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ALTON - The Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club installed Antione E. Williams as the new president as it begins its 102nd year of service on July 1, 2022. The theme for the new Rotary year is Imagine Rotary, which comes at this unique time when Antione becomes the first African American to be elected president of the Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club. At the same time, Rotary International has chosen Jennifer E. Jones from Canada to be the organization’s president, becoming the first woman to hold that position, and the theme is her choice. This year, at the club’s new officer installation meeting, Williams received the gavel from club president, Steve Schwartz, installing Antione as president of the Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club. Antione’s vision for the year includes continuing the community service the club has been doing, remaining strong and becoming stronger, and to expand diversity within the local club. In addition, Antione plans to increase membership, complete the park on Third

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EDWARDSVILLE - Madison County Clerk Debbie Mendoza declares that as of 3 p.m. Tuesday, voting turnout can be described as “slow.” She said she is in hopes there could be a rush the rest of the day to push voter turnout into double digits, but in reality, the final tallies could be in the teens. Mendoza says so far as county ballot counting, things are "going OK." “There were a few morning jitters and some tabulator issues, but right now things are running smoothly. Right now, I don’t know of any big problems,” she said. Mendoza said with redistricting, her group has been asked about polling places numerous times today. Jersey County Clerk Pam Warford said polling places are busy in her area. "Turnout seems to be decent, but not overwhelming by any means at most locations," she said. "We have several local races on the Republican ballot that have created interest. We had about 800-900 with early voting and vote by mail." Both county clerks reminded th

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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced that a Staunton man was charged with disseminating child pornography. The case is part of Raoul’s ongoing work to collaborate with federal law enforcement agencies and local law enforcement officials throughout Illinois to apprehend offenders who download and trade child pornography online. Alex L. Ivey, 32, of Staunton, Illinois, was charged in Macoupin County Circuit Court with 10 counts of dissemination of child pornography, each a Class X felony punishable by six to 30 years in prison, and five counts of possession of child pornography, each a Class 2 felony punishable by three to seven years in prison. Ivey’s bond is set at $400,000, and his next court date is scheduled for July 12. “Online child exploitation is not a victimless crime, and individuals who are engaged in the distribution of child pornography need to be held accountable,” Raoul said. “I appreciate the assistance of the Macoupin

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CHESTERFIELD, MO. - Logan University is proud to host the St. Louis 2022 World Para Powerlifting Parapan American Open Championships. This will be the first time an international competition for the sport of Para powerlifting is hosted in the United States. The events will run from July 8 – 11 at the William D.Purser, DC Center at Logan University located at 1851 Schoettler Rd, Chesterfield, MO 63017. The competition is open to athletes from all over the world and will include 20 individual medal events and one mixed team event. Pan American athletes (North America, South America, and Central America) must participate in this competition to qualify for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, but the competition will be welcoming athletes from more than 25 countries. Practiced in nearly 100 countries from all continents, Para powerlifting represents the ultimate test of upper body strength in which athletes compete in the bench press discipline. Competitors must lower the

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SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a total of $9,818,557 in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grants to support Head Start services for children under the age of five in receiving wrap-around support in early learning and development. The funding will go to Wabash Area Development, Inc. and Parent & Child Together for West Central Illinois, allocating $5,218,606 and $4,599,951 to the organizations respectively. “This federal investment will be put toward building the foundation for lifelong success for children by supporting their early learning, health, and family well-being,” Durbin said. “I hope these organizations will thrive and open up new opportunities to local Illinois families with this extra support." “When we support kids by investing in early childhood education and parental support programs, we give our kids a fair shot at reaching for and achieving

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FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS - IMPACT Strategies is beginning the interior build-out of ten additional bedrooms for Covenant House Missouri’s short-term shelter program on their main campus. Covenant House Missouri is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving homeless, runaway, and at-risk youth between the ages of 16-24 in the city of St. Louis. The project will create additional bedrooms, moving the short-term housing floor from ten double occupancy bedrooms to twenty single occupancy bedrooms. By providing individual bedrooms for all young people staying in the short-term program, the organization can elevate its ability to be COVID-19 responsive. Single occupancy bedrooms provide a safer way to quarantine if there is a case on campus. In addition to sleeping areas, the renovations will include additional restrooms, laundry rooms, offices, and common spaces. “Our goal is to provide safety, security, and dignity to all young people in our housing programs. Creating a space

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WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator and combat Veteran Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced the appointments of 11 Illinois students she nominated to attend a United States Military Service Academy. Each year Duckworth, along with a nomination committee, selects from hundreds of Illinois high school applicants a group of outstanding students to receive Congressional nominations to attend West Point, the Air Force Academy, the Naval Academy, or the Merchant Marine Academy. “It takes a special kind of young person to succeed at a U.S. Military Service Academy,” Duckworth said. “The rigorous nomination process demands outstanding test scores, a high GPA, and a commitment to community service, and these outstanding future leaders deserve our admiration and respect for making it through this process and receiving these appointments. I am eager to see them represent Illinois well in the years to come, and I’m so proud of their desire to serve our country.”

