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When Parkway School District teachers Mike Steep and Matt Wall aren’t in the classroom, the long-time friends and musicians are playing wide-ranging tunes from the 1990s and early 2000s with their cover band, DadBod. Their shows have become a space to reminisce about the music of their adolescence along with their faithful fans – some of which are fellow teachers and former students. Mike and Matt discuss the origins of DadBod and why seeing former students at their shows isn’t as awkward as one might think.

As we’ve said before, it’s quite easy to understand why there would be frustration, or even anger, when leaks over entertainment media occur despite every attempt to keep that content under lock and key. This happens with movies all the time. What continues to amaze me are two things, however. First, that movie studios’ response […]

The Rooted initiative started by Invest STL gives Black and low-income residents of the West End and Visitation Park neighborhoods $20,000 to invest in their homes and community. The program aims to help residents stay in their neighborhoods amidst rising concerns about nearby developments. Invest STL CEO Dara Eskridge explains how the non-profit’s wealth-building program works and why it is getting national attention.

EDWARDSVILLE - Nolan Csaszar had an outstanding meet for the Sunset Hills Country Club swimming team at the 62md edition of the Southwestern Illinois Swimming Association championship meet July 21, 2024, at the Chuck Fruit Aquatic Center in Edwardsville's District 7 Sports Complex. Csaszar finished sixth in the boys 15-18 50-yard freestyle, having a time of 27.36 seconds, and was also sixth in the 100-yard breaststroke at 1:26.54, was sixth in the 50-yard butterfly at 31.54 seconds. Nolan is a Spencer Homes Male Athlete of the Month for Edwardsville. In an interview conducted shortly after one of his races, Csaszar felt that the Stingrays, even with very limited numbers, did their best and swam well all throughout the meet. "Well, we're kind of limited by the number of people on our team, Csaszar said. "But I think the swimmers who are here tried their best and are making a good effort, which shows good fight on the team. It makes us look better." On a personal level, Csaszar

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This July, the region is buzzing with a variety of events that cater to all interests, from the educational S.T.E.A.M. Take Home Kits for kids and the nostalgic Heritage Days in Greenville to the lively music performances and farmer's markets across multiple cities. For a comprehensive list of events happening this month, visit Riverbender Events . Featured Annual Christmas in July Raffle at Freer Auto Body, led by Margaret Freer, is hosting its annual Christmas in July Raffle to support the Community Christmas campaign. The event will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, July 26, 2024, at 4512 North Alby Street, Godfrey. Raffle tickets are $10 each, with prizes including $3,000 cash, vacation stays, and more. Sloppy Joes will be available for dining in and carry-out. Tickets can be purchased at Freer Auto Body. Checks for the raffle or donations should be made out to Community Christmas. For more information, contact Freer Auto Body at 618-466-6151. Additionally, you

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WASHINGTON — The Democratic National Committee will move forward with a virtual nomination vote for its presidential candidate as soon as Aug. 1, after its Rules Committee approved the process on Wednesday. The DNC has been moving forward with plans to hold a virtual nomination roll call since well before President Joe Biden announced his […]

EDWARDSVILLE - Greenspaces are critical and the importance of understanding and enhancing them are equally significant, according to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Shannon McCarragher, PhD. This summer, 10 students from universities across the country have been part of the Socio-Ecological Role of Greenways in Urban Systems (SERGUS) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at SIUE. “Greenways serve as an interface between human and natural systems across urban environments, and thus may serve as a means for enhancing urban resilience,” said McCarragher, a biogeographer and assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Geography and Geographic Information Sciences (GIS). At SIUE, McCarragher is the lead Principal Investigator (PI) of the multi-institutional, interdisciplinary grant funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and given to focus on greenways. Alan Black, PhD, associate professor in the Department

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EDWARDSVILLE - The following local student has been named to the Deans' and President's Lists at Drake University. Edwardsville, IL - Angel Loveridge, Zimpleman College of Business, Dean's List To be eligible for the Deans' List, students must have earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher during the Spring 2024 semester at Drake. To be eligible for the President's List, students must have earned a perfect 4.0 GPA during the Spring 2024 semester at Drake. Drake University is recognized as one of the finest national liberal arts universities. A distinctive and distinguished private university in Des Moines, Iowa, Drake enrolls nearly 3,000 undergraduate and more than 1,800 graduate students. Students choose from more than 70 majors, minors, and concentrations and 20 graduate degrees offered through seven colleges and schools. In addition, Drake offers a range of continuing education programs serving working professionals, community members, and area businesses. Drake recognizes the importance

