembrance for Armed Forces Veterans in attendance at Friday night's special Mass. Following the remembrance, the first hymn “God Bless America” was sung gracefully by the children's choir. More than 100 were in attendance last night at St. Francis Xavier's local parish. Father Marty Smith, with help from Alex Foster, and the Ladies of the Altar Society were successfully able to plan and execute the annual tradition of the Veteran’s Day Mass. Father Marty described Veterans Day as a “very very special day” for himself, and for the veterans in the church and community. Father Marty came from a military family with generations serving before him. At age 17 Father Marty enlisted. He completed Basic Training at Ft. Jackson in South Carolina. The Father joined the Army right after the 9/11 attacks. He described it as a very scary time from going from a peacetime

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ST. LOUIS - St. Louis-based architecture, planning, urban design and interiors firm Trivers has won two AIA St. Louis Design Awards from the St. Louis Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The winning projects are the Kiener Plaza Visitor Services Center and the Atrium at 100 N. Broadway, both located in Downtown St. Louis. “We are committed to reimagining St. Louis’ indoor and outdoor spaces,” said Trivers Principal Amy Gilbertson, FAIA, LEED GA. “I am proud of our team for their creative work in developing new opportunities for people to utilize these important spaces in our downtown footprint. We look forward to continuing our work downtown, in the Greater St. Louis region, and beyond.” The AIA St. Louis Design Awards recognize outstanding achievements in all areas of design, construction, and craftsmanship in the St. Louis region. To date, Trivers has earned 16 AIA St. Louis Design Awards. Kiener Plaza Visitor Services Center In

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ST. LOUIS - The deceased in a fatal motor crash near the intersection of Halls Ferry Road and Vaile Avenue has been identified as Laquita Gandy, 45 years of age, of the 1100 block of Garden Village Drive in Florissant, Missouri 63031. St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Persons detectives and the Accident Reconstruction Unit investigated the fatal motor crash. On November 12, 2022, at 11:48 PM, St. Louis County police officers from the North County Precinct responded to a call for service for a motor vehicle accident near the intersection of Halls Ferry Road and Vaile Avenue. Arriving officers located a motor vehicle crash involving two motor vehicles. Preliminary investigation has revealed an adult male driving a Buick Lacrosse was traveling northbound on Halls Ferry Road approaching Vaile Avenue when he crossed into southbound traffic striking an adult female driving a Hyundai Sonata traveling southbound. The female driver of the Hyundai was transported to an area hospital

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating a homicide that occurred in the 11100 block of Riaza Square which resulted in the death of an adult male. On November 13, 2022, at 10:02 PM, St. Louis County police officers from the North County Precinct responded to a call for service for a ShotSpotter activation in the area of Larimore Parkway and Riaza Square. Responding officers located an adult male in a parking lot in the 11100 block of Riaza Square suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Officers immediately rendered life-saving aid but the victim later succumbed to his injuries at an area hospital and was pronounced deceased. A preliminary investigation has revealed the shooting was the result of an altercation. St. Louis County Police Department’s Crimes Against Persons detectives are conducting the investigation. The investigation is very active at this time. Additional information will be disseminated as it becomes available.

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ST. LOUIS - Energy company customers nationwide, including in Missouri and Illinois, continue to be a target of sophisticated scammers that regularly change and alter their tactics to deceive customers. Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois work closely with local and national law enforcement to monitor and report scammers and their ever-changing tactics targeting our customers. In addition, Ameren employs an ongoing scam awareness campaign to educate customers throughout the year to know how to spot a scam and how to report them. "Unfortunately, these scammers are not going away and continue to be more aggressive and sophisticated in how they deceive and trick customers into providing immediate payments and personal information," said Maria Gomez, security supervisor for Ameren. "Some of the most recent scam tactics we are seeing locally include demanding an immediate cash app payment for a new smart meter or an offer to make an immediate cash app one-time payment to wipe away a customer's

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EDWARDSVILLE − Trinity Lutheran Ministries in Edwardsville will be hosting its seventh annual CHRISTmas Ugly Sweater 5K on Saturday, December 10, with proceeds continuing to benefit local charities. Join the Edwardsville community for this family-friendly race! The race will continue to feature a wonderland race course filled with Christmas music and decorations, an ugly Christmas sweater competition, hot chocolate and cookies at the finish line, and a photo booth before and after the race. All race participants will be chip-timed by Final Lap Race Management. Medals are provided to all runners who participate in the race. This year's race will be held virtually and in person. While the in-person race will be held on December 10, anyone who registers can compete by signing up and logging their 5K run through a smartphone app. A portion of the race registration fees will benefit the Glen-Ed Food Pantry and Edwardsville Neighbors. Last year, both organizations were presented