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PRAIRIE DU ROCHER, IL – Officials with the Prairie du Rocher Chamber of Commerce and Community Foundation are excited to announce plans for their 300 th birthday celebration. It is a two-day gathering that will take place July 9 th and 10 th at the Historic Brickey Lot on Market Street. This event kicks off on Saturday at 1:00 PM and the second day of action picks up again on Sunday at noon. The birthday celebration is open to all ages and will have a children’s area, a quilt show, 50/50 raffles, vendor and craft fair, a phantom funeral reenactment, and much more. Live music begins Saturday with music from Creole Stomp from 2-3:30, Mandy Heinemann from 4-5:30 PM, and Backwoods from 6-8 PM. The headliner on Saturday is the legendary classic rock band Head East, which will take the stage at 8:30 PM. Following their performance, the band will sign autographs. More live entertainment is set for Sunday, with Dennis Stroughmatt et L’Esprit Creole playing from 12:30-2

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SWANSEA - Holland Construction Services has announced the hiring of six new employees for its growing operations team. The new employees include Senior Project Manager Joe Riassetto, Project Manager Andrew Bernard, Assistant Project Manager Ryan Favier, and Project Engineers Andrew Goetz, James Schiber-Arciga, and Paityn Jansen. “Holland will reach several new milestones in 2022 including record revenue and number of new employees,” said Holland’s President Mike Marchal. “We have added 25 new team members since January and will add another 15 over the next several months. A labor shortage in the construction industry does exist, but fortunately, we have been able to attract top talent and we are excited about the future.” Despite construction industry challenges that are being felt nationwide, including material shortages and cost escalation, increasing borrowing costs, and continued subcontractor labor shortages, the company also has a record numbe

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JERSEY - The Jersey County Sheriff's Office is seeking information about a hit-and-run traffic crash that occurred recently on U.S. Highway 67 at Tolman Road that involved the pictured vehicle. If you have any information regarding the crash or recognize the vehicle, contact the Jersey County Sheriff's Office at (618) 498-6881. Any information obtained from the public will be passed on to investigators in the case.

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CHICAGO — Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced that more than 160 teams of assistant attorneys general and investigators from his office will be monitoring the primary election throughout Illinois on Tuesday, June 28, to ensure that voters’ rights are protected and polling places are accessible. Raoul is also encouraging voters to be aware that polling places, particularly those located at nursing homes or senior centers, are subject to change due to concerns related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Voters should confirm their polling places with their local election authorities or the Illinois State Board of Elections . Raoul urged voters to call his office if they encounter suspected improper or illegal activity. Chicago and northern Illinois voters can call 1-866-536-3496 (TTY 1-800-964-3013). Central and southern Illinois voters can call 1-866-559-6812 (TTY 1-877-844-5461). Attorney General Raoul reminded voters of some of their basic voting rights: Vot

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ROXANA - The Roxana High School baseball team is one that is very young. They only lost four seniors this season and have a ton of room to grow. Elias Thies will be a junior in the fall and looks forward to becoming one of the leaders on the team. "I like the role," he said. "I like to help all these young kids get better. That's just what I like to do." The team won't be as young next season as they'll roster seven seniors and four juniors. When Thies isn't in the outfield, he can also pitch with the best of them. Thies is a Midwest Members Credit Union Male Athlete of the Month for Roxana. As a matter of fact, Roxana's 1-2-3 pitchers will all be returning next season. Thies, Jon Webb, and Nick Cotter combined to make 34 pitching appearances last season totaling 90 innings. Thies led the team with 59 strikeouts through his 11 games played averaging more than five K's a game. Not only that, but he's arguably the team's best hitter. He boasted a team-high .440 batting average

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SPRINGFIELD, MO. - Earning a spot on Drury University's Dean's List is a significant accomplishment. The recognition means a student earned a grade point average of 3.6 or greater (on a 4-point scale) while carrying a full-time course load of 12 or more semester hours at Drury, a top Midwestern university, according to US News & World Report. In the spring semester, the following student(s) made the day school Dean's list: East Alton, IL Hannah Ritter, Metro East Lutheran Hs Edwardsville, IL Robyn Herndon, Edwardsville Senior Hs Glen Carbon, IL Josie Bushell, Edwardsville Senior Hs Godfrey, IL Wes Laaker, Alton High School Jerseyville, IL Jeremy Vanost, Jersey Community High School

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ST. LOUIS - Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE) announced today that Leonard "Lenny" Singh, an executive with more than 30 years of utility experience, will be the next chairman and president of Ameren Illinois, an electric and natural gas delivery utility subsidiary of Ameren Corporation. Singh joins Ameren on July 1 and will assume the role when Richard Mark retires on Aug. 1 . Singh has extensive experience in both electric and natural gas operations. He most recently served as senior vice president for Consolidated Edison Company of New York. "Lenny's deep experience and industry knowledge are well-suited to lead service to our 1.2 million electric customers and more than 800,000 natural gas customers in the state of Illinois," said Marty Lyons, chief executive officer of Ameren. "He has a proven track record of developing and executing strategic plans as well as demonstrating a steadfast focus on safety, customer satisfaction, continuous improvement, action, and accountability.

