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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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CARROLLTON - The Greene County Primary Elections are today - while there won’t be much competition at the county level, voters will have the opportunity to elect a new County Clerk and possibly some new County Board members. Arieanna Morris is seeking the Democratic nomination for Greene County Clerk, while Melissa Schnelt Carter will run for the Republican nomination. Incumbent Greene County Clerk Deborah Banghart will not seek re-election. Incumbent Republican Kirby L. Ballard is seeking re-election as Greene County Treasurer unopposed. Greene County’s incumbent Democrat Sheriff, Rob McMillen, will also seek re-election unopposed. Incumbent Democrat Michelle Mueller will also seek re-election as the Regional Superintendent of Schools for Calhoun, Greene, Jersey and Greene Counties. Greene County will also see several candidates run for County Board seats - voters must vote for no more than seven, according to the Greene County sample ballot for this election.

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ROLLA, Mo. - Approximately 1,000 students received degrees from Missouri University of Science and Technology during four commencement ceremonies held on campus this past May. A ceremony for Ph.D. graduates was held Saturday, May 7, at Leach Theatre. Ceremonies for undergraduates and students earning master's degrees were held Friday, May 13, and Saturday, May 14, at the Gale Bullman Building. Missouri S&T awards bachelor of science, bachelor of arts, master of science and doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees. Missouri S&T has traditionally recognized graduates earning a bachelor's degree with honors by placing the designation "summa cum laude," "magna cum laude" or "cum laude" on their diplomas. The highest honor, summa cum laude, is awarded to students who have earned a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.8 or above on a 4.0 scale for all courses counting toward the degree. Magna cum laude is the designation for a GPA of 3.5 to 3.79, and cum laude indicates a GPA of 3.2-3.49.

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ST. LOUIS - As City of St. Louis residents prepare for the Independence Day weekend, the City Emergency Management Agency (CEMA), St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD), Fire Department, and City of St. Louis Department of Health are reminding residents that shooting off fireworks in the city is both illegal and dangerous . Every year across the country, about 10,000 people are treated for injuries in hospital emergency departments due to the mishandling of live, misfired and waste consumer fireworks. “Heading into the Fourth of July, public safety leaders are coming together to remind St. Louisans that setting off fireworks in the City is both illegal and dangerous,” said Interim Public Safety Director Dr. Dan Isom. “Stay safe by enjoying one of our region’s great fireworks shows, like the one Downtown in Kiener Plaza.” Setting off fireworks is against the law in the City of St. Louis, and extended periods of dry weather create conditions

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MT. VERNON - State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Zone 7 agents are investigating a Mt. Vernon Police Department (MVPD) officer-involved shooting at the request of MVPD. The incident occurred on June 25, 2022, at approximately 11:54 p.m. near 42 nd Street at Veterans Avenue in Mt. Vernon. Preliminary information indicates MVPD officers responded to a call of a home invasion involving a firearm on Wescott Avenue in Mt. Vernon. As officers arrived on scene, they saw a vehicle leaving the area and MVPD officers attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle fled from officers and crashed a short distance later near the intersection of 42 nd Street and Veterans Memorial Drive. The suspect exited his vehicle with a firearm and began running from MVPD officers. One MVPD officer discharged their weapon, striking the suspect. The suspect was transported to a regional hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No officers were injured during this incident.

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CARLINVILLE - The Macoupin County Primary Elections are tomorrow, and Macoupin County voters will have several candidates to choose from to fill a range of local offices. Lillian Amber McGartland is running on the Republican ticket for Macoupin County Treasurer, while incumbent Roger Anderson is running on the Democratic ticket. Shawn Kahl, Macoupin County’s incumbent Sheriff, will seek re-election on the Democratic ticket, while challenger Jared DePoppe will seek the Republican nomination. Incumbent Macoupin County Clerk Pete Duncan is seeking re-election unopposed. Incumbent Democrat Michelle Mueller will also seek re-election as the Regional Superintendent of Schools for Calhoun, Greene, Jersey and Macoupin Counties. Macoupin County will also see several County Board races across the county’s nine districts, electing two county board seats per district. In District 1, Ryan A. Kilduff will seek the Democratic nomination while Lyndel Klausing seeks the Republican

