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ALTON - Jacoby Arts Center is DYING to have you join them for not 1 but 2 Spooky Saturdays in October on the 8th & 15th from 7-10 pm! Bring your special Boo for date night or your group of Gross Goblin Friends to watch a double feature cult classic horror film and enjoy BOOzy beverages from JAC's Bar. Clay Ghoul Heads (on the 8th) and Haunted Hex Dolls (on the 15th) crafts will be facilitated by Nick Williams. While you're here lay your PEEPERS on the artwork in Phantasmagoria V: A celebration of all things dark, spooky, creepy, grotesque, and Halloween. Phantasmagoria embodies the spirit of the strange and curious and will be on display in the Simmons Hanly Conroy Main Gallery from Oct. 5 through Nov. 13. Jump on your broomstick and fly on over to Jacoby Arts Center located at 627 E Broadway Alton, IL 62002. Halloween costumes and howling at the moon are welcome. To get your $5 tickets for Spooky Saturdays visit: www.jacobyartscenter.org Jacoby Arts Center is a nonprofit 501c

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WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with a group of Highland Park doctors who are both her constituents and members of March Fourth, a gun safety advocacy non-profit, to discuss the need to end the sale of weapons of war at the federal level. Some of these doctors were also survivors of the Highland Park Fourth of July Parade Massacre. Duckworth is both a cosponsor and advocate of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2021. Photos from today’s meeting are available here . “Today, I met with both doctors and survivors of the Highland Park Massacre and, once again, I heard the same call—the same plea—I’ve heard from so many other constituents and survivors of mass shootings across our nation: we need to get weapons of war off our streets,” said Duckworth. “For Highland Park, for Uvalde, for Buffalo, for Chicago and for every other community terrorized by senseless gun violence, we need to suspend the filibuster an

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WEST ALTON - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rivers Project Office, is partnering with local organizations to host a variety of stewardship activities that will give members of the community a chance to enjoy their federal lands and take an active role in their conservation in celebration of National Public Lands Day on September 24, 2022. One of these activities is the Great Rivers Clean-up, hosted in partnership with the Piasa Palisades Sierra Club. “To date, the Great River Clean-up has netted over 45 tons of trash and has recycled 10 tons of materials, all with the help of fantastic volunteers,” said Christine Favilla, Co-Coordinator of the Three Rivers Project of Sierra Club Illinois. “This 16th annual river clean-up is hosted in honor of National Public Lands Day and provides an exciting opportunity for our community to work together to protect and conserve the river that sustains us.” Participants of the Great Rivers Clean-Up will meet at Lincoln Shield

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EAST ALTON – Join Illinois RiverWatch, part of the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC sm ) for their virtual Fall Speaker Series, starting October 4 and running through early November. “We hope these speakers will give people an opportunity to learn more about water through a series of online events,” said Danelle Haake, RiverWatch director and stream ecologist. “These presentations are very interactive and participants really enjoy speaking with experts in their field of work.” Following is a list of dates, times, speakers and topics. All the events will take place on Zoom. The Ecological Consequences of Salty Fresh Water: 7 p.m., Oct. 4 Speakers: Bill Hintz and Bayley Wilmoth Can Zebra Mussels Be Controlled in Inland Waterways?; 7 p.m., Oct. 11 Speaker: Jim Bland Bees from Wetlands to Cities: 7 p.m., Oct. 19 Speaker: Jenny Mullikin, NGRREC Assistant Scientist – Wetland Ecology Youth Water Education: Root

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ALTON - Madison County Transit (MCT) held a ribbon cutting at Alton's Transfer Station located at 6 th and Piasa Street in Alton Thursday afternoon. The ceremony was for a new plaza dedicated to former Senator Bill Haine and his wife of over 50 years Anna for their lifetimes of work with MCT. Bill served as the first Chairman of the Madison County Transit District, as a Madison County Board Member, as Madison County State’s Attorney, and as State Senator representing the 56th District of Illinois, all while promoting and supporting MCT. Bill died on August 16, 2021, but his work was not forgotten. Alton Mayor David Goins and Bill's wife Anna both spoke at the event with many members of the Haine family in attendance. Goins remembered the times when he first met Bill. It was back when Goins began his career as an Alton police officer for several years. "I'm just honored today to be here to dedicate this plaza to him and to the recognition of his wife," Goins said. "He was

