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BRIGHTON — Amara, a 2-year-old toddler from Brighton, Illinois, is competing for the title of Toddler of the Year in an ongoing national contest. The competition, which involves multiple rounds of voting, is currently in its fourth round, set to conclude in the coming days. Amara must remain among the top five contestants to advance further in the contest. Amara lives at home with her parents and her oldest sister, who is nine years her senior. Her family describes her as "sweet, silly, and determined," noting that she has recently embraced her independence. “She is smart and determined and she never gives up. She is brave and fearless and loves her family hard,” parent Doni Smelser said. Her favorite activities include playing outside, especially jumping in puddles, playing in water, and enjoying swings and slides. Indoors, Amara enjoys magnatiles, dinosaurs, painting, baby dolls, her play kitchen, and playing doctor. If Amara wins the $25,000 prize, her family

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EDWARDSVILLE — A former Alton resident who lived under a false identity for decades in Michigan has been convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison for a 1994 shooting that injured a man. Robert D. Mason III, 54, pleaded guilty in Madison County Circuit Court to attempted murder and identity theft charges related to the shooting at an Alton residence. After the incident, Mason disappeared and the shooting charges remained unresolved for nearly 30 years. Mason was located earlier this year in Kalamazoo, Mich., following an investigation by Alton Police into an identity theft report. An Alton resident had alerted authorities that someone in Michigan was using his name for financial transactions. The investigation revealed Mason had stolen the victim’s birth certificate and Social Security card before fleeing Illinois. State’s Attorney Tom Haine praised the collaborative efforts of multiple agencies, including the U.S. Marshals Service, local police departments, an

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ALTON — The City of Alton announces the immediate temporary closure of the Hellrung Park Skate Park effective today, 08/21/2025, due to necessary repairs. This closure is essential to ensure the safety of all visitors and to address structural concerns identified during routine inspections. The city is actively working to obtain quotes and contractor proposals, with a Request for Proposal (RFP) being issued immediately to expedite the repair process. "We appreciate the community’s understanding and patience during this time," the city of Alton said. "The city remains committed to providing safe and enjoyable recreational spaces for residents and visitors alike."

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ALTON - Michael Gebben’s new book, “A Pause Practice,” encourages people to break out of their defaults, flip their perspectives, and take action. Gebben encourages people to feel their emotions and take actions that improve their lives. He believes a lot of people “default” back to safer patterns like procrastination and anxiety, but with practice, you can overcome these defaults and choose paths that set you up for success. “It’s to interrupt the autopilot, the automatic. That’s really the goal of it. We are so living through our subconscious where we’re just running on autopilot, everything we do,” Gebben explained. “It’s not our fault. It’s our default, and you can change the result.” For years, Gebben considered himself “the massive imperfect action guy” who was constantly moving and producing. When he found himself in a procrastination cycle three years ago, he began to

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GRANITE CITY – Two Granite City men with prior domestic battery convictions face new charges in their second and fourth domestic battery cases. Brian P. Watts, 33, of Granite City, was charged on Aug. 11, 2025 with two Class 2 felony counts of aggravated domestic battery, as well as his second or subsequent offense of domestic battery, a Class 4 felony. On Aug. 9, 2025, Watts allegedly struck a household or family member in the mouth with a closed fist, “causing two of the victim’s teeth to be forcibly knocked from her mouth,” according to charging documents. He was additionally accused of intentionally strangling the same victim. Watts reportedly punched the victim after they confronted him “about his drinking,” according to the state’s petition to deny his pretrial release from custody, which adds he strangled the victim as she attempted to flee. “She was able to get away and went to the police department, observed covered in

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BELLEVILLE – Residents of Belleville, Collinsville, and Venice face a variety of weapon-related charges in separate felony cases filed across Madison County. Isaiah A. Schneider, 22, of Belleville, was charged on Aug. 11, 2025 with one count of aggravated unlawful possession of weapons, a Class 4 felony. On Aug. 9, 2025, Schneider allegedly illegally possessed a CMD .22 caliber revolver which was uncased, loaded, and immediately accessible at the time of the offense, despite Schneider having no valid Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card. The Collinsville Police Department presented the case against Schneider, who was ordered released from custody pending trial. Jeremy A. Beyer, 28, of Collinsville, was charged in an unrelated case from Aug. 12, 2025 with a Class 2 felony count of unlawful possession of a stolen firearm. Beyer was reportedly found in possession of a Ruger LCP .380 caliber handgun which he knew to have been stolen on July 20, 2025. His case was

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ALTON - On August 19, 1925, Prudence Chappell, 29, and her 12-year-old sister Pearl were killed in an automobile accident. Prudence taught at Granite City Community High School and had been a teacher at Alton High School. She was an instructor in commercial subjects (she taught business classes) at the high school, and also organized a night business class in St. Louis, at Manchester and Taylor Avenues. After a month’s vacation around the Great Lakes, with visits to Chicago, Wisconsin, and Michigan, they were on their way back home for the start of the school year. Pearl, who suffered from heart disease and had been a patient at Children’s Hospital in St. Louis for nearly a year, was well enough to join Prudence for the trip. The Chappells were a quarter of a mile north of Dwight, Ill., when their Buick roadster skidded 200 feet on wet pavement and overturned. Prudence died instantly. Pearl was taken to a government hospital in Dwight, but died 12 hours later. Driving