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MADISON COUNTY - Madison County Clerk Debbie Mendoza said a total of 4,600 early votes had been cast as of Monday morning, the day prior to Tuesday’s Primary Election throughout the state. Polls are open in Madison County from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday. She said close to 2,900 requested to vote by mail, although not all those have been returned. “By looking at the barometer of early voting, voter turnout will appear to be low,” Mendoza said. “We have a challenge in the governor and secretary of state’s races and we have some county races that should be of interest to people." Mendoza says her staff has been working to get this election together since August and believes that on Tuesday when individuals cast their votes, it is one of the most important things that we do as citizens.” Darren Bailey-Stephanie Trussell, Paul Schimpf-Carolyn Schofield, Richard C. Irvin-Avery Bourne, Gary Rabine-Aaron Del Mar, Max Solomon-Latasha N. Fields, and

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Conserve fuel, lower fuel emissions, extend the life of your vehicle, and keep more money in your pocket with these tips. Maintain the proper tire pressure. Improperly inflated tires (over or under-inflated tires) put more pressure on your engine, requiring more fuel to operate. It also wears out your tires quicker. Properly inflated tires can save 11 cents a gallon per NHTSA. Change air filters regularly. This ensures the engine performs at top efficiency. Also, your air filter determines the quality and quantity of clean air the engine receives. The engine air filter is different than your oil filter. Use the right oil/routine oil changes. Car oils have different weights that affect engine operation. Pumping an oil with higher viscosity or heavier consistency puts more pressure on your engine, thus burning more fuel. Having routine oil changes and a clean oil filter helps with fuel efficiency, as well. Use fuel additives. Fuel additives can increase your vehicle’s fuel efficiency,

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ST. LOUIS - The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) joined forces with Saint Louis University’s Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation to host Aviation Day for Educators on June 16, bringing educators from six school districts in Southwestern Illinois and Eastern Illinois University to St. Louis Downtown Airport. With a focus on showing math and science teachers creative ways to incorporate aviation topics into the general STEM curriculum, school was still in session for several Illinois educators as they experienced the aviation industry firsthand and learned about various aviation education resources. ISMA Director Angi Rowley kicked things off by explaining the overall goal of the event as relates to math and science education. “It is to integrate both of those fields into things that are hands on, that are cool, that are fun, that take a whole lot of skill involved,” Rowley said. IMSA hosts professional development opportunities statewide that

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JERSEYVILLE - Tomorrow is Election Day in several local counties, and Jersey County voters will have a wide range of candidates to choose from as the county sees several highly-contested races. Republicans Kevin Ayres and Collin Crawford are seeking their party’s nomination for Jersey County County Coroner. This will be the first time in nearly 30 years that Jersey County voters will elect a new coroner since the passing of Larry Joe Alexander, who was the longest-serving coroner in Jersey County history from 1992-2021. Three candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for County Treasurer: Gregory “Greg” Weiner, Katie Steckel-Abbey and Martin “Marty” Ward. The nominee will go on to replace incumbent Republican Treasurer Gilbert Ashlock. 12 County Board Member seats are also up for election - three seats for each of the county’s four districts. In District 1, Kenneth Grizzle and incumbents David Crone and Jarrod Hayes will compete for

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Letter to the Editor: I want to take this opportunity to thank those who have worked tirelessly over the past few weeks to prepare for the primary election on June 28. As a candidate for County Clerk, I felt it was my responsibility to go visit early polling locations to observe the good citizens that work to make sure we can cast our ballots early and securely. But it is this "securely" that has me concerned. Last Thursday, in the Madison County Administration Building, mail-in ballots were processed by checking signatures for registration, making sure it was noted this person had voted early so there can be no double voting and running through the ballots through the machine. I commend the election judges and the poll watchers that worked that day. However, there were a couple of issues that came up that day that I find disturbing. One, the County Clerk’s office said there were 941 ballots to be counted but at the end of the day, there were more than that, even after some

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Edwardsville Police Department today announced plans for stepped-up July Fourth traffic enforcement with a focus on impaired and unbuckled drivers. The safety campaign will run from June 16 through the early-morning hours of July 5 to encompass three summer weekends leading up to and after Independence Day. Edwardsville Police Department Lt. Barry Jones said it’s simple: if you’re driving, don’t drink or use marijuana or other drugs. “Our officers will be working around the clock to keep impaired drivers off the road and enforce all other traffic laws," Lt. Jones said. The Edwardsville Police Department will join the Illinois State Police and more than 200 local police and sheriff’s departments for the increased statewide enforcement effort. The “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” “Drive High Get a DUI” and “Click It or Ticket” programs are made possible by federal highway safety funds administered

