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COTTAGE HILLS – Multiple fire agencies battled a serious fire in the 1300 block of Deanna Avenue in Cottage Hills around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday night. A Box Alarm was activated and Cottage Hills Fire Protection District firefighters were the lead, but Bethalto, Rosewood Heights, and Meadowbrook also responded. Fosterburg Fire Protection District members had a truck at the Cottage Hills Fire Station to back up Cottage Hills firefighters. The firefighters extinguished the fire in a quick fashion, but the home was heavily damaged. The homeowners were not inside the house at the time of the fire. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.

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ALTON - Television host Carson Daly is the latest celebrity to try what some call sleep divorce. Couples who sleep in the same bed but are not getting that coveted seven to eight hours of shut-eye will slumber with some degree of separation: in the same bed but with separate blankets, in separate beds in the same room or in separate rooms. Daly called the move the “best thing” for his marriage during a summer episode of the Today Show. “We both, admittedly, slept better apart,” he said. The concept is one worth exploring for couples who are kept up by snoring, restlessness, differences in sleep schedule or other nighttime issues, says Nadeem Ahmed, MD , a pulmonologist at OSF HealthCare in Alton, Illinois . But let’s get one thing straight. “I don’t like the term ‘sleep divorce’ because it tends to blame other people. It’s not a good word. It brings anxiety,” Dr. Ahmed says. “I like to use ‘sleep

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - The deceased has been identified as John Hendrix, 71 years of age, of the 12400 block of Scenic Lake Drive in St. Louis, Missouri 63138, in a fatal house fire in the 12400 block of Scenic Lake Drive of the North County Precinct which resulted in the death of an adult male. Preliminary investigation has revealed the fire is believed to have been accidental. St. Louis Regional Bomb and Arson detectives are currently investigating a fatal house fire in the 12400 block of Scenic Lake Drive of the North County Precinct which resulted in the death of an adult male. At 6:10 p.m. Saturday, December 31, 2022, St. Louis County Police officers from the North County Precinct responded to a call for service for a residential house fire in the 12400 block of Scenic Lake Drive. Responding officers observed an apartment unit fully engulfed in flames with heavy smoke coming from the residence. Officers were unable to make entry through the front door due to the heavy smoke. Responding

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ST. LOUIS – The Point (105.7 FM) Radio announced The Rizzuto Show has dismissed well-known St. Louis personality Tony Patrico. The announcement was made on a Twitter page for the show, powered by 105.7 The Point. The Twitter message said: “Tony Patrico is no longer with Hubbard Radio or a member of the Rizzuto Show. The show returns as scheduled tomorrow at 6 a.m.” Patrico had been the co-host of The Rizzuto Show with Moon Valjean and the late Jeff Burton, who died last year after a battle with prostate cancer. Patrico was briefly on leave several years ago after surgery for kidney cancer. The Point and Hubbard Radio did not release any other information at this time about Patrico's situation. pic.twitter.com/Hokotifyex — The Rizzuto Show (@RizzShow) January 4, 2023

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Alliance today urged Illinois House lawmakers to pass legislation to level the playing field for licensing fees on wineries across the state. The Illinois wine industry is a major agri-tourism draw and unique set of growing small businesses in Illinois that were singled out for a 60% licensing fee increase during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Senate Bill 1001 would help provide equity for wineries compared to its counterparts in the beer and spirits industries by reducing the significant licensing fee increase. SB 1001 passed the Senate unanimously, and IGGVA members are urging House legislators to pass the bill during the lame duck session. To summarize, SB 1001 will: Reduce to pre-pandemic levels a 60% license fee increase for Illinois wineries. Reduce winery licensing fees to level the playing field in the wine, beer and spirits industry. Put licensing fees on par with neighboring states, including Missouri,

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EDWARDSVILLE – A teacher who is never too busy to help. A nurse or doctor who devotes extra time to a patient. A firefighter or police officer who always goes beyond the call of duty. These are among the “everyday heroes” the City of Edwardsville hopes to see honored as part of a new spring banner initiative. Much like the “Hometown Heroes” banners salute the service of area veterans, the spring banner program will recognize other noteworthy contributors in the community. “Our strength as a community comes from the many caring people who live and work here,” Mayor Art Risavy said. “This is a wonderful opportunity to show our gratitude to these everyday heroes.” The City is now accepting submissions for the new banners, which will adorn light posts in and around the business district each year from the beginning of April to the end of May. Honorees must have lived or worked in Edwardsville, and contributed to the community in a beneficia

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ALTON - This is my thirteenth update to the citizens of the 111 th district, as your State Representative. Happy New Year to all, I hope you had a happy and healthy Thanksgiving and Christmas season. I enjoyed spending time with my family over the holidays after a very busy 2022. I appreciate your kindness, prayers, and concern for me and my family during my first term and I am honored to serve you again for the next two years in the 103 rd General Assembly. After the General Election on November 8 th , the General Assembly went back to Springfield for the fall veto session. House Republicans met during veto session and elected Representative Tony McCombie from Savanna, Illinois to become our next caucus leader when the new General Assembly convenes on January 11, 2023. Representative McCombie will be the first female leader of either House caucus. She knows the Metro East well and she will be an excellent House Republican leader. Democrat Representative Chris Welch will again b