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City of St. Louis Launches Landlord Inventory Survey to Help Tornado-Impacted Residents Find Rental Units Survey now open for landlords to list vacant rental units and build citywide housing inventory. Partners to support with resources and housing placement. ST. LOUIS—To increase access to safe and affordable housing for residents impacted by the May 16 tornado, the City of St. Louis Recovery Office, in partnership with the City’s Community Development Administration, is launching a new initiative aimed at connecting landlords with residents in need of housing. The landlord inventory survey comes as part of the commitment to supporting city residents impacted by the May 16 tornado in finding housing and ultimately staying in St. Louis. “Finding intermediate and long-term housing for impacted residents remains a top priority for the Recovery Office, and landlords play a critical role”, said Julian Nicks, chief recovery officer for the City of St. Louis. The

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RED BUD, IL. — A community park in Red Bud has received a vibrant new lease on life. Thanks to a strategic partnership between the City of Red Bud and national design firm Farnsworth Group, Ratz Memorial Park now features a brand-new splash pad and upgraded amenities designed to bring families together and boost local tourism. The transformation was made possible through an Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, secured with the support of Farnsworth Group’s planning and engineering team. “The grant was of utmost importance; in fact, I don't think the project would have happened without the grant,” said Red Bud Mayor Susan Harbaugh recently, celebrating the park’s reopening. At the heart of the renovation is a 2,000-square-foot splash pad, one of the most requested features by local families. The zero-depth water play area is fully ADA-compliant and designed for children of all

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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 17 attorneys general and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, today called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to remove burdensome restrictions on mifepristone, one of two drugs used in medication abortions. Raoul and the coalition submitted a filing presenting extensive evidence on the safety of medication abortion in their states as well as the burdens imposed by the FDA’s continued restrictions on mifepristone. In today’s filing (attached), Raoul and the coalition join and supplement a citizen petition filed with the FDA by Massachusetts, California, New Jersey and New York on June 5, urging the agency to eliminate unnecessary restrictions on this safe medication that make it much harder for patients to access medication abortions, particularly in rural and medically underserved areas. “The existing restrictions on mifepristone only serve to create unnecessary obstacles for patients

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BELLEVILLE — A 33-year-old woman from Mascoutah was struck and killed by a vehicle early Thursday morning, Aug. 21, 2025, in Belleville, police said. Officers from the Belleville Police Department responded at approximately 3:30 a.m. to a report of a pedestrian struck in the 900 block of South Greenmount Road. Upon arrival, officers and emergency medical personnel found the woman with life-threatening injuries. She was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. The driver involved fled the scene before first responders arrived. Investigators are actively working to identify and locate the suspect vehicle and driver. Authorities are asking anyone who witnessed the incident or has information about the suspect vehicle to contact the Belleville Police Department at (618) 234-1212 or submit an anonymous tip to the Crime Stoppers hotline at (866) 371-TIPS (8477).

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GODFREY — Illinois American Water crews began emergency repairs Thursday morning, Aug. 21, 2025, on Tomahawk Lane in Godfrey, prompting a boil water order for residents in the affected area. The repairs, related to fire hydrant maintenance, started at 8:30 a.m. and are expected to last approximately five to six hours. During this time, residents may experience service interruptions or low water pressure, according to Illinois American Water. Officials advised that water used for drinking or cooking should be boiled for five minutes before use. However, water remains safe for bathing, washing, and other common activities. Landlords with water service accounts were urged to notify their tenants about the boil order promptly. Illinois American Water emphasized safety precautions, asking residents not to approach crews during the repair work. The utility will notify residents when the boil water order is lifted. For more information and to view a map of the affected area, resident

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SPRINGFIELD — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to consider urgent approval of a potentially life-saving treatment for four-year-old Lottie Milburn, a Springfield child diagnosed with Sanfilippo Syndrome — a rare and fatal genetic disorder that affects the brain and spinal cord. In a letter to the agency , Budzinski encouraged the FDA to consider expediting its review of the resubmitted Biologics License Application (BLA) for Ultragenyx’s UX111 gene therapy. The treatment has shown promising results in clinical trials and offers new hope for families affected by Sanfilippo Syndrome. “Historically, BLA reviews can take up to six months — time that many families simply don’t have,” Budzinski wrote. “Acting swiftly to approve UX111 could save the lives of thousands of children who are running out of time.” She continued, “As such, I encourage the FDA to review the

