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CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Cory Booker (D-NJ), led 45 colleagues in urging President Biden to continue putting his full attention on the freeing of American hostages that were taken by Hamas during the terrorist organization’s October 7 th attacks on Israel and supporting Israel’s efforts to dismantle the threat of Hamas. In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “We appreciate that you have sent the U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs to Israel to assist in the recovery of the hostages, and we urge you to do everything in your power to secure their safe release. Hamas has already killed 30 Americans and likely injured many more… The terrorists responsible for these atrocities hide behind human shields while they threaten to livestream the execution of hostages. Hamas has also reportedly demanded the mass release of prisoners in exchange for freeing

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EDWARDSVILLE - Three Edwardsville firemen were recently promoted and took their new Oaths of Office at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2023. Captain Robert “Bob” Morgan was promoted to Assistant Fire Chief, Lieutenant Edward Burnley was promoted to Fire Captain, and Firefighter/Paramedic Tanner Sweetman was promoted to Fire Lieutenant. Edwardsville Fire Chief James Whiteford said Morgan has served as Captain since 2009 and has been unofficially acting as Fire Marshal for several years - this promotion will make those duties official, he said. Burnley started with the department in 2012 and has served as Lieutenant for just over a year, Chief Whiteford said. He added Burnley also leads the Technical Rescue activities training for the department and Madison County as a whole. Burnley’s promotion will fill Morgan’s former position as Captain. Sweetman’s promotion fills Burnley’s former position as Lieutenant. Chief Whiteford

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ALTON - For those who need a mid-week break, Café 111 has got you covered with the introduction of Wine Down Wednesdays. From 4–7 p.m. every Wednesday, you can stop by Café 111 for a signature cocktail and a relaxing night out. Jason Harrison, CEO of Lamays Catering, explained the goal of Wine Down Wednesdays is to bring people together, whether you like wine or not. “We will have a weekly signature cocktail with a mix of classic and creative options,” Harrison said. “For those who don’t drink alcohol but still would like to experience a great ambiance with board games and networking, we will also have a signature mocktail.” The café serves a variety of soups, wings and other light appetizers you can enjoy with your drink. Wine Down Wednesday kicks off on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. Check out the official Café 111 Facebook page and website for specials, or stop by their location at 111 E. 4th Street in Alton

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ALTON - A Barbecue and Fish Weekend will be hosted by Millennium Temple on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023, and Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, at Mr. Everything at 211 E. Elm St. in Alton. The days festivities begin at 11 a.m each day. The festivities include a wide variety of dinners from the fish dinners, fish sandwich, pork steak dinners and pork steak sandwiches. To place your order contact (618) 410-3346 or visit the location on one of those two days.

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CARLINVILLE – Taylor Pensoneau is still amazed at the popularity of his books on Southern Illinois gangsters, Brothers Notorious: The Sheltons and Dapper & Deadly. “The response to my books on gangsters has been far beyond my expectations,” said Pensoneau, a former political writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch . “I will go to my grave still cherishing the overflow crowds at the early book signings for both of them. At the coming-out signing for Dapper & Deadly, we sold over 1,000 books.” Pensoneau will discuss his books on gangsters in a free program at the Carlinville Public Library at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday evening, Oct. 19. The Shelton brothers were among the most famous of bootleggers in southern Illinois during Prohibition, and were described by the Saturday Evening Post as “America’s Bloodiest Gang.” Dapper & Deadly covers the life of Charlie Harris, another of southern Illinois’ notable gangsters who was allegedly

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ALTON - For a man who has worked with countless celebrities, Stevon Houston is something of a celebrity himself as he prepares to join In Marilyn’s Care Beauty and Barber Salon in Alton. In Marilyn’s Care, located at 235 E. Delmar Road, opened in August to a huge response from Riverbend residents. Now, owner Marilyn Minor has joined forces with Houston, a longtime friend and popular stylist who has helped entertainers like MC Hammer, Eddie Fisher and En Vogue develop their signature style. “They were kind of introverted when they came to me. They really didn’t have a voice when it came to their look, because they had no idea how they should look,” Houston remembered. Houston started his career in California, where he quickly gained a reputation as someone who could help hopeful performers. He joked that MC Hammer looked “real nerdy” before Houston gave him the wave style that made him recognizable. As Houston’s work spread, he

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ALTON - Angie Rand Schweppe was a prominent Altonian, animal lover, women’s suffrage activist, and much more. She was recently portrayed by Debbie Maneke for this year’s Vintage Voices Tour at the Alton Cemetery. “I’m Angie, and I do love animals - I love all creatures, really,” Maneke said as Schweppe. “My dear friend Sophia Duluth and I founded the Alton Chapter of the National Humane Society.” Schweppe then recalled a tale about a high school biology teacher who had been practicing “feline dissection” in his classes. After learning about this, she rounded up the school board and State’s Attorney, who helped write a new law against feline dissection practices. The biology teacher not only stopped the dissections, but suffered a cut to his salary - Schweppe passed copies of the new law around the school district to ensure such an incident would not happen again. While she was originally from Maine, Schweppe settled

