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ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Persons detectives reported this morning in reference to the Missing/Endangered news release issued by the department earlier Wednesday, Ava Isabella Diaz has been located safe. Diaz was last seen on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, at approximately 10:00 a.m. in the previous report. The preliminary investigation revealed that Ava left a family residence in the 900 block of Zimmerman Trails in Fenton, MO. in an unknown direction of travel.

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ALTON - Marquette Catholic High School Theater's special Spring Musical drama - "Once Upon a Mattress" begins on Thursday night and runs through Saturday evening. Director Brett Klaus says "Once Upon a Mattress" is a whimsical musical retelling of the Hans Christian Anderson story, "The Princess and the Pea," but it's not quite the childhood story we all know and love. "A kingdom under the rule of a powerful, yet scheming Queen who will not allow anyone to marry until her son, the prince, has found a genuine princess," Klaus said. "One day a Princess from the swamps arrives at the kingdom and changes everything. There are many unique characters to take you along this musical journey of an old story made new with music by Mary Rodgers!" Tickets are on sale now for the show at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 21, Friday, April 22, and Saturday, April 23. Tickets may be purchased at the door or online at: https://secure. everyaction.com/ N535eMKpRkGiihXM3XPHzQ2 "We invite you to join us

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EDWARDSVILLE – The theatre department from Metro-East Lutheran High School will take to the stage this weekend for a magical performance of the musical “Willy Wonka.” Based on the novel by Roald Dahl, “Willy Wonka” tells the tale of Charlie Bucket, a poor boy who wins one of five coveted golden tickets and earns a whirlwind tour of the mysterious Wonka chocolate factory. “There is something very magical and innocent about this story of a boy who literally has nothing and goes on this crazy adventure and turns out to be just the boy needed to carry on Willy Wonka’s legacy,” said Judy Brown, director of the theatre program at MELHS. Performances will be held Friday, April 22, and Saturday, April 23, at 7 p.m.; and Sunday, April 24 at 2 p.m. in the Ronald Henschen Alumni Hall at Metro-East Lutheran High School, located at 6305 Center Grove Road. Ticket prices range from $5 for children to $12 for adults. Tickets can be purchased at the

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) hosted its 2022 Honors Day convocation on Sunday, April 10 in the Morris University Center Meridian Ballroom, honoring 303 students with 357 scholarships and awards, marking the first live, in-person celebration since 2019. SIUE’s largest single gathering outside of commencement recognizing student achievement, Honors Day celebrates the scholarships and awards of outstanding students throughout nearly two dozen departments and programs within the College. “We are thrilled have hosted our annual Honors Day on campus this year,” said CAS Dean Kevin Leonard, PhD. “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have not been able to gather in person to celebrate the achievements of our students and the generosity of our donors and sponsors since 2019. Through all the challenges of the pandemic, our scholarship and award recipients have persevered, excelling in their classes and

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ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Persons detectives are currently investigating a homicide in the 6300 block of Lillian Avenue which resulted in the death of one person. The deceased has been positively identified as Myron Davis, 25 years of age, of the 4600 block of Alaska Avenue in St. Louis, MO 63111. On April 16, 2022, at approximately 4:44 p.m, officers from the St. Louis County Police Department City of Jennings Precinct responded to a call for service for a shooting in the 6300 block of Lillian Avenue. Officers located two victims suffering from gunshot wounds. The preliminary investigation has revealed that both victims, a driver and passenger, were sitting inside a vehicle when an unknown suspect in an unknown vehicle opened fired and fled the scene. One victim was pronounced deceased on scene. The second victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment. The investigation is very active at this time. Additional information will