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JACKSONVILLE — State Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Murrayville) is pleased to announce the third winning entry in his 100th District Photo Contest. The winning photograph, captured by Kathy Caruthers of Waverly, will be proudly displayed in Rep. Davidsmeyer’s Springfield office at the Illinois State Capitol. The contest invited residents from across the 100th District to submit photographs reflecting the character and charm of the region. Submissions included images of local landmarks, scenic views, and moments of vibrant community life — all showcasing the district’s diverse beauty. Caruthers’ winning photo features a row of grain bins set against a backdrop of heavy clouds, capturing a familiar and timeless scene in rural Illinois. The image highlights the importance of agriculture in the region and reflects the quiet strength of the 100th District’s farming communities. It reflects the agricultural heart of the 100th District and the resilience

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HARDIN - The Calhoun County Fair promises a fun weekend of carnivals, pageants, tractor pulls and more fun, all with the goal of benefiting the Calhoun County community. Patrick Simon, president of the Calhoun County Fair Association, noted that the fair is a chance to bring families together and celebrate the county. He expressed his excitement to share the family-friendly fair atmosphere with residents of Calhoun County and beyond. “The Calhoun County Fair is the classic Midwestern American fair,” Simon said. “I feel like the county of 5,000 people grows to 10 or 15,000 when you get all of those people together. It is the classic Americana fair. Our motto at the Fair Association is to provide safe, affordable family fun, and that’s what we’ve really tried to do this year.” The fair kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, with a talent show at 7 p.m. and a 7:30 p.m. concert featuring Nashville headliner Jake Maurer and an opening performance

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SOUTH HOLLAND – Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined the Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB), and local elected officials for a ceremonial groundbreaking at South Suburban College (SSC). The college’s new Allied Health & Nursing Center will expand the college’s capacity to train healthcare professionals, directly benefitting Illinois students and the surrounding communities. “As the demand for quality healthcare only continues to grow, it is absolutely vital that we invest in the next generation of care professionals,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “From the brand-new state-of-the-art classrooms to the advanced simulation labs, SSC’s Allied Health & Nursing Center is a shining example of our vision for Illinois community colleges as engines of economic and educational opportunity. Future graduates will make up the next wave of skilled nurses, medical technicians, and allied health specialists that can help fill healthcare needs up and down

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CHICAGO – As part of the continued push to meet residents where they are and have services fit into their busy schedules, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has partnered with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) to re-establish new vehicle emissions testing locations for residents within the City of Chicago. “For too long, Chicagoans have been forced to travel long distances for routine vehicle emissions testing, which needs to happen every two years. Working with the IEPA, we have developed a modern and convenient alternative within the City of Chicago,” Giannoulias said. “Bringing services to people where they need them, reducing the hassle and sparing a trip to the suburbs will go a long way toward improving the lives of Chicago area drivers and vehicle owners.” “Mobile Test Units (MTUs) provide a convenient option for motorists to get their vehicle tested,” said Illinois EPA Acting Director James Jennings.

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EDWARDSVILLE – An approximately $700,000 improvement project is set to begin Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, to replace and upgrade the water main on Cass Avenue between North Kansas and North Buchanan streets. The project will include the installation of an 8-inch water main, replacing an older and smaller series of mains that now serve this area. This portion of Cass Avenue also will be resurfaced and new hydrants will be installed. The replacement project will bring improved long-term reliability and water flow in this area. Local traffic access is expected to be maintained during construction; however, some delays and access limitations are likely in the immediate area where workers are present. Weather permitting, this work is expected to wrap up before November. As part of the project, water service lines will be moved to the new water main. While the transfers are being made from each water service line, water customers can expect a temporary service disruption and will need

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GRAFTON - QEM Fire Protection District will host a blood drive to benefit the community. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, community members can stop by QEM Fire Protection District at 14905 Elsah Road in Grafton to donate blood. ImpactLife will run the drive, while the firefighters will be happy to answer questions, show off their firetrucks, and share their facility with the public. “The nation is low on blood,” said firefighter Cameron Mank. “We had a space to use, so we’ll utilize it to give an opportunity to help a little bit more.” Anybody who donates blood that day will be entered into a drawing for the chance to win two tickets to Guns ‘N Hoses. This event, scheduled for November in St. Louis, supports The BackStoppers through boxing matches between police officers and firefighters. You can click here to schedule an appointment to give blood, or walk-ins are also welcome. For more information about the QEM

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COLLINSVILLE — After a three-year pause, the Collinsville Police Department is restarting its Citizen Police Academy to foster better understanding and cooperation between law enforcement and the community. The program, designed to educate residents about the criminal justice system and everyday police work, will run for eight weeks beginning Sept. 23, 2025. Sessions will be held on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 9 p.m. and led by Sergeant Josh Hunt and Sergeant Jay Edwards. “The goal of our Citizens’ Police Academy is to promote understanding between our police officers and the residents we serve regarding their respective needs and problems,” the department said in a statement. “By promoting this relationship, the hope is that our residents and police can work together to make the entire community a safer place to live.” The academy offers a hands-on approach, allowing participants to observe and learn about various aspects of law enforcement.

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