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TROY - Troy Fire Protection District as well as Troy Police are investigating a devastating fire and a pair of incidents on Wood Thrush Street in Troy on Thursday afternoon. A home was destroyed in the fire and smoke was still coming from the roof around 4 p.m. Thursday, but firefighters had the blaze under control. Crime scene tape covered both ends of the street and multiple people were apparently transported to a hospital from the fire. In addition to Troy Police, Troy Fire, Glen Carbon Fire Protection District, Edwardsville, and Collinsville Fire Department assisted Troy Fire Protection District members. Law enforcement considered the area a crime scene. The Troy Police Department confirmed they responded with the fire department to what they described as a pair of domestic incidents on Wood Thrush Street in Troy at 2:23 p.m. on Thursday. Firefighters discovered another fire on the street was on fire and then contacted other fire departments to assist. Police said an investigation

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County officials approved more than $23 million in American Rescue Plan Act spending for sewer, drinking water, stormwater projects and more. The County Board passed 25 resolutions Wednesday night, including 11 stormwater projects totaling more than $8 million. Chairman Kurt Prenzler said the majority of the funding would go toward projects that will leave the biggest impact — stormwater and sanitary sewers. “Often times when government gets money it goes towards streets and roads — the thing that people see,” Prenzler said. “What the board did was what ARPA intended. Now, the county and its local partners can make long-term investments on the ‘invisible’ infrastructure projects.’” County Board member Chris Guy of Maryville and chair of the Finance Committee said that board members worked hard and came together for the needs of the county and communities, which isn’t always an easy thing to

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JERSEY COUNTY - Jersey County State's Attorney Ben Goetten has filed a lawsuit against the State of Illinois in regard to the controversial Safe-T Act. The Safe-T Act was supported and signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker on Jan. 22, 2021, the Illinois Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act (the Act) implements sweeping reform impacting many aspects of the criminal justice system, including pre-arrest diversion, policing, pretrial, sentencing, and corrections. "While I’m still hopeful the legislature will do the right thing and make the necessary amendments to this Act, I felt filing suit sends a strong message from Jersey County that we are not in favor of installing a revolving door at our jailhouse," Goetten said. "The men and women in law enforcement deserve better, the people of this State deserve better, and I’m certain that the citizens of Jersey County deserve better." Goetten continued and said: "This Act does nothing more than strip vital

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EDWARDSVILLE – Through funding provided by BioMADE, the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Valerian Materials, the University of Minnesota, and Scientific Bioprocessing Inc. (SBI) have partnered to perform research and development on novel sustainable materials solutions. Launched in 2021, BioMADE is the most-recently established Manufacturing Innovation Institute. By supporting the development of biomanufacturing technologies, BioMADE and its network of 150+ members are strengthening American competitiveness, creating a more resilient supply chain, and helping the U.S. becoming more self-sufficient. This project is one of several being funded by BioMADE as part of its mission to secure America’s future through bioindustrial manufacturing innovation, education, and collaboration. “Projects like this are a perfect example of the research we do in the bioproducts space,” said John Caupert, NCERC executive

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office has announced that on Thursday it issued warrants on Tony Martin, 22, of the 4500 block of Edgewood Boulevard in St. Louis, for Murder Second Degree and Armed Criminal Action. The deceased in the homicide has been identified as Christy Martin, 50, of the 4500 block of Edgewood Boulevard in St. Louis. Martin is being held on $250,000 cash only, no 10% bond. The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office's probable cause statement reads: The defendant is the son of Christy Martin. On this day (9/21/2022), the defendant was carrying a firearm around their home. They were arguing while putting groceries away. Christy Martin touched the defendant’s arm so that he would turn around. When he turned around he shot Christy Martin once in the chest with a Glock Model 19 .9-mm firearm. When the police arrived, they seized the weapon, one shell casing, and one projectile. Martin was deceased when the police arrived.

