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ALTON - YWCA Southwestern Illinois recognizes the importance of civic engagement. As part of YWCA USA, we know how critical it is for voters to get educated and use their voices, every day and especially on election day. In an effort to educate voters on Madison County candidates that will appear on ballots in November, YWCA Southwestern Illinois Get Out the Vote Project is hosting a Madison County Candidate’s Forum on Tuesday, October 18, 2022 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm in the Gymnasium at YWCA, 304 E Third Street, Alton. Masks aren’t mandatory but anyone who would like to do so is invited to wear a mask. Candidates for the following races have been invited: Illinois State Senate District 56, llinois House District 111, and for Madison County Clerk. A moderator will ask questions of each candidate pair and, time permitting, take questions from the audience. This is not a debate format. We will start at 7 p.m. The program will be broken down into three segments

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ALTON - The Friends of Mayor David Goins Mayor’s Basketball Game is to bridge generations together, young and old, and also a great way to start October at James Killion Park. The event was scheduled for 1-5 p.m. on Oct. 1 at James Killion Park. Mayor Goins said with the nice weather, the event was a perfect way to bridge the games and just have fun with the game of basketball, something he personally loves. Goins at 6-foot-7 is the perfect height for the beloved game. This is one of several ways the mayor has tried to reach both young and older adults at James Killion Park at Salu in his tenure. Tredell Jones of Alton, the President of Bridging the Gap, was part of organizing the game and said it was one big community basketball game and it was simply to try to make a nice event and help “bridge the gap of generations” with the sport of basketball at Killion Park. Jones said he loves being part of these types of events to reach area youth and adults alike. Jason

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GRAFTON - The Grafton City Council recently voted unanimously to award a $136,700 contract for sidewalk and street repairs in Grafton Hills subdivision to RCS Construction, Inc., 960 East Airline Drive, East Alton. RCS was the lowest, responsible responding bidder at the sealed bid opening that occurred at Grafton City Hall. Three companies responded to the bid package prepared by SMS Engineers, Inc. for the sidewalk and street repairs concrete project in Grafton Hills. Cas Sheppard, P.E., president of SMS Engineers, Inc. presided over the sealed bid opening with Mayor Morrow and his staff. Representatives from all three bidding companies were present. “We are excited to finally award this contract,” said Mayor Morrow. “We are looking forward to working with the RCS team to complete the work this fall.” The Grafton City Council meeting is held on the third Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. in City Hall. All council meetings are open to the public, broadcast

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BETHALTO - Ty Bechel, director of the recovery organization Amare, has done remarkable work over the years in his capacity to reach people battling addiction through strength-based, person-centered recovery-focused services. One of his favorite times of the year each year is when the Rockin’ For Recovery event is held. Once again, the recent Rockin’ For Recovery reached hundreds of people with a powerhouse musical lineup and testimonies of recovering addicts. Shaun and Mike Duo kicked off the festivities and the Hideous Gentleman also captivated the crowd. The headliner was Anthology’s Tribute to the Allman Brothers Band. Rockin’ For Recovery always brings together the community for this free event to celebrate National Recovery Month with food trucks, bounce houses for the kids provided by Gateway Bounce out of Caseyville, the R4R vendor market, and organization and resource booths for all those who attended. Bechel said the three speakers were remarkable.

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ALTON - Alton Odyssey Tours is bringing back Haunted Trolley Tours and Haunted Craft Beer Walks for the 2022 Halloween season - and for the first time in the haunted tours’ history, they will be visiting the Stratford Hotel. Each tour will make stops at several haunted Alton landmarks, including the McPike Mansion, Milton School House, and more. Trolley tours begin at the Ryder Building (which houses My Just Desserts), located at 31 E. Broadway. A trolley ride takes attendees to some of Alton’s most famous haunted attractions - this year, the first stop is the tour’s first-ever visit to the Stratford Hotel, a vacant former hotel building that was built in 1909, where an investigation will be held in the Hilltop Room. The next stop is the Milton School House, which was “the scene of a tragic murder,” according to Alton Odyssey Tours. The trolley tours’ final stop will be the McPike Mansion, a historic mansion said to be haunted by its former inhabitants

