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ALTON – Salvation Army Madison County Corps Advisory Council Chairman Kevin Botterbush announced today that Dr. John and Barb Hoelscher will chair this year’s Tree of Lights. The kettle campaign will kick off at the Alton Rotary Tree Lighting at 6 p.m. on November 18 at Lincoln Douglas Square in Alton. The Salvation Army will serve cookies and hot chocolate during this festive event. “The Salvation Army has been a steady, loving presence in our community for so very long, we are honored to help further their mission with this campaign,” Barb Hoelscher said. “They work so hard to give a hand up to folks experiencing rough times in their lives, while reminding all of us that God is always there to help, too. I can't think of a more worthy cause than helping your neighbor through a time of great need.” The campaign begins November 25 and runs thru December 24. Hours of ringing are from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. There will be no bell ringing on Sundays.

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ST. LOUIS - On Tuesday, November 15th, 2022, we will honor the service and dedication made by past and current female police officers to the citizens of St. Louis County. The 50th Anniversary of Policewomen on Patrol recognition ceremony will be held at 6:30 PM in the County Council Chambers of the St. Louis County Government Building during the County Council meeting. In 1972, the St. Louis County Police Department was the first agency in the United States to assign policewomen to single officer patrol units. At the time, several agencies throughout the United States had patrolwomen assigned to two officer patrols. Prior to 1972, female officers were assigned mainly as investigators,butneveronpatrolwiththeSt.LouisCountyPoliceDepartment. In1972,sixfemaleofficers graduated from the 16-week training program at the Greater St. Louis Police Academy. After graduation, all six officers successfully completed field training. A patrol beat, located near Clayton Road and Route 141, was selecte

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GRANITE CITY - Prather Kindergarten Teacher Deanne Laub has been selected as one of Emerson's 2022 Excellence in Teaching Award recipients. Laub, who is in her 30th year of service in Granite City Community Unit School District #9, is among more than 80 teachers from across the St. Louis metropolitan area who are being recognized this year through the program as examples of truly outstanding educational excellence. "I have worked and still work with many wonderful teachers in this district and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to work with them over the past 30 years," Laub said. "Many of them have helped me from becoming a "stagnant" teacher and have encouraged me to try new things. I also would not be the teacher I am today if it was not for my family's support, for them I am truly blessed." The Emerson Excellence in Teaching Awards, now in its 33rd year, is one of the St. Louis region’s most recognized teacher recognition programs. Emerson is proud to sponsor this

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SOUTH ROXANA - A South Roxana man faces multiple charges after an alleged break-in and burglary on October 29 at an apartment in South Roxana, South Roxana Police Chief Bob Coles said today. The man charged in Madison County was Warren K. Beauford, of South Roxana. Coles said the man faces charges of residential burglary, home invasion, aggravated assault, and domestic battery in the case. The man allegedly took a gun away from the victim in the case and battered her. “We caught him outside the residence and took him into custody,” Coles said. Chief Coles said the victim in the case fired shots at Beauford, but missed him. The suspect Beauford was charged with domestic battery, burglary, home invasion, and aggravated assault, Coles said.

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SPRINGFIELD – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced a more than $391 million bipartisan national settlement with Google after an investigation by Raoul and a coalition of attorneys general revealed Google misled consumers about its location tracking practices. Illinois will receive more than $19.5 million under the settlement. “Consumers were deceived by Google as to when their location was being tracked and how that information was used,” Raoul said. “With the proliferation of smart devices that collect increased data on its users, today’s announcement highlights the need for updated privacy laws that more effectively protect consumers.” Raoul and a coalition of 38 attorneys general opened an investigation into Google following a 2018 Associated Press article that revealed Google recorded movements “even when you explicitly tell it not to.” The article focused on two Google account settings: Location History and Web & App Activity

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GRANITE CITY - Sophomore quarterback Kendrick Lyons created quite a spark for the Warriors this past football season. Lyons ignited the Warriors' offense with 81 of 153 attempts passing for nine touchdowns and 1,324 yards. He missed the final three games of the season with an injury but will return next year and likely be one of the top quarterbacks in the region. Kendrick is a Stillwater Senior Living Male Athlete of the Month for Granite City. Kendrick’s father, Kindle Lyons, said his son is a chip off the old block. He said this past season, Kendrick took on a leadership role and is headed in the right direction for his high school football career. “The exciting part about it is just being around him,” Kindle Lyons said. “He has a bright future.”