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COLLINSVILLE – Last week, the federal organization responsible for managing the electric grid announced the results of a power capacity auction that will increase capacity prices and may leave parts of Illinois short of the power needed to meet customer demand during extreme temperatures this summer. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) said that renewable generation – solar and wind – has not kept pace with the generation capacity lost as fossil fuel plants have retired, leaving the Northern Region short of the resources needed on peak demand days. The high clearing price from the MISO capacity auction could add as much as $13 per month to the supply portion of a typical customer's electric bill. “ The reality for zones that do not have sufficient generation to cover their load plus their required reserves is that they will have increased risk of temporary, controlled outages to maintain system reliability ,” said Clair Moeller,

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EDWARDSVILLE — The City of Edwardsville is honored to be designated with a Tree City USA Growth Award by the Arbor Day Foundation for the 20th year! This award results from the City's dedication to effective urban forest management. The Arbor Day Foundation designates "TREE CITY USA" to communities that work to meet four core standards. The City of Edwardsville has chosen to go beyond those four ideals and commit to a higher level of tree care with five additional categories, resulting in the 20th year to be given the Tree City USA Growth Award. These categories are a point-based system that encompasses: · Building a solid team through budgets, staff, and training · Measure trees and forests from base inventory to canopy · Plan for further policies and strategies · Watch for opportunities to perform work such as planting trees, maintaining and protecting current trees and natural areas · Collaborate with the community through volunteerism,

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ALTON - Officials with Challenge Unlimited (CU), a national nonprofit headquartered in Alton, IL, are pleased to announce that James Porter has been appointed Executive Vice President of Operations. In his new role, Porter will manage all aspects of services CU offers to area businesses and government entities, including groundskeeping, facilities management, and custodial services, among others. Porter’s responsibilities include fiscal oversight, organizational development, and implementing professional certifications and apprenticeship programs. “We are thrilled to welcome James to our team,” says Charlotte Hammond, president and CEO of Challenge Unlimited. “His exceptional managerial experience and proven history of delivering results will be a valuable asset as we continue our mission of providing meaningful employment opportunities for people with all disabilities.” Porter joins CU from his most recent position as a district manager with Starbucks

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (SIU SDM) hosted its 20th annual White Coat Ceremony on Friday, April 1 at the Gateway Convention Center in Collinsville. The ceremony celebrated the first-year cohort of 50 dental students representing the Class of 2025 and six International Advanced Placement Program (IAPP) students comprising the Class of 2023. SIUE Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Denise Cobb, PhD, delivered the welcome address, acknowledging the presence of SDM faculty and staff and extolling the brilliance of this year’s cohort. “This cohort represents exceptional individuals who have excelled in their efforts to become a part of this honorable profession,” Cobb said. “The 50 first-year dental students were selected from an incredibly competitive pool of 511 qualified applicants. The six IAPP students were selected from among 226 highly qualified dentists who have earned international dental degrees.

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GRANITE CITY – Granite City Community Unit School District #9 mourns the loss of Wilson 1st grade teacher Jamie Kindle, who passed away on Sunday, April 17 at her home. She was 51. Mrs. Kindle taught 1st grade in GCSD9 for 27 years at Niedringhaus, Frohardt, and Wilson Schools. Kindle's husband, John, recently retired from the GCSD9 Maintenance Department. She was well known for her love of Christmas and her artistic talents. Kindle loved animals, especially her dogs Peanut and Buttercup, but most of all she loved her family and will be remembered for all the special times they shared together. Kindle is survived by her husband; John Kindle, whom she married on December 6, 1997; parents, James “Jim” and Judy (Prewett) Bucatch of Granite City; brother, Jason and Melissa Bucatch of Alexandria, VA; life-long Bestie, Jenna Epperson; sisters-in-law, Colleen and Jeffrey Tretter of Granite City, Tina Scaturro Kindle of Glen Carbon, niece, Natalie, and Chris Kayich; nephews,