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HARDIN - Calhoun County’s election results are in for the 2022 General Election, and incumbent Sheriff Bill Heffington has won re-election - as an Independent. Heffington re-entered the race after initially announcing his retirement earlier this year. Heffington won 75% of the vote as an Independent, defeating Republican challenger Mark Marshall II, who won 16% of the vote, and Democratic challenger Jeffrey Herkert, who won 8% of the vote, with 100% of precincts reporting. Democrat Amy Friedel ran unopposed in the County Clerk race - incumbent Republican County Clerk Rita Hagen chose not to seek re-election. Incumbent County Treasurer Lisa Roth sought re-election on the Democratic ticket, also unopposed. For State's Attorney, Republican Lucas J. Fanning won with 56%, defeating Democrat Keisha L. Morris, who won 42% of the vote. For County Commissioner (To Serve a Full 6-Year Term), Republican Patrick K. Simon and Democrat Terry J. Woelfel both won seats. In a contested

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ALTON - The AMH White Cross Auxiliary has a mission to replace all of the hospital's old wheelchairs with newer Staxi wheelchairs. A mail-in fundraiser this summer led to four sponsors donating $1,200 each for a chair, which will feature the sponsor’s name on the back. The Auxiliary is offering an opportunity until the end of the year to sponsor a wheelchair. The cost until the end of the year is $1,200, but the cost will be going up in 2023. The Auxiliary would love to get 10 more by the end of 2022. Chairs can be purchased as sponsorships for your business or organization, or perhaps in memory of a loved one. If anyone is interested in participating, please contact Meg Dorris at 618-530-7006 or Irene McLaughlin at 618-530-8589. Sixteen of the chairs were purchased by the Auxiliary in 2019. The chairs are much easier to use than a standard wheelchair, with a handle that needs to be squeezed to make the wheelchairs move forward, and then let go to stop. The arms can be lifted

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ALTON – As part of their continuing effort to meet the needs of Riverbend residents, the psychological services, behavioral health navigation and sleep services departments at OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center in Alton, Illinois, recently moved to new spaces within the hospital. Next week, the public is invited to tour these new spaces, meet providers and learn about the many services offered. An open house will take place on November 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Attendees should enter at the main hospital entrance (1 Saint Anthony’s Way, Alton), and OSF Mission Partners (employees) will escort you to the event. The open house will offer a progressive dessert bar. Residents can also learn about resources to manage mental health issues like OSF SilverCloud and take a questionnaire on healthy sleep habits. Attendees can even get the process started to see a provider in the psychology or sleep departments. For example, residents can schedule a free screening

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ALTON - The Overnight Warming Center of Alton is activating tonight, Sunday, November 13 – doors open at 5 p.m. We are located at the Deliverance Temple Church at 1125 East 6th St. in Alton. Doors are located on Cherry Street. The Warming Center will be activated on nights over the winter when temperatures fall to dangerous levels for anyone out on the street without shelter. Anyone in need of a warm place can join us this evening. We also post our activations on our Facebook page: Overnight Warming Centers Alton

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Colonoscopies have been considered the gold standard for colorectal cancer screening and prevention for decades. Now, however, a new study seems to call that belief into question, but health professionals argue the research can be easily misinterpreted. The study , published in the New England Journal of Medicine, followed 85,000 participants over a ten-year period. Trial participants were either invited to undergo a single colonoscopy screening or to receive their usual physician care with no colonoscopy. Of those who were invited to have colonoscopies – whether they got one or not – there was an 18% reduction in developing the disease, and no significant reduction in the likelihood of colon cancer death. Dr. Omar Khokhar is an OSF HealthCare gastroenterologist in Bloomington, Illinois. He says there is a sticking point in this study, which can be easily overlooked: Less than half (42%) of the group invited to get a colonoscopy actually went through with the screening

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EAST ALTON – Eric Shumake, formerly Assistant Project Manager at Helmkamp Construction Co., has been promoted to Project Manager. The general contractor proudly announced this week that Shumake will be taking a higher project management position among its team of Industrial project managers. Shumake is a former Manager for the U.S. Army who joined Helmkamp Construction in 2019 as an intern while completing his degree in Construction Management at Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville. He was quickly exposed to many types of construction projects across Helmkamp’s diverse client portfolio. However, Shumake found he most enjoyed and thrived in industrial construction environments. Shumake, alongside Helmkamp’s Director of Operations, most recently managed a 10-month-long, out-of-state, complex civil construction project at a power plant, further proving his ability and commitment to deliver highly successful results for industrial clients. These clients