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SPRINGFIELD, IL – Throughout the month of November, HSHS Home Care will be joining organizations across the nation in recognizing National Hospice and Palliative Care Month (NHPCM). This year’s NHPCM theme is “meeting you where you are.” For more than 40 years, hospice has helped provide interdisciplinary, supportive care to millions of people, allowing them to spend their final months wherever they call home and surrounded by their loved ones. Hospice teams craft plans of care that ensure pain management, therapies, and treatments all center on the patients’ and their loved ones’ goals and wishes. Hospice care also provides emotional support and advice to help family members become confident caregivers and adjust to the future with grief support for up to a year. “At the heart of hospice is meeting patients and their loved ones where they are during difficult times when support is needed most,” said Ben Marcantonio, COO and Interim

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced national settlements with Experian relating to data breaches in 2010 and 2015 that compromised the personal information of millions of consumers nationwide, including hundreds of thousands in Illinois. Raoul and the coalition also obtained a separate settlement with T-Mobile in connection with the 2015 Experian breach, which impacted more than 15 million individuals who submitted credit applications with the telecommunications company. Illinois was one of the states to lead an investigation into Experian’s 2015 data breach, which impacted more than 735,000 Illinois residents. Under the settlements Raoul announced, Exelon and T-Mobile have agreed to improve their data security practices and pay states more than $16 million. Additionally, Illinois will receive a total of more than $1.2 million. “Hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans were affected by Experian’s data breaches,” Raoul said. “Our investigations

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined 13 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief challenging an Indiana statute that bans transgender female students from participating in girls’ school sports. The brief is filed in A.M. v. Indianapolis Public Schools, which arose after a 10-year-old student was barred from playing on her school’s girls’ softball team after the law was passed even though the student had been a part of the team with no issue in the past. The brief argues that the court should affirm the preliminary injunction entered by the lower court, which allowed the Indiana student to continue participating on her team during the ongoing litigation. The court made its ruling on the basis that the Indiana statute, which banned her from the team, likely violates Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as it denies transgender girls access to the same athletic opportunities that other girls and boys have. “No student should face discrimination

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GREENVILLE, IL. - Greenville University is launching an equestrian program for students who are horse enthusiasts and want to use their skills to help others. GU President Suzanne Davis initiated the program as she had a vision for it since returning to Greenville University 10 years ago. “It’s no secret to anyone who knows me that I am passionate about horses and what they can teach us about life, responsibility, and leadership,” Davis says. “With the increasing mental health needs for our college population, growing programming in the sciences, and a dedicated mission to having our students serve, the timing is right for GU.” The Equine Studies program will offer two concentrations for enrolled students: Equine Sciences and Equine Assisted Services. Basic courses of Horsemanship and Riding 101 will be prerequisites for any student pursuing an equine studies minor. The two basic courses will also be open to any student as recreation credits to fulfill

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ST. LOUIS - Today, 3x GRAMMY® and Emmy Award-winning, RIAA multi-platinum certified artist Lizzo has announced the second North American leg of her wildly successful 2022 tour. The Special 2our kicks off Friday, April 21st in Knoxville, TN at Thompson-Boling Arena. Coming off her Emmy Award win for Outstanding Competition Program and her VMAs Video for Good Award for “About Damn Time” (which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and the top 10 in 12 other countries), she will be performing in 17 cities across North America next year. Her most recent album Special peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard 200 chart, hailed by Rolling Stone as “ the most unabashedly joyous, sonically diverse, and emotionally profound album put out by a major label since Beyonce’s Lemonade.” Produced by Live Nation, the 17-date second leg of the tour continues through St. Louis, Montreal, Chicago and more before wrapping up on Friday, June 2, 2023,