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ALTON - Miller's Insurance Solutions has developed itself into a landmark business in Alton after 22 years in existence. Owners Jean and Terry Miller say the key to the success of the business is simple: "It is just having good customer service." Miller's Insurance Solutions is located at 2520 State St. in Alton. "Understanding insurance can be very stressful and we help you with any insurance needs you may have, and we make it easy, understandable, and hassle-free," the owners said. Jean's grandfather was an insurance agent and she believes she learned a lot from his mannerisms and ways of conducting business. She said she has employed some of his philosophies about insurance and business in her current operation. Jean says the operation is definitely a family business and she loves being able to work with her husband, Terry. "It means a lot to work with my husband," she said. "He once had another career with the Army Corps of Engineers. When I started the insurance business

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ALTON – Construction crews, working on behalf of Ameren Illinois, are currently removing the concrete insulation cap used during the thermal remediation at the site of the former Alton Manufactured Gas Plant built in 1885, and later home of the former Alton Post Office. Ameren Illinois has spent the last 3.5 years using technology called In-situ Thermal Remediation to remove coal tar from impacted soil at 727 Belle Street. This was a voluntary remediation in cooperation with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The thermal remediation phase of the project is complete and construction crews will be on-site over the next couple of months removing the remaining portion of the old post office and parking lot. The final step will be to restore the site for future use by the end of 2022. The company will soon be working with the Illinois EPA to obtain a "no further remediation" letter to close out the project with the state. Over the next several months, Ameren Illinois

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IRVINE, CALIF. - Taco Bell announced in a press release yesterday that a long-missed fan-favorite menu item will be making its return in exactly one month on May 19: the Mexican Pizza. “Our menu is full of fan-favorites, but the Mexican Pizza is at the top of that list,” Taco Bell CEO Mark King said. “From its flashy introduction to menus in 1985 as ‘Pizzazz Pizza’ to its inspiration behind the creation of infamous jingles, Mexican Pizza has a long history with the brand and I’m glad we could give fans what they crave and bring our classic Mexican Pizza back home where it belongs.” A change.org petition titled “Save the Mexican Pizza” reached nearly 200,000 signatures online and was acknowledged by Taco Bell in the press release announcing the menu item’s return. The author and organizer of the petition, Krish Jagirdar, said they were invited on a conference call with the Taco Bell team earlier this year and fel

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ALTON - In the words of Audrey Hepburn, “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands – one for helping yourself and the other for helping others.” That is exactly what Alison Azarak, a professional tennis player from Venezuela loves doing. Azarak is studying at Lewis and Clark Community College on an athletic scholarship for the 2021-2022 school year. “I started volunteering in Venezuela when I was about 12 years old in an orphanage. There I created a very strong relationship with the children and have loved volunteering ever since,” she said. Azarak is currently pursuing an Associate of Science at the Lewis and Clark and is finishing up her second semester. She is also a member of the L&C Video Game Club and more importantly a Player on The LC Women’s Tennis Team which just came away from a 5-2 win against Principia College, which is ranked first in the region. Azarak along with many others has been volunteering since the Riverbender

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EDWARDSVILLE - Renowned civil rights attorneys Ben Crump of Ben Crump Law, Bob Hilliard of Hilliard Martinez Gonzales, and attorneys Patrick King and William Miller of MillerKing Law Firm announced today that they have filed two lawsuits on behalf of victims of the deadly Amazon warehouse collapse that occurred on Dec. 10, 2021, when tornadoes touched down in Edwardsville. Plaintiffs include Deon January, mother and the administrator for the estate of DeAndre Morrow, who was killed in the collapse, and Amazon drivers Jamarco Hickman, Evan Jensen, Jada Williams, and Deontae Yancey who survived the collapse but suffered physical or mental harm as a result of Amazon’s negligence. On Dec. 10, 2021, Mr. Morrow and the other plaintiffs were delivering packages for Amazon out of the company’s Edwardsville, Illinois, fulfillment center. Amazon was warned by the National Weather Service of possible tornadoes in the area of the warehouse as far as 36 hours ahead of the tragic warehouse