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) joined Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Thune (R-SD) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and U.S. Representatives Brad Finstad (R-MN), Eric Sorensen (D-IL) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) in sending a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the U.S. Department of the Treasury requesting timely guidance on the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit to give farmers, blenders, retailers and fuel users certainty and the time needed to make additional clean fuel projects a reality. The 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit consolidates and replaces several fuel-related credits currently scheduled to expire at the end of the year. While 45Z was written to increase the domestic production of clean, homegrown biofuels, guidance is still needed from the Treasury on how farmers and renewable fuel producers can participate in this new market. “The 45Z credit should be leveraged to provide a forward-looking,

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SPRINGFIELD - Beginning in July, all child support collected on behalf of Illinois’ low-income families with children who are current or former Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients in Illinois will be passed through to the family for the care and support of the child or children and will no longer be retained by the state, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) announced. All families who are currently receiving or formerly received TANF will benefit from this change. As of July 1, any amount of child support that was collected and retained by HFS’ Division of Child Support Services between January 1, 2023 and July 1, 2024, will be passed through to the family. With this change, Illinois will become the first state in the nation to unconditionally ensure all families receive 100% of the child support that is paid. While other states pass through all child support paid, it is subject to appropriation. “This change will bring

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A new biography of late Motörhead guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke has been announced.Titled Make My Day: The Rock 'n' Roll Story of 'Fast' Eddie Clarke, the book is due out Sept. 6 and was…

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ALTON – Last week, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed HB4255 into law. This legislation, spearheaded by State Representative Amy Elik & State Senator Erica Harriss, bolsters safety protocols for tow truck operators and emergency responders throughout Illinois. Under the new law, tow trucks and designated emergency vehicles will now be authorized to utilize green lighting in addition to amber and white when responding to incidents on roadways. This critical enhancement is designed to maximize visibility and situational awareness, significantly mitigating risks for both responders and the public. Paw Paw’s Towing in Millstadt brought the need for this to the attention of Elik and Harriss following the loss of one of their drivers last November. The driver, Wade Bivens, was struck by a car while working a scene on Interstate 255 near Columbia. "The enactment of HB4255 marks a pivotal step forward in safeguarding our emergency personnel," said Elik. "This legislation

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EDWARDSVILLE - Happy Hooves Equine Rescue Center is a nonprofit sanctuary for horses in need of a home. Visitors can get a firsthand look at the work they do and the horses they house at three upcoming Open House events set for Aug. 11, Sept. 8, and Oct. 13, 2024, each from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the sanctuary, located at 7026 State Route 140 in Edwardsville. Founder Mary Morrison and Susan with Happy Hooves shared more about the organization and the work they do on Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com . Happy Hooves’ mission, indicated by their slogan, is to continue “giving horses a chance at a better life.” Morrison said some horses who come into the rescue show signs of neglect or malnourishment, though she noted such mistreatment isn’t always intentional. “You see the lack of care, but … a lot of these people, they don’t mean to do it,” she said. “Some of it is lack of education, some of it is that they believe

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EAST ST. LOUIS – A federal district judge sentenced a man from Christopher, Illinois, to 24 months’ imprisonment after he admitted to printing counterfeit money. Michael A. Eskew, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of manufacture of counterfeit obligations of the U.S., one count of possession of counterfeit obligations of the U.S., and one count of possessing digital image of U.S. currency for counterfeiting. “Making, using and possessing fake U.S. currency with fraudulent intent is punishable under federal law, and Michael Eskew was maintaining a full-scale, counterfeiting enterprise,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “He schemed to defraud local businesses and enrich himself with the fake currency, thus warranting this sentence to federal prison.” According to court documents, Eskew used printers and electronic images of dollar bills to produce counterfeit U.S. Currency at his home. Following a search warrant of Eskew’s residence

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A St. Louis-based provider of commercial and residential disaster-recovery and restoration services has been acquired by a Kansas City-based specialty contractor.

The Police are giving fans some insight into the making of their #1 single “Every Breath You Take” ahead of the upcoming 40th anniversary reissue of their multi-Platinum album Synchronicity.The…

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BELLEVILLE – A pair of initiatives led by state Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, and the Illinois Secretary of State were signed into law Friday, July 19, 2024, strengthening the state’s move over “Scott’s Law” zones and bringing increased scrutiny to catalytic converter transactions in order to reduce their theft. “Residents are rightfully frustrated by catalytic converter thieves looking to make a quick buck, which is why we need to continue to implement ideas that remove the financial incentive,” Hoffman said. “Stricter resale rules are going to make it more difficult for criminals to turn their stolen parts into cash.” As part of efforts to curb the rise in catalytic converter theft, Hoffman’s House Bill 4589 requires recyclable metal dealers to acquire and maintain additional records involving catalytic converter transactions, including the vehicle identification number it was removed from as well as any other specific

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