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JERSEYVILLE - St. Francis Xavier Church Parish in Jerseyville had a beautiful celebration and remembrance for Armed Forces Veterans in attendance at Friday night's special Mass. Following the remembrance, the first hymn “God Bless America” was sung gracefully by the children's choir. More than 100 were in attendance last night at St. Francis Xavier's local parish. Father Marty Smith, with help from Alex Foster, and the Ladies of the Altar Society were successfully able to plan and execute the annual tradition of the Veteran’s Day Mass. Father Marty described Veterans Day as a “very very special day” for himself, and for the veterans in the church and community. Father Marty came from a military family with generations serving before him. At age 17 Father Marty enlisted. He completed Basic Training at Ft. Jackson in South Carolina. The Father joined the Army right after the 9/11 attacks. He described it as a very scary time from going from a peacetime

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ST. LOUIS - St. Louis-based architecture, planning, urban design and interiors firm Trivers has won two AIA St. Louis Design Awards from the St. Louis Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The winning projects are the Kiener Plaza Visitor Services Center and the Atrium at 100 N. Broadway, both located in Downtown St. Louis. “We are committed to reimagining St. Louis’ indoor and outdoor spaces,” said Trivers Principal Amy Gilbertson, FAIA, LEED GA. “I am proud of our team for their creative work in developing new opportunities for people to utilize these important spaces in our downtown footprint. We look forward to continuing our work downtown, in the Greater St. Louis region, and beyond.” The AIA St. Louis Design Awards recognize outstanding achievements in all areas of design, construction, and craftsmanship in the St. Louis region. To date, Trivers has earned 16 AIA St. Louis Design Awards. Kiener Plaza Visitor Services Center In

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ST. LOUIS - The deceased in a fatal motor crash near the intersection of Halls Ferry Road and Vaile Avenue has been identified as Laquita Gandy, 45 years of age, of the 1100 block of Garden Village Drive in Florissant, Missouri 63031. St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Persons detectives and the Accident Reconstruction Unit investigated the fatal motor crash. On November 12, 2022, at 11:48 PM, St. Louis County police officers from the North County Precinct responded to a call for service for a motor vehicle accident near the intersection of Halls Ferry Road and Vaile Avenue. Arriving officers located a motor vehicle crash involving two motor vehicles. Preliminary investigation has revealed an adult male driving a Buick Lacrosse was traveling northbound on Halls Ferry Road approaching Vaile Avenue when he crossed into southbound traffic striking an adult female driving a Hyundai Sonata traveling southbound. The female driver of the Hyundai was transported to an area hospital

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating a homicide that occurred in the 11100 block of Riaza Square which resulted in the death of an adult male. On November 13, 2022, at 10:02 PM, St. Louis County police officers from the North County Precinct responded to a call for service for a ShotSpotter activation in the area of Larimore Parkway and Riaza Square. Responding officers located an adult male in a parking lot in the 11100 block of Riaza Square suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Officers immediately rendered life-saving aid but the victim later succumbed to his injuries at an area hospital and was pronounced deceased. A preliminary investigation has revealed the shooting was the result of an altercation. St. Louis County Police Department’s Crimes Against Persons detectives are conducting the investigation. The investigation is very active at this time. Additional information will be disseminated as it becomes available.