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CHICAGO - To align with the ending of the enforcement of the federal mask mandate on public transportation following a federal court ruling, Governor Pritzker today announced he will revise Illinois’ executive order lifting those requirements for the State of Illinois. As a result, masks will no longer be required on public transit, in public transit hubs, or in airports. Executive Order 2022-06 will be amended to reflect these changes. Local municipalities retain the right to establish their own mitigations, including masking requirements on public transportation. “I’m proud of the work our state has done to fight COVID-19 and protect our most vulnerable,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I continue to urge Illinoisans to follow CDC guidelines and, most importantly, get vaccinated to protect yourself and others.” “IDPH is closely monitoring the status of COVID-19 throughout Illinois and working with our local public health partners to keep the

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GRAFTON - Mayor Mike Morrow recently showed special recognition with a Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of the Grafton City Council to Scoutmaster Ray Hasty and Boy Scout Troop 59 for excellent work to support the Annual Grafton Easter Egg Hunt. Mayor Morrow said the Easter Egg Hunt is a family activity that takes place at Red Hawk Park each year on Easter weekend. The event is sponsored and organized by Alderman Donna Smith and Christina Petrea; Children’s Activity Coordinator under the Grafton Community Outreach Program headed by Alderman Smith. “The Annual Easter Egg Hunt is always a big draw for our families," Smith said. "There is a lot of preparation needed to ensure a successful hunt. Troop 59 volunteered to help Chris and my staff and hide eggs. "We were able to cut our work time in half! They helped make this Easter Egg Hunt a huge success." Mayor Morrow said that the Scouts of Troop 59 were a credit to the City of Grafton and thanked Scoutmaster Hasty for

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EAST ST. LOUIS - The Illinois State Police Zone 6 Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG) and East St. Police Department are investigating a female fatality after a report of a shooting on Wednesday at a residence at 27th Street and Louisiana Boulevard in East St. Louis. The shooting report came in at 6:50 a.m. on Wednesday, April 20, 2022. This was ISP's preliminary synopsis of what they know at the present time occurred: The Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG) responded to a reported shooting at the above time and location. A 37-year-old female of East St. Louis was found deceased. No further information will be disseminated at this time. Anyone who witnessed the shooting or has any knowledge of the incident is asked to contact Crimestoppers by phone at 314-725-8477 (TIPS). Witnesses can remain anonymous.

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COLLINSVILLE - St. John’s Community Care announced today that Christine Stewart has been appointed new Executive Director of the St. John’s Community Care. An experienced leader, Christine will succeed Nancy Berry and assume responsibilities on May 2, 2022. After 34 years as Executive Director, Nancy will begin her retirement on May 31. Christine is coming to St. John’s from Canada, where she led the Canadian Mental Health Association, Central Alberta since 2017. Prior to that, she served as Manager of Agency Programs for McMan Youth, Family and Community Services Association. After living and working in Canada for more than 20 years, Christine is eager to return to the St. Louis area where she grew up. “After interviewing finalists for Executive Director, it was clear to the Search Committee that Christine will be a great fit to succeed Nancy in continuing to care for and empower elders and those who care for them,” said Carla Gain, who chaired the Search

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ALTON - Earth Day 2022 marks the perfect time to pledge to improve yourself and the world around you. A low-impact workout through gardening accomplishes both. Kelly Bogowith, a physical therapist at OSF HealthCare in Alton, Illinois , says planting roots – literally – is the jump start many need after being cooped up all winter. And she has no problem rattling off examples. "Using a wheelbarrow, kneeling down to garden, getting back up, carrying bags of soil, shoveling – all of those things are actually great forms of exercise and very enjoyable for many people," she says. There are many benefits, too. Reaching for flowers promotes flexibility. Hauling that wheelbarrow or lifting a dirt-filled shovel builds muscles and endurance. And being on your hands and knees promotes balance. "It can be good just getting up and down," Bogowith says. "It’s good for our muscles, and improving our leg strength can help with balance, actually. And that transfers to

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