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ALTON - Over 100 Alton Community Unit School District #11 students have written their first books. Kindergarten through eighth grade students in the district had the opportunity to participate in Young Authors, a program that encourages students to write and illustrate their own books. Of the 118 Alton participants, 28 were selected to advance to the county conference on April 26, 2025. “The goal is to be fostering that love of writing at an early age, which not only strengthens their literacy skills, but it builds their confidence and their critical thinking,” explained Rene Hart, ACUSD11 Director of Curriculum and Instruction. “Our students really take pride in that work.” Students sign up for the Young Authors program in the fall and have a few months to write and illustrate their books. They can work with Alton staff members and their families to create their manuscripts. On March 5, 2025, the Alton School District hosted all of the Young Authors

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police Department Bureau of Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating a homicide in the 2500 block of Saddle Ridge Drive that resulted in the death of an adult male. On Tuesday, March 25, 2025, at 12:25 p.m., St. Louis County police officers from the North County Precinct responded to a call for service for a shooting in the 2500 block of Saddle Ridge Drive. An adult male was found suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. The male was transported to an area hospital for treatment but succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased. There are no suspects in custody currently. The investigation is ongoing. Additional information will be disseminated as it becomes available. Please contact the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210 to speak with investigators if you have any information regarding this incident. To remain anonymous or potentially receive a reward, please contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477).

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Letter to the Editor: Godfrey has been so blessed to have Mike McCormick as Mayor. Mike has set the bar very high for those aspiring to fill his shoes. He has brought the Village the lowest taxes in the county while expanding our quality of life. Godfrey is safe, peaceful, and a lovely place to live and work and raise a family. And he did all this while refusing a salary increase! The best news of all is that Mike McCormick is running for re-election. Please join me in voting for Mike McCormick for Mayor of Godfrey so he can continue to work for the good of all citizens. Thank you. Sue Goers Active participant in the Godfrey community

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EDWARDVILLE - This weekend, community members can experience a dinner auction while supporting a great cause. At 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 29, 2025, the community is invited to enjoy dinner, raffles, live music and live and silent auctions at the Edwardsville Moose Lodge. Proceeds benefit Stridin’ and Survivin’, a local organization that provides support and resources to patients undergoing cancer treatment. “I think almost everybody in the world has been somehow affected by cancer,” said Alice Bartels, founder of Stridin’ and Survivin’. “If you want to try to help make a difference, ours may be a small difference that we’re making for people, but we get such rewarding thank-you notes from these people thanking us for helping them.” Tickets to the dinner auction cost $30 for adults, and kids ages 7–12 cost $15. You can purchase tickets online or at the door. Dinner is catered by Cygan Delaney, and alcoholic

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JERSEYVILLE – A man from Godfrey is the subject of a Jersey County criminal case after committing home repair fraud against a Jerseyville resident. Scott A. Pritchard, 37, of Godfrey, was charged on March 18, 2025 with one count of home repair fraud, a Class 4 felony. On Feb. 25, 2025, Pritchard allegedly entered into a contract for home repair work totaling $6,800, which he had no intention of completing or knew would not be completed. The home in question was located on Hollow Avenue in Jerseyville. Pritchard was granted pretrial release from custody, with a summons to appear in court on April 22, 2025. All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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COLLINSVILLE - Community leaders came together to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Collinsville Area Vocational Center (CAVC) expansion. On March 25, 2025, local elected officials, school administrators, educators and students commemorated the expansion with a groundbreaking ceremony at the construction site, located at the intersection of South Morrison and Caseyville Roads in Collinsville. The new CAVC will expand career and technical education (CTE) opportunities for students at ten Metro East high schools. “This project represents the largest investment in career and tech ed in the State of Illinois since the 1970s. That is historic,” said Joe McGinnis, CAVC director. “The impact that it’s going to have on our local education, our local workforce, and for our local businesses is almost immeasurable.” The CAVC serves Civic Memorial High School, Collinsville High School, Dupo High School, East Alton-Wood River High School, Edwardsville

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EAST ST. LOUIS – State Senator Christopher Belt is highlighting nearly $1 million in grant funding to the East Side Health District. “Securing this funding for the East Side Health District is a proud moment in our continued effort to advance public health, clean energy and workforce development,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “The work we’ve done with the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act is just beginning, and with initiatives like these, we are ensuring that communities in the Metro East are not left behind.” The East Side Health District received a significant boost in their mission to improve public health and the environment by advancing clean energy and workforce development, securing approximately $1 million to implement energy efficiency measures and expand solar energy initiatives across its six health clinics, serving Stites, Canteen, East St. Louis and Cahokia Heights—areas recognized as environmental justice communities. The Equitable