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PHOENIX - Illinois is the No. 49 growth state in America, according to the U-Haul ® Growth Index analyzing customer moves during 2022. People arriving in Illinois in one-way U-Haul trucks increased close to 6% over 2021, while departures rose 5% year-over-year. Overall moving traffic slowed throughout most of the U.S. but remained busy in the Prairie State in 2022. Do-it-yourself movers arriving in Illinois accounted for 49.3% of all one-way U-Haul truck traffic in and out of the state (50.7% departures). The U-Haul Growth Index is compiled according to the net gain of one-way U-Haul trucks arriving in a city or state, versus departing from that city or state, in a calendar year. Migration trends data is compiled from more than 2 million one-way U-Haul truck transactions that occur annually across the U.S. and Canada. Texas paced the nation in growth for the fifth time since 2016. Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia round out the top five growth states. California

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WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), submitted a comment letter in response to a Department of Justice (DOJ) Request for Information (RFI) regarding the regulations governing federal executions. The comment letter urges DOJ to rescind all of the Trump Administration’s November 27, 2020, amendments to the manner of execution regulations. These amendments allowed former Attorney General William Barr and DOJ to bypass certain regulatory steps in ordering federal executions; expand the permissible methods of execution beyond lethal injection; and authorize the use of state facilities and personnel in federal executions, among other changes. Twenty-six co-sponsors of the Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act , of which Durbin and Pressley are the lead sponsors, subsequently submitted a letter to Attorney General Garland endorsing the Durbin/Pressley comment letter and

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ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis region marked a series of major milestones in 2022 that enhanced the bi-state area’s freight network at a time when supply chain disruptions were the norm and the need for resiliency and redundancy had never been greater. From the lingering effects of COVID-19 to the historic drought that severely impacted barge traffic on the Mississippi River, 2022 underscored the importance of being able to offer shippers options when it comes to moving their goods. It also further reinforced the effectiveness of the nationally recognized approach the St. Louis region is taking to strengthen freight infrastructure. “Supply chain hurdles like the low water levels we have experienced the last few months serve as reminders of the importance of multimodal infrastructure providing redundancy and helping to resolve supply chain disruptions,” said Mary Lamie, Executive Vice President – Multi-Modal Enterprises for Bi-State Development and head of the St.

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EDWARDSVILLE - Two are in custody on $3 million and $2 million bonds and charged with murder in a homicide that occurred on Jan. 1, 2023, in Collinsville. Authorities apprehended Albert Campos, 18, and Matias L. Herrera, 26, in regard to the shooting. De-Santiago was waiting for his girlfriend at the 3300 block of Princeton Avenue in Collinsville when he was shot. Detective Captain Brian Koberna, Chief Of Madison County Sheriff’s Office Investigations and the Illinois Deputy Commander of the Major Case Squad, led a press conference at the sheriff’s office on Tuesday afternoon and announced two are in custody for the murder of 18-year-old Miguel D. Villegas De-Santiago. At 2:10 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office received a 9-1-1 call about a shooting and a male subject in a nearby vehicle in the 3300 block of Princeton Avenue, Collinsville. The male victim was transported to a St. Louis hospital where he succumbed to injuries. A total

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EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville completed 2022 Fall Commencement exercises for 1,413 eligible graduates during a series of ceremonies held Dec. 16-17, 2022. SIUE Chancellor James T. Minor, PhD, conferred bestowed degrees upon students from the Graduate School, College of Arts and Sciences, and Schools of Business, Engineering, Nursing, and Education, Health and Human Behavior. The names of the graduates are categorized by state, then hometown alphabetically. View the list here. Honors for undergraduate students are indicated as follows: * Cum Laude (GPA 3.50-3.74) ** Magna Cum Laude (GPA 3.75-3.89) *** Summa Cum Laude (GPA 3.9 or higher) + Honors Scholars All ceremonies are archived on siue.edu/tv . Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high-quality education that powerfully transforms the lives of all individuals who seek something greater. A premier metropolitan university, SIUE is creating social and economic

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ALTON - At 4:30 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2023, the Alton Police Department was notified of a stabbing that occurred at 2208 Gillis St., Alton, Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said today. Officers arrived and determined that a male subject had been stabbed in the chest during an altercation with his long-time dating partner, explained Chief Ford. "The suspect was arrested at the scene," Chief Ford added. "The victim received medical treatment at a local hospital and is expected to recover from the injury." Today, the facts of the case were presented to the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office. They subsequently charged the suspect, Sandra Kenshalo, with one count of Aggravated Battery and one count of Domestic Battery. The bond was set at $30,000.