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “From Nuremberg to Ukraine: Accountability for War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity.” Durbin and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, previously introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act , legislation that updates the current war crimes statute to enable prosecution of foreign war criminals in the United States regardless of the location or targets of their atrocities. The bill also extends the statute of limitations for war crimes discovered years after they occur. “On September 14, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky walked into what can only be described as Hell on Earth. It was just days after Ukrainian forces recaptured the city of Izyum and President Zelensky wanted to assess the

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Video Of Monday Night Alton Committee of the Whole below: ALTON - Video gaming license applications were not advanced for four businesses at the City of Alton Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday night. However, they are on the agenda to be discussed Wednesday night at the City Council meeting. Also on the agenda Wednesday night is the second reading of a business ordinance regarding adult-use cannabis business establishments. It is No. 11 on the agenda for Wednesday. Four video gaming applications were introduced in a resolution to the Committee of the Whole - Heaterz, the Village Inn Pancake House, Milton Liquor and Grocery, and Farm Fresh in Fosterburg. Alton alderwoman Carolyn MacAfee requested to separate the Milton Liquor & Grocery application. MacAfee’s motion was rejected by a 4-3 vote. The video gaming licenses for Farm Fresh, Heaters, Village Inn Pancake House, and Milton Liquor & Grocery will be discussed Wednesday night. At Monday's Alton Committee of the

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Tammi Fanson’s case is an example of the importance of what’s known as door-to-balloon time. That measures the time between when a patient has first contact with a medical professional to when a balloon is placed in their heart’s arteries to get rid of blockages and resume blood flow. To say time was of the essence for Tammi Fanson on July 18, 2022, would be an understatement. The Gibson City, Illinois, woman had been dealing with high blood pressure, stress, fatigue and shortness of breath, but she chalked it up to life just being difficult. But on that day, she found herself at her local Gibson Area Hospital in the midst of a heart attack. Fanson was then taken by ambulance to OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana, Illinois – around 40 minutes on a regular drive but half that with the blaring red lights. That, combined with the cooperation between the two hospitals, and Fanson was fast-tracked straight to the cardiac catheterization

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GLEN CARBON - Maddie Hylla, a junior libero for the Father McGivney Catholic girls volleyball team, has had a successful season thus far for the Griffins and did well in 25-18, 25-11 win over Centralia Christ Our Rock Lutheran on Sept. 27 at the McGivney gym. For the season, Hylla has served up 55 points with 24 aces, five kills, 11 assists, and 222 digs for the Griffins in helping them to a 13-7 record going into the final month of the regular season. For her efforts, Hylla has been selected as a Byron Carlson Petri and Kalb Female Athlete of the Month for the Griffins. Hylla, who plays for head coach Jake Williams, felt that the Griffins played well in their win over the Silver Stallions. "It was an easy match, but like we still fought hard, so we made it quick and easy, I guess," she said in a post-game interview. It was a big bounce-back win for McGivney after losing a two-set match at Marquette Catholic last Thursday, and the win gave the Griffins four wins in their last five

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Daughters of Isabella O'Reilly Circle 218 in Edwardsville is having a baby shower drive from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 8, at St. Boniface Church in the parking lot to benefit Mosaic and ABL. Both organizations assist in providing pregnancy resources and other assistance for mothers. The Daughters of Isabella also presented a check to Mosaic for $550. The Daughters of Isabella is considered a sister organization to the Catholic Knights of Columbus organizations. The Daughters Of Isabella group is a Catholic women’s group. The local chapter encompasses multiple churches in the Edwardsville area. Cindy Mareing from Daughters of Isabella, said the group had a guest speaker Kathy Sparks on Sept. 19 and Regent Barb Sutorius presented the check to Mosaic. The Daughters of Isabella is having a Baby Shower Drive from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 8, at St. Boniface Church in the Twin Oaks parking lot. They will be collecting for Mosaic and ABL. The Baby Shower