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EDWARDSVILLE - Students from Metro-East Lutheran High School celebrated a significant achievement on Monday, March 24, 2025, as their Scholar Bowl team secured a State Championship at Heartland Community College in Normal, Illinois. The team, comprised of Dean Hemmer, Peter Curtis, Dalton Beers, Erik Neath, Andrew Maske, Logan Abbot, Evan Klaustermeier, and Grant Moss, has now claimed the title for the second consecutive year. Rob Stock, the assistant principal at Metro-East Lutheran High School, expressed pride in both the team's victory and the efforts of the students and their coach. “We are very proud of the win obviously but proud of students and coach of efforts put in for second state title in a row," he said. "It is a huge accomplishment. I know they all worked very hard." Stock also praised Coach Shanna Covarrubias for her efforts. “This is a group that put in a lot of work the last two to three years, continued to get better and better each year," Stock said.

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JERSEYVILLE – With the April 1, 2025 municipal elections just one week away, here’s a look at what Jersey County voters can expect to see on their ballots. Jersey County won’t see many contested races this election, with most candidates running for township or school board positions. Elsah Township Elsah Township will see some of the county’s few contested races. One such race is between Democrat Billy Greding and Republican Russell Wittman, both of whom are vying for Township Highway Commissioner. The winner will replace current Township Highway Commissioner Glenn Vetter, who is running as a Democrat for Township Trustee . Along with Vetter, six other candidates will compete for four Elsah Township Trustee positions. Those other candidates include Democrats Gene Heafner and Jason McDaniel, as well as Republicans Jacob Wells, Clarence Allen Davenport, Robert Corenelius, and Hubert Croxford. Village of Fieldon In Fieldon, voters will choose

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – On MSNBC, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of both the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) and Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—called on Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, Marco Rubio, John Ratcliffe and every other Trump Administration official who discussed our nation’s war plans in an unclassified Signal group chat to resign immediately. During the interview with Jonathan Capehart, Duckworth underscored that this was an egregious national security failure that put the lives of our men and women in uniform at greater risk and that every single official in the Signal chat should lose their jobs. Video of the full interview can be found on the Senator’s YouTube . Key Quotes: “The fact that every single one of those people on was okay with using this non-classified product for multiple days to conduct their war plans shows a complete lack of professionalism and oversight b

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ALTON – What’s popular on Fridays during Lent? A fish fry of course. Our Mission Partners at OSF Moeller Cancer Center (2200 Central Ave, Alton, IL 62002) are sponsoring a fish fry on Friday, April 4, to benefit their Relay for Life team "Team Hope" as part of their annual fundraising efforts supporting the American Cancer Society. Meals can be purchased for: Lunch service: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Carry-out only Tickets can be purchased via cash or through Venmo Tickets are available for purchase Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. -2 p.m., through Tuesday, April 1, at the OSF Moeller Cancer Center front desk. Carry-out orders can be picked up at the back entrance to OSF Moeller Cancer Center adjacent to the main parking lot of OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center. Meal tickets are $12.00, and each meal includes: Fish Bread Pickle Chips Coleslaw Dessert Bottled water For more information or to purchase tickets, call (618) 433-7600.

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Letter To The Editor: Early voting is not off to a good start, and that’s a problem. Local elections decide who runs our cities, schools, and communities. These races impact your taxes, your roads, your safety—everything that is essential to building the American dream. When turnout is low, a small group of voters ends up making big decisions for everyone else. It’s easy to complain on social media or vent in public—we’ve all seen it, and we can all do it. Yet, when it’s time to take action—when it’s time to vote—many of those same people don’t show up. It’s sad, honestly, and reflects poorly on our city's image. Whether you're new to voting or you've voted before, it’s crucial to step up and make your voice heard. Your vote matters. On April 1st, take the opportunity to shape the future of your community. It’s the most powerful tool we have as citizens, and it starts with showing up at the ballot box.

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EDWARDSVILLE – At the Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 Board of Education meeting on Monday, March 24, the difficult decision to dismiss and not renew the employment of 16 certified non-tenured probationary teachers was made. This decision was not made lightly and reflects the district’s commitment to financial efficiency. Some of the dismissed probationary teachers' positions will be filled by existing employees who will be reassigned. There are no planned reductions to any programs, including those in special education, or high school programs such as agriculture/FFA. The district’s goal is to ensure each program remains sustainable within our available revenue sources. Additionally, District #7 remains committed to maintaining appropriate class sizes to support student learning. Each year, District #7 evaluates staffing based on student enrollment and available resources to the District, which come from various revenue sources that collectively