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ALTON - Associate Judge Neil Schroeder has made a ruling on the mental health of Deundrea S. Holloway, 22, of Litchfield. His decision at this point is Holloway's mental health prevents him from assisting in his own defense. Holloway is charged with the beheading of a pregnant Alton woman on June 9, 2022, in the 3400 block of Bolivar in Alton. Holloway, a Litchfield man, was charged with the gruesome murder of a pregnant mother, Liese A. Dodd, also 22, in the 3400 block of Bolivar Street in her residence. On August 1, 2022, another hearing was held on Holloway’s fitness and this was written by the judge: “Based upon the evidence presented, the court finds the defendant is presently unfit to stand trial. The court further finds that if provided a course of treatment there is a substantial probability he will attain fitness within one year. The defendant is remanded to the Department of Human Services for treatment.” Judge Schroeder wrote on June 16, 2022: “After

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ST. LOUIS, MO – Katie’s Pizza & Pasta Osteria , an award-winning artisan Italian restaurant and bar owned by husband-and-wife team Ted and Katie Collier, is announcing that construction of its newest restaurant has begun. The restaurant, located at 751 Clark Street, is the company’s 3rd location in St. Louis, Missouri, and is set to be open to the public by spring 2023, in time for the start of the upcoming MLB season. This is fitting, as it’s located in Ballpark Village, directly across from Gate 4 at Busch Stadium. Executive Chef Jake Sanderson leads the culinary team and Head Bartender Hayley AuBuchon is in charge of the cocktail program. The menu, which includes appetizers, burrata, salads, pastas, pizzas, and seasonal specials, will expand to include location-specific items. At this location, they’ll serve steak, seafood, and grilled vegetables from their wood-fired grill. Spiegelglass Construction Company is the general contractor and TAO + LEE

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ALTON - After successful 2020 and 2021 virtual events, the highly anticipated in-person return of the Alton Miles for Meso 5k Run and 3K Fun Run and Walk is being held on Saturday, September 24. More than 1,000 participants will gather in person and virtually to fundraise and spread awareness about mesothelioma . Started in 2009 by Simmons Hanly Conroy, the Alton Miles for Meso event takes place every September in recognition of National Mesothelioma Awareness Day . Race day festivities begin at 7:30 a.m. at Simmons Hanly Conroy headquarters at One Court Street in Alton, across from Marquette High School. The race starts at 9 a.m. Registration is still available for $45 the morning of the race. All registration fees benefit the charity and include a long-sleeve, moisture-wicking shirt. Over the past 13 years, Miles for Meso events nationwide have raised over $850,000 to benefit mesothelioma awareness and research. For the ninth straight year, proceeds from the Alton event will

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ST. LOUIS - Reedy Press is pleased to announce the release of its newest local interest book, St. Louis Sports Memories: Forgotten Teams and Moments from America’s Best Sports Town , by Ed Wheatley. What city broke barriers by welcoming some of the first African-American baseball players in addition to the first female owners of both an MLB and NFL team? Where have local colleges dominated a specific sport, winning dozens of national titles over as many years? The answer, of course, lies in St. Louis, a hotbed of professional and amateur sports with a diverse history and an evolving legacy of success. In St. Louis Sports Memories: Forgotten Teams and Moments from America’s Best Sports Town , relive the highlights from the championships to the crossroads of social change that have characterized St. Louis’s sports scene for more than a century. Learn about the tennis legend who found an accepting environment to master his game during the racial turmoil of the 1960s.

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ST. LOUIS - From Hurricane Fiona to Typhoon Merbok, and wildfires across the West Coast, American Red Cross volunteers from across the Missouri and Arkansas Region continue to answer the call. Dedicated American Red Cross workers have been providing critical aid to wildfire evacuees and are now assisting those in Puerto Rico and Alaska. The American Red Cross of Missouri and Arkansas has stepped up to deploy volunteers to assist as wildfires continue to ravish multiple areas. As of Wednesday morning, 20 volunteers from across the region have raised their hands to respond, with 11 volunteers on the ground in impacted areas, while nine are headed to Puerto Rico. “As disasters wreak havoc from coast to coast and beyond, volunteers from the Missouri and Arkansas Region continue to step up to help,” said Chris Harmon, Regional Disaster Officer for American Red Cross of Missouri-Arkansas. “Disasters come in all shapes and sizes, and we need more volunteers to not only