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JERSEYVILLE - New Jersey County Sheriff’s Deputy Sally Arbuthnot has set her goals high in her professional life and after six years as a correctional officer, she has moved to another level as a patrol deputy. Sally has made history again as she is the first female sheriff's deputy in Jersey County. She was the first female correctional officer before that appointment. Sally said she is very excited to be in her new position, and she also was thankful for the experience she received as a correctional officer. Jersey County Sheriff Nick Manns said Sally has done everything she has been asked to become a deputy on the road. “Deputy Arbuthnot has made an effort to do extra training to reach her goal and has made it in exemplifying fashion. I am very proud of her accomplishments and the Jersey County community and others in the sheriff’s office embrace her and support her.” Sally said her boyfriend and her boyfriend's daughter, Bailee, have both been very supportive

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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today issued the following statement in response to an Illinois Supreme Court stay of the SAFE-T Act’s Jan. 1, 2023, effective date. “As we have stated previously, my office filed an appeal with the Illinois Supreme Court because in this matter, only the Supreme Court’s final decision on the merits will be binding on all Illinois courts. "It is important to note that the order issued today by the court is not a decision on the merits of the constitutionality of the SAFE-T Act, and I appreciate the court’s interest in expediting the appeal. We look forward to mounting a robust defense of the constitutionality of the law and ensuring that it goes into effect across the state.” The following is a statement from the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice: "Today, the Illinois Supreme Court issued an order directing counties across our state to delay implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act until the court

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GRANITE CITY – Seniors Aleah Crenshaw and Maddox Kennedy of Granite City High School were selected as Granite City Elks Lodge #1063 Students of the Month for December. The Elks Student of the Month Program is designed to recognize outstanding young men and women for achievements in school and community life-fine arts, hobbies, athletics, church, school, club and community service, industry, and farming. Nominees are judged on multiple achievements including leadership skills, good moral character, community involvement, extracurricular activities, honors and award, and scholastic ability. Each student receives a $100 U.S. savings bond and an Elks certificate of achievement. Aleah Crenshaw National Honor Society President ... Four-year member of girls golf and softball team ... Two-year Girls Golf Team Captain ... Member of National Honor Society, Renaissance, Spirit Club, Student Council, and Varsity Club ... Homecoming Court ... Alpha Peer Leader ... Honor Roll ... Saturday

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LINN, MO. - State Technical College of Missouri would like to congratulate December 2022 students who achieved the Dean’s List during the 2022 fall semester. Jerseyville and Godfrey students were recognized on the list. To be placed on the Dean’s List, a full-time student must earn a semester grade point average between 3.5 and 4.0 on a 4-point scale. Godfrey Owen Thomeczek Jerseyville Ryan Eickoff

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Billy Marquez, the uncle of 18-year-old Miguelito Villegas De Santiago, who died in a fatal shooting on Jan. 1, 2023, in Collinsville, has organized a GoFundMe for the final expenses of his nephew. "Miguelito passed away within a few hours after the shooting and his family is torn apart," his uncle said. "He was the oldest of his three siblings. Miguelito was such a happy kid. He was always smiling, was a very respectful young man, and also very hardworking. He loved his mother, father, family, and friends so much. "Miguelito wasn’t the kid to have problems with anyone and that is what hurts us the most. If you can help raise money to help his family with the funeral expenses we would be more than grateful. Thanks in advance." Click here for information on how to donate to Miguelito's GoFundMe .

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COLLINSVILLE - Collinsville Police has released information about a double fatal shooting early New Year's Day morning in the city. This is the Collinsville Police report: At 12:45 a.m. on Sunday, January 1, 2023, the Collinsville Police Department received a 911 call of a disturbance of gunshots being fired in a parking lot at the rear of 103 W. Main Street in downtown Collinsville. Upon officers’ arrival, they immediately encountered two males, who were initially detained at the scene. Collinsville Police Department officers also discovered two additional males had sustained gunshot wounds and began administering CPR as they waited for the arrival of the Collinsville Fire Department paramedics. The following individuals were later pronounced deceased at the scene by the Madison County Coroner’s Office: Ricardo Correa, 20, Collinsville, and Rodolfo Torres-Granado, 24, Granite City. Members of the Collinsville Police learned through numerous witness interviews the incident

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ALTON - It took a little longer than usual, but Alton Memorial Hospital’s first baby delivery of 2023 took place at 6:18 p.m. on Jan. 1. Lucas Timothy Smith was born to Megan and David Smith of Hardin, weighing in at 7 pounds, 1 ounce, and 20 inches long. Lucas was delivered by Dr. Joseph Talsky. It’s the third child for Megan and David. They also have a 5-year-old son, Gauge; and a 4-year-old daughter, Lillian. Grandparents are Michael and Brenda Smith of Jerseyville, and Tim and Michele Herter of Hardin. David works for Tetratech and Megan is a CNA at Jersey Community Hospital.

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