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ALTON – Today, the city of Alton is proud to announce its commitment toward becoming a UNICEF Child Friendly City in partnership with UNICEF USA. Alton will set forth on an ambitious, multi-year process to increase youth inclusion and well-being and joins just a handful of pioneering cities and municipalities in the U.S. working to obtain and uphold this important designation. The UNICEF Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) is a framework through which communities prioritize the needs of children and young people, combat discrimination, and elevate child and youth voices in local governance and decision making. This recognition is a comprehensive process that involves local, civic and government leaders, volunteers and residents working closely with the city’s youth to determine the specific needs of children in the Alton community. “I am excited about the city of Alton partnering with UNICEF USA to become a Child Friendly City,” said City of Alton Mayor,

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EDWARDSVILLE - Alton High boys soccer forward Dillan Cowan concluded his season on Tuesday night against Edwardsville and he ended up being the Redbirds leading scorer for the season. Cowan was forced to sit out the Redbirds' 3-0 loss to Edwardsville in the IHSA Class 3A regional semifinals on Oct. 17, 2023, at Tiger Stadium in Edwardsville, due to an ankle injury he suffered during the pregame warmups. It was a big blow to the team, as they had lost their leading goal scorer, who scored 14 during the regular season. After a slow start this season, Cowan helped lead the Redbirds to a great second half, which saw Alton win five of their final eight regular season games, which was their goal, and end the season 6-13-0. It was a great accomplishment for the Redbirds and serves them well in the 2024 campaign and beyond. "We didn't start out how we wanted," Cowan said during a post-match interview, "but we still came out every night and competed and competed. And then, our goal was five

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BETHALTO - The Cross-River Crime Task Force recently completed a deployment in the Bethalto area. On Oct. 12, members of the task force, working with the Madison County Sheriff’s Enforcement Team (SET) and Bethalto Police Department, conducted a deployment in the Bethalto, Cottage Hills and Meadowbrook areas. The deployment was conducted from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. During the enforcement detail, officers: • Conducted 76 traffic stops • Made five warrant arrests • Made one arrest for unlawful use of a weapon • Seized approximately 20 grams of suspected methamphetamine and a small amount of suspected heroin/fentanyl capsules. The Cross-River Crime Task Force, comprised of officers from police agencies across the county, uses realtime data from Automated License Plate Readers in conjunction with saturation patrols to stem the flow of crime into Madison County from across the Mississippi River. Since its inception in early 2021, the unit has completed multiple deployment

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BELLEVILLE – Thanks to advocacy from state Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, $580,000 in state grants through the Rebuild Illinois capital program have been issued for local projects – including support for St. Clair Associated Vocational Enterprises (SAVE), building improvements for the Swansea Police Department, infrastructure reconstruction at Belleville’s Bicentennial Park and highway equipment to support local services in St. Clair Township. “This funding is going to help community assets in their mission of serving resident needs,” Hoffman said. “I appreciate the work put in by local leaders to successfully receive these grants, and I look forward to the positive impact they will have.” Funding released by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) includes: - $200,000 to the City of Belleville for Bicentennial Park’s spillway reconstruction to prevent erosion and better handle major storms, - $180,000 to

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GLEN CARBON – Two Girl Scouts from Southern Illinois – Megan Roseman from Collinsville and Elizabeth Back from Anna – got to take their Girl Scout adventures to exciting new heights this summer. Girl Scout Destinations are the ultimate adventure for Girl Scouts in grades 6-12. Destinations are designed to push girls past their comfort zones by applying for trips on their own and making friends from all over the country as they travel with new Girl Scout friends. Destinations prove to be unique, life-changing experiences for girls who choose to go on these adventures. Megan’s Girl Scout Destination took her to the great state of Texas for “Biomedical Engineering Immersion” at Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas’s STEM Center of Excellence. At this Destination, girls explored careers in biomedical engineering through hands-on experimental learning, while also experiencing the adventure of high ropes, archery, and traditional Girl Scout camping

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) is targeting vehicle theft, hijacking, and related violence crimes using a $10 million Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Council grant from the Illinois Secretary of State. “To stop vehicle theft and hijacking crimes, the Illinois State Police utilizes increased patrol presence, air operations support, automated license plate readers, investigations, and forensic services,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. From July through September 2023, ISP missions resulted in the following: Vehicles recovered – stolen and/or hijacked 290 Stolen vehicle arrests 24 Hijacked vehicle arrests 3 Firearms seized as a result of stolen/hijacked vehicle recovery 9 Missions targeting stolen/hijacked vehicle recovery and related violent crime 59

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ALTON - Alton firefighters battled a serious blaze at a vacant house in the 200 block of Main Street in Alton on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. Alton Fire Chief Jesse Jemison said the fire call came in at 9:17 a.m. on Wednesday. Jemison said the Illinois State Fire Marshal has also been called to the scene to investigate. “Our firefighters did a great job and got it under control in about 15 minutes after getting set up,” the chief added. “The house has been vacant for years and there is evidence people have been squatting there. It is being investigated although the fire marshal didn’t say there was any obvious cause of the fire yet.” The chief said the Alton firefighters always respond quickly and this time they had the fire extinguished in a quick fashion.