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Rotary Club has chosen to honor Edwardsville High School student Jackson Pender with the Student of the Month Award for March. Lincoln was nominated by Edwardsville High School teacher, Mrs. Angie VanBuskirk. Jackson is the son of Keith and Melissa Pender. He participates in advanced placement classes and consistently achieves honor roll status at Edwardsville High School. His dedication to academics earned him recognition as a Illinois State Scholar Finalist. After school, Jackson is a member of the Ma Alpha Theta, as well as the EHS Math Team. In his spare time, Jackson enjoys programming and video games. He also likes listening to music and playing games. In the future, Jackson plans to attend SIUE and receive a master’s degree or higher in either electrical engineering or computer science. Specifically, he desires to go into circuitry; he also stated that he would be open to teaching within the field someday. The Edwardsville Rotary Club

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today, as part of a coalition of 21 attorneys general, filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in their lawsuit to stop the dismantling of the Department of Education. On March 13, Raoul and the coalition filed their lawsuit after the Trump administration announced plans to eliminate half of the department’s workforce. Following a March 20 Executive Order directing the closure of the Department of Education and President Trump’s March 21 announcement that, in addition to implementing layoffs, the department must “immediately” transfer student loan management and special education services outside of the department, the coalition is seeking a court order to stop the mass layoffs and transfer of services. “States, including Illinois, are already feeling the impact of the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education,” Raoul said. “Enrollment deadlines for Illinois’

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ELSAH — Marquette Catholic High School junior Karly Davenport made headlines this weekend by breaking three school records at the recent Jersey Winter Thaw Indoor Meet held at Principia College. Davenport set new indoor records in the 60-meter dash, 200-meter dash, and triple jump. Davenport is a Tucker's Automotive Repair & Tire Female Athlete of the Month for the Explorers. The impressive performance at the meet adds to Davenport's accolades, as she previously set the outdoor school record in the 200-meter dash last season. Her achievements highlight her continued development as an athlete and contribute to the legacy of Marquette Catholic's track and field program. Davenport recorded a time of 27.4 for 200 meters in the Jersey Winter Thaw on March 15, 2025. She had a PR of 26.9 in the 200 meters last spring and 14-9 last spring in the long jump. She triple-jumped 31-7.5 last spring. Davenport is primed for an outstanding 2025 outdoor track season with her early indoor efforts.

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EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has named Christopher Slaten, PhD, as its new Associate Provost for Research and Dean of the Graduate School. A dedicated leader in graduate education and research, Slaten brings a wealth of experience in fostering academic belonging and faculty mentorship. As SIUE continues its trajectory of growth in graduate studies and research, Slaten’s leadership is set to play a pivotal role in advancing the University’s mission. Originally from St. Louis, Slaten brings extensive experience in supporting the expansion of graduate education, providing research leadership, and developing academic belonging initiatives. "I am very excited to move over to SIUE from the University of Missouri and be closer to the place I have called home for most of my life. It is the community that I’d like to engage with and advance SIUE’s mission in the St. Louis Metro and Metro East region," said Slaten. "My priority is to build a

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ALTON - Students from Marquette Catholic High School showcased their academic prowess at the Academic Challenge for Engineering and Science (ACES) competition held at Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) recently. The event featured a range of subjects, with students competing in various disciplines. The Marquette team included Isabel Downey, Isabella Tran, Peyton Crane, Jessica Eales, Karly Davenport, and Thomas Masterson. Notably, Payton Crane achieved fourth place overall in English, while Thomas Masterson secured second place in Physics. Isabella Tran also excelled, finishing second in Biology. As a result of their performances, Isabella Tran and Thomas Masterson will advance to the ACES State competition, scheduled for April 15, 2025, at Eastern Illinois University. The event serves as a platform for students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in engineering and science disciplines.

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SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) have announced the completion of a new report, Illinois Materials Management and Recycling Opportunities . Following the Materials Management Advisory Committee’s (MMAC) report to the General Assembly in 2021, the Illinois EPA commissioned the ISTC at the University of Illinois to conduct a 2-year study of large volume recyclables that would provide information regarding recycling and diversion efforts in Illinois as well as barriers and opportunities for further diversion. The list of materials covered in this study includes organics, textiles, plastics, metal, and glass. The report discusses generation of the materials, their impacts on landfills and recycling, the existing infrastructure and end markets for each, and more information about the materials. ISTC supplemented materials management research with written and verbal stakeholder engagement in several

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released the following statement following reports of termination of the Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, and Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman. “Congress established the Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) Officer position at the Department of Homeland to ensure that civil rights and civil liberties were integrated into every aspect of the Department’s work. As we noted in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Congress also required that the Officer have sufficient resources and personnel to accomplish this vital mission. “The President’s Executive Order requires federal agencies to cut costs

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