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ROXANA – Now that the Roxana High School football team has gotten back above .500 they have one goal in mind now, make the playoffs. That is especially the goal for junior running back Evan Wells. He’s pretty confident that he and the Shells can get that done. “I feel like we have a very good chance of winning out,” he said after a 28-7 win over Salem during last Friday’s Homecoming Game. During that game, he scored three touchdowns and caught a two-point conversion. That’s why Evan is a Midwest Members Credit Union Male Athlete of the Month for Roxana. He was humble postgame giving all the credit to his offensive line. “I didn’t really do much,” he said. “They did most of the work.” The win was made a little more special in that it was the Shells’ Homecoming Game. Evan agreed that he was just trying to enjoy himself out there. “It’s fun out here. You get to see everybody. It’s really good

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ALTON - The Hayner Public Library District's inaugural Local Author Book Fair Promotes local authors, literacy, and library programming, services, and collections This fall, Hayner Library will host its inaugural Local Author Book Fair, where you can meet thirty local authors, buy their books, and have them signed. The event will be held Saturday, October 8, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. If necessary, a rain date is scheduled for Saturday, October 15, 2022. The event will feature library card registration, a showcase of non-traditional library materials available for check out, giveaways, and other library highlights. There will also be activities, crafts, and story times for the kids. Hot and iced pastries will be available for purchase from Germania Brew Haus. The Riverbend Raptor will also be roving around the book fair for your amusement! You can browse or make purchases — and be sure to leave some time to explore the Downtown Library and the beautiful Hayner Genealogy

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ST. LOUIS - Breast cancer is now the most common cancer worldwide, with an expected 2.3 million new cases each year. During Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, Courage Cookies return to Scooter’s Coffee with proceeds supporting The Pink Agenda in the fight against breast cancer. The Pink Agenda, a nonprofit that partners with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, funds breast cancer research projects and advocacy efforts. Through this November 1 st , Scooter’s Coffee customers will have the opportunity to support this lifesaving research by adding a donation to their order or purchasing a Courage Cookie – 20% of Courage Cookie sales will be donated to The Pink Agenda. The color pink is symbolic of breast cancer awareness and is used to honor breast cancer thrivers and remember those who have lost their lives to the disease. A customer-favorite, the Scooter’s Coffee Courage Cookie is a sugar cookie with cream cheese frosting and pink sprinkles created

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SPRINGFIELD - The application period for high school students to request a nomination to a U.S. Military Service Academy for the Class of 2027 from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) will close just over one month from today, on Tuesday, November 1 st . Duckworth’s office has been accepting applications from high school students seeking a Congressional nomination to one of the four Military Service Academies through her website since March . Each year Duckworth, with the assistance of a nomination committee, selects from the applicants a group of outstanding Illinois 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,” said Duckworth. “The rigorous nomination process demands outstanding test scores, a high GPA and a commitment to community service. I encourage all interested Illinois

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with Quad Cities community leaders, including Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms, Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati, and Davenport Mayor Mike Matson, to discuss ways to work together to combat gun crimes in the region. During their conversation, local leaders explained the importance of information-sharing and coordination between federal, state, and local agencies throughout the Quad Cities region. “The epidemic of gun violence has impacted every corner of the nation, including the Quad Cities,” said Durbin. “In my meeting with Quad Cities leaders today, I reaffirmed my commitment to creating safer communities for all through federal legislation, coordination, and information-sharing to help reduce gun violence.” “It was great to meet with Quad Cities mayors and police chiefs today to discuss the efforts