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ST. LOUIS - Energy company customers nationwide, including in Missouri and Illinois, continue to be a target of sophisticated scammers that regularly change and alter their tactics to deceive customers. Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois work closely with local and national law enforcement to monitor and report scammers and their ever-changing tactics targeting our customers. In addition, Ameren employs an ongoing scam awareness campaign to educate customers throughout the year to know how to spot a scam and how to report them. "Unfortunately, these scammers are not going away and continue to be more aggressive and sophisticated in how they deceive and trick customers into providing immediate payments and personal information," said Maria Gomez, security supervisor for Ameren. "Some of the most recent scam tactics we are seeing locally include demanding an immediate cash app payment for a new smart meter or an offer to make an immediate cash app one-time payment to wipe away a customer's

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EDWARDSVILLE − Trinity Lutheran Ministries in Edwardsville will be hosting its seventh annual CHRISTmas Ugly Sweater 5K on Saturday, December 10, with proceeds continuing to benefit local charities. Join the Edwardsville community for this family-friendly race! The race will continue to feature a wonderland race course filled with Christmas music and decorations, an ugly Christmas sweater competition, hot chocolate and cookies at the finish line, and a photo booth before and after the race. All race participants will be chip-timed by Final Lap Race Management. Medals are provided to all runners who participate in the race. This year's race will be held virtually and in person. While the in-person race will be held on December 10, anyone who registers can compete by signing up and logging their 5K run through a smartphone app. A portion of the race registration fees will benefit the Glen-Ed Food Pantry and Edwardsville Neighbors. Last year, both organizations were presented

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HARDIN - Calhoun County’s election results are in for the 2022 General Election, and incumbent Sheriff Bill Heffington has won re-election - as an Independent. Heffington re-entered the race after initially announcing his retirement earlier this year. Heffington won 75% of the vote as an Independent, defeating Republican challenger Mark Marshall II, who won 16% of the vote, and Democratic challenger Jeffrey Herkert, who won 8% of the vote, with 100% of precincts reporting. Democrat Amy Friedel ran unopposed in the County Clerk race - incumbent Republican County Clerk Rita Hagen chose not to seek re-election. Incumbent County Treasurer Lisa Roth sought re-election on the Democratic ticket, also unopposed. For State's Attorney, Republican Lucas J. Fanning won with 56%, defeating Democrat Keisha L. Morris, who won 42% of the vote. For County Commissioner (To Serve a Full 6-Year Term), Republican Patrick K. Simon and Democrat Terry J. Woelfel both won seats. In a contested

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ALTON - The AMH White Cross Auxiliary has a mission to replace all of the hospital's old wheelchairs with newer Staxi wheelchairs. A mail-in fundraiser this summer led to four sponsors donating $1,200 each for a chair, which will feature the sponsor’s name on the back. The Auxiliary is offering an opportunity until the end of the year to sponsor a wheelchair. The cost until the end of the year is $1,200, but the cost will be going up in 2023. The Auxiliary would love to get 10 more by the end of 2022. Chairs can be purchased as sponsorships for your business or organization, or perhaps in memory of a loved one. If anyone is interested in participating, please contact Meg Dorris at 618-530-7006 or Irene McLaughlin at 618-530-8589. Sixteen of the chairs were purchased by the Auxiliary in 2019. The chairs are much easier to use than a standard wheelchair, with a handle that needs to be squeezed to make the wheelchairs move forward, and then let go to stop. The arms can be lifted

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ALTON – As part of their continuing effort to meet the needs of Riverbend residents, the psychological services, behavioral health navigation and sleep services departments at OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center in Alton, Illinois, recently moved to new spaces within the hospital. Next week, the public is invited to tour these new spaces, meet providers and learn about the many services offered. An open house will take place on November 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Attendees should enter at the main hospital entrance (1 Saint Anthony’s Way, Alton), and OSF Mission Partners (employees) will escort you to the event. The open house will offer a progressive dessert bar. Residents can also learn about resources to manage mental health issues like OSF SilverCloud and take a questionnaire on healthy sleep habits. Attendees can even get the process started to see a provider in the psychology or sleep departments. For example, residents can schedule a free screening

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