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ALTON - Two students were recognized for their character at the recent Alton Community Unit School District #11 (ACUSD11) Board of Education meeting. The Board honored Miguel Hernandez and Jack Phillips as the Optimist Students of the Month during their regular meeting on Oct. 17, 2023. This award signifies that both students are kind and hardworking. Dr. Cindy Inman, the principal of Alton Middle School, introduced Hernandez and commended his good character. She noted that he is always empathetic and “exhibits qualities that most eighth graders do not have.” “He is the kindest person I’ve ever met,” she said. “Miguel made the statement — and this goes to show what type of student, what kind of human being he is — Miguel states he loves when he helps others that are in need. And that is a good thing for a middle school student.” Inman also read comments from a few of Hernandez’s teachers, who all highlighted his empathy

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EDWARDSVILLE - If you ask Clarinda Martin, owner of a new Edwardsville children’s boutique, raising a child takes “a village and a wine rack.” Two years ago, Martin opened the Charlie Rae boutique online to sell quality kids clothing at an affordable price. This week, she is welcoming local customers to her new storefront, located at 100 N. Main Street in Edwardsville. Her grand opening on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, promises giveaways and mimosas as she hopes to entice parents who know parenthood isn’t always picturesque. “I just feel like everybody is so focused on being the perfect parent and the perfect mom. I mean, I really don’t think that’s reality for anybody,” Martin said. “I want to build a community around being a real person and a real parent. Kids are messy. Life is incredibly messy. And so I just want to make some aspect of it easier.” The Charlie Rae boutique offers clothing for babies and kids. From fun

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GLEN CARBON - Sophomore Sarah Hyten had one of the most dominant golf seasons in all of the St. Louis Metro-East area. Countless regular-season medalist honors, new personal and school records all but prepared her for an impressive post-season run. When it mattered most, she continued to play well, and that's why Sarah is a Byron, Carlson, Petri & Kalb LLC Athlete of the Month for the Father McGivney Griffins. She began her playoff run with a first-place finish in the Alton (Marquette) Regional held at Spencer T. Olin Golf Course. She shot a 4-over-par 76 and helped her team finish second-place, qualifying them all for the sectional. At the Roxana Sectional, held at Belk Park Golf Course in Wood River, Hyten took second with a 2-under-par 70. Her play once again helped her team move on as the Griffins took third as a team at the sectional, qualifying them for the state tournament. At the state tournament Hyten shot a two-day score of 156 which earned her a tie in ninth place.

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ALTON - The Junior League of Greater Alton’s Women’s Empowerment Scholarship is helping one Alton woman follow her career path in a new direction. Kenita Jalivay, 47, is a former English teacher and program manager who served as a mentor to at-risk students in Philadelphia for 17 years, before returning to Southern Illinois to be closer to family. Today, she’s studying Nursing at Lewis and Clark Community College, and plans to graduate with her Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) in Spring 2025. After completing her degree, she’ll sit for the NCLEX licensure exam to become a registered nurse (RN). “I realized that I still want to serve children, just not in a classroom setting,” she said. “L&C’s Nursing program offers me the opportunity to train for a very important role, mid-career, as a pediatric nurse. In this capacity, I'll still have the opportunity to bring love and joy to children in serious need.” Long-term, her goal

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ROXANA - Senior Reagan Lynn ended her golf career on a high note. After the Shells didn't move on as a team from the Alton (Marquette) Regional, Lynn qualified for the Roxana Sectional as a top-10 individual. She shot an 89 at Spencer T. Olin Golf Course in the regional to advance. At the sectional, held at a familiar Belk Park Golf Course in Wood River, Lynn shot an 89 again, missing out on the state tournament, but ending the season with some good play. For her efforts out on the links this season, Reagan Lynn is a Midwest Members Credit Union Athlete of the Month for Roxana High School. Reagan will soon be preparing for soccer season where she's been a key player for the Shells. A season ago she scored eight goals and had 11 assists.

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CARLINVILLE - As the autumn air sets in, the Blackburn College Department of Music & Theatre is pleased to announce its highly anticipated Fall performance schedule. Talented students will perform an array of captivating musical moments that will resonate with both the campus and the community. With a lineup that showcases a mix of styles, the College invites the campus and community to celebrate the season with Blackburn. Performances for the Fall of 2023 include: Blackburn Music Showcase - Bothwell Auditorium (Friday, October 27 at 7:00 pm) The Blackburn Music Showcase will feature the Blackburn College Choir, along with several student soloists performing a variety of music representing the group’s upcoming season. This showcase is directed by Dr. Joseph Welch, Professor of Music at Blackburn, and accompaniment will be provided by adjunct professor Dr. See Tsai Chan. Dream On: A Rock Concert - Bothwell Auditorium (Friday, November 17 at 7:00 pm) A special rock concert

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