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In 2015, singer and actress Selena Gomez revealed to the world that she underwent a kidney transplant as a result of lupus. She eventually took a break from her career to deal with her health issues that resulted in anxiety and depression. “I’ve discovered that anxiety, panic attacks and depression can be side effects of lupus, which can present their own challenges,” Gomez told People in 2019. “It’s an everyday struggle." Living with lupus can be frustrating for a number of reasons. It’s often difficult to diagnose because its symptoms can mirror those of other diseases, and no two cases are alike. Symptoms may appear suddenly or develop slowly, can be mild or severe, and temporary or permanent. And there is no cure for lupus.“It’s a type of autoimmune disease that will manifest in any part of your body – from your brain down to your toe, and it can affect the skin," says Dr. Syed Zaidi, a family practice physician for OSF HealthCare.

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Thomas A. Haine announced Tuesday that his office filed first-degree murder charges in connection with a residential fire that resulted in the death of a Troy woman. Prosecutors charged Michael E. Sloan Jr. (D.O.B. 6/6/1982) with three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder, one count of aggravated arson, and one count of aggravated unlawful restraint. The aftermath of the Troy fire is shown in the photo above and below and Troy firefighters battling the serious blaze. Haine's announcement says the murder charges allege that on Sept. 22, 2022, Sloan burned the home of Susanne Tomlinson in the 500 block of Wood Thrush in Troy while Tomlinson was inside, causing the death of Tomlinson. Haine said the charge of attempted murder alleges that Sloan attempted to kill Tomlinson’s daughter, Courtney Tomlinson, by ordering Courtney Tomlinson to bind herself with zip-ties on her wrists, covering

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ALTON - It was a night that Alton High sophomore forward Dillan Cowan will remember for the rest of his life. "The kid plays with a ton of enthusiasm. He's got just a ton of passion for this game and it paid off for him tonight," AHS head coach Tyler Hamilton said post-game about Dillan. He scored a couple of goals Monday night (September 26) against cross-town rival Marquette Catholic High School in a 2-1 victory after penalty kicks. Cowan is an Auto Butler Male Athlete of the Month for the Redbirds. He broke the game open in the 54th minute when he ran onto a through ball with only the keeper to beat. He slotted it home to take the lead in front of probably 400-plus fans at Public School Stadium. Marquette eventually tied the game back up forcing overtime. Except the teams skipped OT and went straight for penalty kicks. When Cowan stepped up to his spot-kick it was simple. If he scored, they won. He did just that putting the ball into the back of the net past the diving keeper.

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ST. LOUIS, Mo. — American Red Cross responders from across the Missouri and Arkansas Region are answering the call to help those impacted by disaster. Dedicated American Red Cross workers are arriving in Florida ahead of Hurricane Ian to be prepared to provide critical help as Ian gets closer to landfall. Other Missouri and Arkansas teams are currently deployed to help those affected by disasters including the hurricane in Puerto Rico, typhoon in Alaska and the wildfires on the West Coast. Missouri and Arkansas Responders Deployed As of Tuesday morning, nearly 100 disaster responders from across the Missouri and Arkansas region have raised their hands to respond, with more than 20 volunteers and staff in-route or on the ground in Florida and approximately 40 more on standby to leave as needed. Approximately 20 disaster responders are supporting the hurricane response in Puerto Rico, typhoon response in Alaska and the western wildfires. Emergency Response Vehicle Deployments

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HARDIN - At 5:26 p.m. on September 22, 2022, the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a reckless driver, leaving the Brussels Ferry and traveling northbound towards Brussels in Calhoun County. The citizens stayed behind the vehicle until a deputy arrived on the scene. At 5:38 p.m. that evening, a deputy with the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office located the suspect vehicle near Schleeper Lane and Illinois River Road. Subsequent to an investigation, the driver, Anthony J. Gomez, age 35, of O’Fallon, Missouri, was arrested on the following charges: Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Illegal Use of Registration, Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle. The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the concerned citizens for calling in and making a report. "Their actions helped to keep our county and those traveling on our roadways safe," the sheriff's office said. As always, we encourage

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