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ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Jewish Community Center’s biannual Used Book Sale returns from August 28-September 1 with offerings in every genre, including mysteries, general fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, and much more. “The Used Book Sale at the J is a great place to find amazing bargains and valuable collectibles, “said Lynn Wittels, President, and CEO of the J. “The sale is well recognized by book dealers and the literature community as being among the best in the St. Louis region.” Preview day is Sunday, August 28 from 10 am-4 pm with a $10 admission and free admission begins on Monday. Hours are 10 am-7 pm Monday-Wednesday and on Thursday customers can fill a bag for $5 between 10 am and 6 pm. Masks are required for entry. For updated and complete information visit https://jccstl.com/programs/used-book-sale/ .

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ALTON - Alton Police officers were visible at a crime scene in a parking lot next to the Alton Amphitheater early Tuesday morning. Crime scene tape was placed in a wide area around the parking lot and officers were visible investigating and on standby. The pictured vehicle was removed from the scene by a towing company in the 5:30 a.m. range Tuesday. Alton Police Chief Marcos Pulido said information will be released about the crime scene situation soon as more details are confirmed. More To Come.

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MENDON, MO. - Amtrak has confirmed that a Southwest Chief Train 4, traveling eastbound on BNSF track from Los Angeles to Chicago, derailed at 1:42 p.m. on Monday, June 27, 2022. Amtrak said 8 cars and 2 locomotives derailed after striking a dump truck that was obstructing a public crossing near Mendon, Mo. "There were 243 passengers and 12 crew members on board with early reports of injuries," Amtrak said. "Local authorities are currently assisting customers. Our Incident Response Team has been activated, and we are deploying emergency personnel to the scene to help support our passengers, our employees, and their families with their needs." Amtrak said individuals with questions about their friends and family who were traveling aboard the train should call 1-800-523-9101. University of Missouri Health Care, a hospital in Columbia, Missouri, has received patients from the derailment.

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GODFREY – The RiverBend Growth Association recently helped two of its member businesses mark their 10-year anniversaries with celebrations that included special ribbon-cutting ceremonies coordinated by RBGA staff and members. Marking these milestones were Green Tree Inn of Elsah and Olive Oil Marketplace. Olive Oil Marketplace hosted its 10th-anniversary celebration with the RBGA on June 3, 2022. Sharing in the day’s celebration were approximately 35 RBGA and community members, along with Alton Mayor David Goins. A live broadcast with radio personality Asher Benrubi, better known as “Smash,” on Big Z Media’s WBGZ/MyMix Radio featured several on-site interviews as well. Attendees enjoyed cake and ice cream, and a chance to savor their Get-R-Smoked Pulled Pork along with other signature recipe dishes. Also on hand were local vendors sharing products carried in Olive Oil Marketplace’s store. There were drawings for a variety of local restaurant gift

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HARDIN - Calhoun County voters will have the chance to elect some new representatives to important county-level offices during the Calhoun County Primary Elections Tuesday night. Mark S. Marshall II is running on the Republican ticket for Calhoun County Sheriff, while Jeffrey Herkert is running on the Democratic ticket. The eventual winner will go on to replace incumbent Sheriff William “Bill” Heffington, who was first elected in 2006. Two Democrats, Keisha L. Morris and Stephen George Friedel, are seeking their party’s nomination for Calhoun County State’s Attorney - as is Republican Lucas J. Fanning. The eventual winner will go on to replace incumbent Calhoun County State’s Attorney Richard. J. Ringhausen. Democrat Amy Friedel is running for Calhoun County Clerk and Recorder unopposed, replacing incumbent Republican County Clerk Rita Hagen who will not seek re-election. Lisa R. Roth is seeking re-election as the Democratic nominee for Calhoun

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Madison County Sheriff's Office and Madison County Coroner's Office were both called to the scene for a death investigation around 1:20 p.m. on Friday near Illinois Route 157 and Pentecostal Lane in the county. Madison County Coroner Steve Nonn said during the investigation at the scene, they determined the death was "not nefarious" "or criminal." He also said there would not be anything more released until the final toxicology reports were returned.

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