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BUZZ MAGAZINE - The second annual Illinois Local Holiday Market will take place on Saturday, November 26 at the Expo Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds from 9 am to 3 pm. Entry to the Holiday Market is just $1.00 for those 18 years and over. In addition to local Illinois vendors, the event will have FREE make-and-take crafts with Springfield Art Association, FREE community yoga with FLOW Midwest Yoga & Meditation, and performances from Springfield Youth Performance Group and LotusFire BellyDance. “We are excited for this year’s market on Small Business Saturday. It provides a one-stop-shop for those wanting to support local independent businesses during the holidays,” said Gemma Long, Illinois Local co-founder. The Painted Tin Bin participated in last year’s market. Owner, Erin Saxton-Snodgrass, said, “Being a vendor at Illinois Local events, as well as being a member of Illinois Local, has allowed my business to not only sell products to

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GLEN CARBON – Father McGivney Catholic High School (FMCHS) was not created overnight. A group of dedicated parents, grandparents, pastors, and other faithful volunteers began working on the “dream” of a school in 2005. In the fall of 2012 Father McGivney Catholic High School opened its doors to a group of 19 pioneer students. Fast forward to 2022, and Father Mcgivney Catholic High School is thriving -breaking records in athletics, admissions waiting lists, huge academic successes, strong faith formation of our McGivney community and now the school prepares for an expansion. Father McGivney Catholic High School will hold an open meeting to unveil the plans to expand the future of FMCHS. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, November 14, at Father McGivney Catholic High School. FMCHS Principal, Joseph Lomabrdi, explains, “The reputation of FMCHS is growing not just locally but throughout the Dioceses of Springfield and Belleville. Families from our feeder

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ALTON - Keith Steinacher, owner/instructor of Strategic BJJ, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy, has a special place in his heart for veterans and what they have done to protect this country. Steinacher has several family members who have served in the military, including a grandfather. Steinacher has teamed with John Kadell and Jon Ward, both officers of the United States Veterans Foundation, in a program to help veterans with PTSD. Today, on Veterans Day, it is appropriate to talk about the U.S. Veterans Foundation scholarship program to assist veterans to combat PTSD through martial arts and make them aware of its availability. Because of the USVF funding, veterans can receive A Rolling For Recovery program paid for and even have some equipment furnished. Steinacher pays half of the fee for any veteran who wants to do the program at his gym. “Right now, they are looking for candidates to get aligned with several gyms in the area, including Strategic BJJ,” Steinacher said.

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BETHALTO - Scooter's Coffee Drive-Thru just opened its newest location in Illinois, this time right in the heart of Bethalto. The store held its grand opening as well as a ribbon cutting to celebrate the special occasion Friday afternoon. The store, located at 102 W Bethalto Drive, sits at one of the busiest intersections in the town and will be open daily from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. "This will be a great addition,” Bethalto Mayor Gary Bost said. “This has been about a year process, so it's good that it's finally open.” "I see the drive-thru is filled almost every day. I'm proud of those guys that are great owners and look forward to a long relationship with them,” Bost added. The store’s owners, Peter Gariepy and his wife Karishma, couldn’t be more excited for the store’s grand opening. "It kind of felt like the stars aligned and everyone was so positive,” Gariepy said. “We couldn't be happier, and we hope it's been a good addition

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Name: Walter L. Lagemann Hometwon: Godfrey KIA: No Branch: Navy Wars : WWII Submitter's Name: Danny Evans

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Name: Richard Bricker Sr. Hometown: Cottage Hills, Illinois Years of Service: 1968 DOD: December 25, 2006 KIA: No Branch: Army RAnk: Sergeant Wars: Vietnam Medals: Multiple purple hearts as well as several other services medals Message: Richard was a gunnery sergeant in Vietnam where his helicopter was clipped by an RPG and crashed to the ground. All members in the crash survived the crash and helped pull each other out with only one dying from his wounds in the Hospital while the rest suffered irreparable damage physically and mentally but would get to grow old. Richard was burnt on over 95% of his body and was honorably discharged with 100% disability due to the burns he received after recovery where he decided to spend the remainder of his days living life to the fullest. He enjoyed fast cars, beautiful woman and having fun with anybody and everybody. Submitter's Name: Factory Direct Mattress Bethalto

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CARROLLTON - Several violent, property crime, and other charges have been filed in Greene County over the past month, according to the most recent Greene County Jail Booking Report from Sheriff Robert McMillen’s office. Devin A. Krueger, 26, of Staunton, was charged with two counts of residential burglary, one count of burglary, two counts of theft, and two counts of criminal damage to property. He was arrested by the Greene County Sheriff on Oct. 26 and remains in custody. Hunter E. Neff, 19, of White Hall, was charged with aggravated battery, assault, resisting a peace officer, criminal trespass to a building, and consumption of liquor by a minor. He was arrested last Friday, Nov. 4 by the Roodhouse Police Department and has since been released on bond. Heather S. Sullivan, 37, of Roodhouse, was charged with two counts of theft between $10,000-$100,000, as well as a warrant for her arrest in Madison County. She was arrested by the Greene County Sheriff on Oct. 28 and

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