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VILNIUS—U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Baltic Freedom Caucus and the Senate Ukraine Caucus, is in Vilnius, Lithuania, today as part of travel to three European nations to discuss congressional support for the transatlantic relationship and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as well as continued Russian aggression and interference in western democracies. In Vilnius, Durbin received the Aleksandras Stulginskis Star Award—only the second individual and first American to receive this award. The new award honors Aleksandras Stulginskis, former President of Lithuania who served from 1920-1926 and was a strong advocate for a democratic republic. It was granted to Durbin for his decades-long support of Lithuanian independence and democracy and his promotion of parliamentary values. Durbin’s mother was born in Lithuania and came to the United States with her mother and siblings in 1911. In his remarks to the Lithuanian Parliament,

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SPRINGFIELD – Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade: “Today’s decision by the Supreme Court of the United States marks an important moment for our nation, lifting a cloud that has hung over our country for nearly a half century. There is no way to undo the tragedy of tens of millions of innocent lives lost or the decades of division sown by the Roe v. Wade decision. But, for the sake of future generations, we can now move forward with a more honest debate and efforts to advance policies and support programs that protect innocent life and promote stability and security for vulnerable mothers. "Much work remains to be done on both fronts, and that work will now necessarily have more of a local focus, particularly in our own home state of Illinois. Importantly, these efforts must include prayer and concerted efforts to preserve peace in the face

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Bost Applauds Supreme Court Ruling On Abortion WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) released the following statement regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization : “The issue of life is one that’s very personal to my wife, Tracy, and me; it’s the reason we got involved in politics nearly 40 years ago. I agree wholeheartedly with the Supreme Court’s decision to restore power to the American people to determine for themselves how abortion services are regulated in their state. It’s a historic decision that will help save the lives of countless innocent unborn children. As liberals in Illinois and Washington undoubtedly push forward with their abortion on-demand agenda, I’ll keep fighting to protect the lives of the unborn.” Jennifer Korte: Roe V. Wade Historic Win for the Right to Life of Unborn Children EDWARDSVILLE – Jennifer

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(BUZZ MAGAZINE) - It was April 9, 2004. The United States Army 724th Transportation Unit of Bartonville, IL was in Iraq. Their mission - to escort fuel convoys to Baghdad and the Anbar province in Western Iraq. During their tour, they experienced many firefights, IED's, land mines, and more. But nothing compared to the attack on their convoy on April 9th. After a failed email, the unit drove their support convoy directly into an ongoing offensive between the 3rd Calvary Armored Division of the U.S. Army and Shiite militiamen of the Mahdi Army. Enemy fighters were estimated to be in the numbers of three to four hundred. The 724th convoy consisted of eighteen American civilian-driven fuel trucks with only eight armed support vehicles. Dustin Row from Columbia, IL was driving one of those military support vehicles. “We were completely picked apart and destroyed. My 50-caliber gun truck was one out of six trucks to even make it through the three-mile-long kill zone. It was also

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ROLLA, MO. - Missouri University of Science and Technology announces the names of students who made the honor list for the Spring 2022 semester. To be included on the honor list, students must have carried a minimum of 12 hours and had grade point averages of 3.2 or above out of a possible 4.0. Below are the students who made the honor list from around the area: Alton, Illinois Reiley Clark, engineering, sophomore Claire Pohlman, environmental engineering, senior Phuong Tran, biological sciences, junior Bethalto, Illinois Alexander Kallal, computer engineering, senior Maxwell McCune, computer engineering, senior Edwardsville, Illinois Matthew Barton, computer engineering, senior Andreas Ellinas, technological communication, senior Jessica Glenn, mining engineering, junior Luke Goeckner, computer science, senior Katelynne Roberts, engineering, sophomore Reece Watson, computer science, senior Andre Wilke, mechanical engineering, junior Glen Carbon, Illinois

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(THE CONVERSATION) - As soon as the Supreme Court handed down its ruling that signaled the end of legal abortion in much of the country, calls for donations to abortion funds immediately rang out. There are at least 90 of these funds – donor-funded nonprofits that are often staffed by volunteers that help people obtain abortions they can’t afford by reducing the cost and assisting with travel, lodging, and other services. Before the ruling on June 24, 2022, abortion was already inaccessible in many cases because of restrictive laws in such states as Texas and Mississippi that have left many counties with no abortion clinics at all. Abortion funds generally partner with providers to help cover some out-of-pocket procedural costs on behalf of the patient, and some funds cover associated expenses such as travel, child care, and lodging for overnight stays . As a social work professor who studies reproductive health care , I have led research that reviewed

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