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ALTON - The ongoing sewer separation project has roads opening and closing on a weekly basis, but headway is being made in the Downtown Alton district. After being closed for a few weeks, West 3rd Street is back open to through traffic from Piasa Street to State Street in Alton. Illinois American Water started sewer separation system work on U.S. 67 from 20th Street/College Avenue south to 3rd Street in Alton on July 5, 2022. The sewer separation project should improve the efficiency of the system in the Downtown Alton area and make a large difference during flooding conditions. Work continues to be done on Belle Street and is still closed from West 3rd Street leading up to West 9th Street. Work is being done as fast as possible to re-open the area. The pictures above are of Belle Street right outside of Mac's.

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STAMFORD, CT. - Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR) (“Charter” or “Charter Communications”) today announced that Chris Winfrey has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of Charter Communications, effective December 1, 2022. Mr. Winfrey has most recently served as Charter’s Chief Operating Officer after more than a decade as Charter’s Chief Financial Officer. As CEO, Mr. Winfrey will report to Charter’s Board of Directors. Tom Rutledge, who announced his plans to retire as CEO after a storied 50-year career beginning as a technician in 1972 while in college, will serve as Executive Chairman of the Company and its Board of Directors through the end of his contract in November of 2023. Mr. Rutledge will maintain oversight of Charter’s Government Affairs during that time and provide his guidance and expertise to ensure a smooth and successful transition. “It has been an honor and a pleasure to lead Charter and

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SPRINGFIELD – A national organization of college savings plans today recognized Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs with its highest honor. The College Savings Plans Network (CSPN) , the national network of 529 plans, states, and private-sector partners, honored Frerichs with the Distinguished Service Award. The award is the highest honor bestowed by CSPN and is given each year to those who have shown national leadership in the college savings industry. Past award winners include U.S. senators from both parties such as Florida Sen. Bob Graham and Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley; state treasurers; and prominent leaders of 529 college savings plans. “Treasurer Frerichs’ sincere desire to chart the future course of the College Savings Plans Network by making CSPN a more data-driven organization, and his collaboration on initiatives to promote new leaders and members within the Network are commendable,” said Rachel Biar, Chair of the College Savings Plans Network

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COLLINSVILLE - Edwardsville senior midfielder Axton Anom played very well for the Tigers in their 2-1 loss at Collinsville Tuesday night at Kahok Stadium, as did the entire team. After the loss, the Tigers' spirits were still up and positive, and Anom felt the Tigers did play as well as they could in the second match of the year against Collinsville. "I'm always feeling bad after the loss," Anom said in a post-match interview, "but I think the boys gutted it out from the beginning to the end. I think we worked hard on defense, but we sat out. We had a mission coming into this game to work hard and play our soccer and I think we did that. A little mistake for the goal, but I'll take the blame for that one on that one, but I think we just move on after this." It was a very clinical, goal-scorers type of goal that Reiniger score to give the Kahoks the three points, but the Tigers still worked hard throughout the 80 minutes, just falling short in the end. "Yeah, we went out there, we

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EAST ST. LOUIS – The U.S. District Court in St. Louis announced today that Antonio M. Brown, 38, of St. Louis, Missouri, was sentenced to 151 months in prison for the distribution of methamphetamine on Monday, September 19, 2022. Following his release from federal prison, Brown must complete five years of supervised release. The offense occurred in early February 2021, while Brown was on supervised release for federal firearms offenses. A federal grand jury indicted Brown on September 21, 2021, for one count of distribution of a controlled substance. Brown was indicted for distributing crystal methamphetamine in Sauget, Ill., but evidence showed that Brown was also selling the drug in bulk from his residence in south St. Louis, Missouri. “Crystal methamphetamine is dangerous in any amount, no matter where it comes from,” United States Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe said. “With the assistance of our state and local partners, federal law enforcement officials will

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