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Friends and Family Celebrate Jack Warren's Legacy at Wifflefest

4 months 1 week ago
ALTON — Friends, family, classmates and teammates of Jack Warren gathered recently for Wifflefest, an event honoring and remembering the late Marquette Catholic High School graduate and athlete. Jack Warren died on Dec. 20, 2021, at the age of 21 years old. Warren was known for his leadership and spirit at Marquette Catholic, where he graduated in 2019. He served as “Captain Marquette,” leading the Blue Crew student cheer section, and participated in both baseball and golf teams. Warren later earned an AAS degree from Lewis and Clark Community College in 2021, where he also worked as a teacher’s aide in the College for Life program for students with special needs and pitched for the Trailblazers baseball team. The Wifflefest event, held at the home of Warren’s former baseball coach, Tim Fahnestock, was organized by Warren’s classmates to celebrate his life. “Stories were shared, memories relived, and laughter filled the day — just

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19-Year-Old Charged After Alleged Cinder Block Attack

4 months 1 week ago
STAUNTON — Brendon M. Reiman, 19, of Staunton, has been charged with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, a class 3 felony. Reiman allegedly struck a victim on the head with a cinder block. The incident resulted in a large laceration extending from the victim's eyelid to the upper forehead. Authorities have not released additional details regarding the circumstances of the incident. All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Fatal July 7, 2025, Crash in Medora Leads to Aggravated DUI Causing Death Charge

4 months 1 week ago
MEDORA — An Alton man was charged with aggravated driving under the influence resulting in death following a fatal crash on July 7, 2025, in Medora. Anthony G. Ford Jr., 45, faces a Class 2 felony charge after the death of Taylor Cummines. According to the Illinois State Police, Ford was driving a 2020 Ford F4G box truck on Illinois Route 267 near FS Road when authorities found cocaine in his system. Troop 8 units of the Illinois State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash involving a box truck and a passenger car. The incident resulted in the death of Cummines. If convicted, Ford could face a prison sentence ranging from three to 14 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Previous Story: https://www.riverbender.com/news/details/gofundme-launched-to-support-family-of-area-woman-after-fatal-crash-84181.cfm

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Edwardsville School District 7 Educators Achieve Prestigious ISME OG Certification

4 months 1 week ago
EDWARDSVILLE - Three Edwardsville School District #7 educators, including Literacy Coach Becky Artime and reading specialists Molly Deist and Holly Hampton, recently achieved a significant milestone in their careers by becoming IMSE Orton-Gillingham (OG) Certified. The accomplishment followed a rigorous year-long process that included 120 hours of intensive lesson planning, practical application, and mentorship from a practicum supervisor. After months of delivering individualized lessons, each educator sat for the national Knowledge and Practice Examination for Effective Reading Instruction (KPEERI), which assesses educators’ understanding of the Science of Reading, structured literacy, and evidence-based reading instruction. The certification, administered by the Center for Effective Reading Instruction—an affiliate of the International Dyslexia Association—represents a deep commitment to helping students develop essential reading skills. Each now proudly displays

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Three Generations of Women Collaborate on Award-Winning Quilt

4 months 1 week ago
JERSEYVILLE - Three generations of women came together to work on a quilt, almost 100 years apart. Joan Dougherty loves quilting, and she recently entered her favorite quilt in Jacksonville’s River Country Quilt Show. She was “immediately in tears” when she learned the quilt had won the People’s Choice Award. But this quilt is special, because Dougherty had help from her grandmother and a beloved great-great aunt she never met. “I worked on this quilt on and off during lots of stressful times in my life,” Dougherty shared. “They always tell you, when you’re a quilter, that you should document the history of it. You should always keep a label on the back…I’m so glad I got that information from my grandma before she passed so that I could get that information to put on there.” Dougherty’s grandmother, Eileen Ribble, taught her how to quilt when she was in college. As they worked together on this special project

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Nine-Vehicle Crash Closes Lanes on I-270 Near I-64 Early Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025

4 months 1 week ago
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — A nine-vehicle crash sparked closures of lanes of Interstate 270 near Interstate 64 on Tuesday morning, Aug. 12, 2025. The Missouri Department of Transportation reported the crash occurred around 6 a.m. in the northbound lanes of I-270. MODOT said left lanes and the left shoulder were closed to allow emergency response and clearance of the scene. The Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed that no injuries resulted from the collision. The area where I-270 and I-64 intersect is heavily traveled during morning and evening commutes by area drivers. Traffic has since returned to normal, according to MODOT. Authorities continue to monitor the area to ensure safety during peak travel times.

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Caseyville Police Adds Three Veteran Officers

4 months 1 week ago
CASEYVILLE — The Caseyville Police Department has announced the lateral hiring of three experienced officers and the promotion of a sergeant. Officer Adam Howell, Officer Marlyn Jackson, and Officer Matt Jany have joined the department, bringing a combined 41 years of law enforcement experience. Howell has more than six years of experience and is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran; he also serves as a Juvenile Officer and a certified Taser instructor. Jackson returns to Caseyville after previously serving part-time with the department and later as Chief of Police for the Village of Marissa, bringing 10 years of experience. Jany is a retired captain from the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department with 25 years of service, having worked as a lead homicide investigator with the Major Case Squad and director of the Metro East Auto Theft Task Force. In addition, Sergeant Dylan Prather has been promoted and is now the department’s K-9 handler, working with “Doc,” an 11-month-old

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"A Gracious and Merciful God": Local Man Guided By Faith and Forgiveness

4 months 1 week ago
ALTON - During a recent episode of “You’re Beautiful” with Brian Trust , Danny shared how his relationship with God has inspired him through difficult times. Danny explained that we are all “children of God,” but that God allows us to go through storms. If you are “anchored in God,” then these storms become a lot easier to weather. “They strengthen you when you get down and discouraged. Sickness comes, disease, finances, you name it. But God will take you through it. Nothing’s too hard for God,” Danny said. “I’ve been through storms, but guess what? God’s been there with me. If you can stay focused not on the storm but on Jesus, on God, on the Holy Spirit, He’ll take you through.” Danny shared that he tries to be obedient to God. He believes he lost his job at Boeing because he did not follow God’s original calling for him to become a pastor, and God closed that door to reveal

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Worker Wellness Blog: Suicide Prevention Month Activities

4 months 1 week ago

by Dr. John Gaal Editor’s Note: Each week, Dr. John Gaal, director of worker wellness for the Missouri Works Initiative, a non-profit workforce formed by the Missouri AFL-CIO, collects and comments on news and trends in workforce wellness and life balance. Construction Forum carries the Worker Wellness & Well-Being Blog as a regular feature. The […]

The post Worker Wellness Blog: Suicide Prevention Month Activities appeared first on Construction Forum.

Dede Hance