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Did you know that nearly 75% of the world’s flowering plants depend on pollinators to reproduce? Without these tiny creatures, the vibrant blooms and bountiful harvests commonly seen in gardens would be drastically reduced. Pollinators play an indispensable role in maintaining the health and productivity of garden ecosystems. Understanding their significance during the peak growing season offers gardeners a powerful advantage in cultivating thriving plants and supporting biodiversity. Why Pollinators Matter in the Garden Pollination is the process by which pollen is transferred from the male part of a flower (anther) to the female part (stigma), enabling fertilization and the production of fruits and seeds. While wind and water can carry pollen in some species, the vast majority rely on animals—primarily insects such as bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, and even hummingbirds—to perform this task efficiently. In summer gardens, when many plants are in full bloom,

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June 24th has long been a date marked by monumental events that have shaped the course of history across the globe. One of the most impactful global events recorded on June 24th took place in 1947, a day that would forever change the landscape of modern technology and communication. On this day, pilot Kenneth Arnold reported seeing a string of nine unidentified flying objects near Mount Rainier, Washington, coining the term “flying saucers.” This sighting sparked the modern UFO craze and initiated a surge of public interest and government investigations into aerial phenomena. Arnold’s report marked the beginning of a new era in popular culture and scientific inquiry, influencing everything from military protocols to entertainment. Traveling back several centuries, June 24th, 1497, saw the beginning of John Cabot’s expedition from Bristol, England. Cabot’s voyage across the Atlantic Ocean led to the European discovery of parts of North America, predating

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EDWARDSVILLE — Authorities have closed the intersection of Troy Road and Center Grove Road on Monday evening, June 23, 2025, due to a traffic incident involving a vehicle and a motorcycle, according to the Edwardsville Police and Fire Departments. The departments reported the incident on Monday have blocked all lanes at the intersection to manage the situation. Edwardsville Police Chief Mike Fillback confirmed it was a fatal accident. He said more details will come about the accident. Drivers are advised to avoid the area and use alternative routes if traveling nearby. The Edwardsville Police Department issued a traffic alert, urging motorists to steer clear of the intersection while emergency personnel respond to the incident. Chief Fillback said that the Illinois State Police will likely come to do reconstruction and determine the cause of the accident. The roadway in that area will be shut down for some time, the chief said.

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GRANITE CITY - Granite City police responded to reports of shots fired at a Jack in the Box restaurant on Nameoki Road Monday afternoon, June 23, 2025, authorities said. At approximately 4:24 p.m. on June 23, officers arrived at the Jack in the Box located at 3330 Nameoki Road following a disturbance during which multiple shots were fired from a handgun, according to a preliminary investigation by the Granite City Police Department. The Madison County Sheriff’s Department also assisted at the scene with a K9 unit. Evidence markers were scattered across the restaurant’s parking lot, which was cordoned off with crime scene tape. No injuries have been reported in connection with the incident. The Granite City Police Department is actively investigating and has not released further information at this time.

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FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. — Authorities arrested two women Thursday in connection with the death of an 18-year-old foster child found unresponsive at a residence earlier this year, officials said. At approximately 2:45 a.m. on May 11, 2024, the Fairview Heights Police Department responded to a home at 6 Patricia Drive after receiving a report of an unresponsive female. Officers located Mackenzi Felmlee, 18, lying at the bottom of a staircase. Felmlee was in the presence of her foster mother, Shameka S. Williams, 46, and her foster grandmother, Cornelia M. Reid, 64. First responders immediately administered lifesaving measures before transporting Felmlee to Belleville Memorial Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. Medical personnel and police noted significant bruising and injuries in various stages of healing on Felmlee’s body, prompting an extensive investigation. Felmlee had been a ward of the state of Illinois and was under the care of Williams since April

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO. — Charges have been filed in St. Louis County against Ivyon Houston, 22, of St. Louis, in connection with a shooting, home invasion, and police pursuit that ended in a crash and the death of Brian Sonnier, 27, who lived in the 4800 block of Northland Avenue, St. Louis, MO., 63113. The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Houston with Assault 1st Degree or Attempt – Serious Physical Injury or Special Victim, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, Burglary 1st Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child Creating Substantial Risk - 1st Degree, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Unlawful Possession, Transport, Manufacture, Repair or Sale of Illegal Weapon, and Aggravated Fleeing a Stop or Detention. According to the probable cause statement, Houston shot a victim in the foot inside the victim’s residence on the 6100 block of Alaska Avenue. Houston left the scene but later returned, forcibly

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ALTON - Madison Shanks is organizing a fundraiser to support the family of Derek Day, who died recently. The fundraiser aims to assist Day’s partner, Kaylee, and their two children with immediate financial needs. “We are devastated to share that Derek Day has tragically passed away, leaving behind his loving partner, Kaylee, and their two beautiful children,” Shanks said. She explained that Kaylee will be unable to work for the foreseeable future, which leaves the family without income during an already difficult time. The fundraiser will help cover the costs of transporting Day’s body across state lines for burial, funeral, and memorial services, and ongoing financial support for Kaylee and the children. Shanks emphasized the urgency of the situation: “The immediate challenges are overwhelming… Any donation, big or small, will help relieve some of the financial burden to our family as we navigate through this incredibly difficult situation.”

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SPRINGFIELD – With extremely high temperatures and increasing humidity in the forecast, the Illinois Department of Transportation is cautioning the public to be on the lookout for pavement failures on roads throughout the state. Pavement failures or blowouts occur when prolonged high temperatures cause the road to expand and buckle up or blow out, resulting in uneven driving surfaces. Precipitation and humidity increase the potential for buckling. Pavement failures can be reported to IDOT by calling (800) 452-4368 or by reaching out to law enforcement via 911. Additionally, if you must travel during extreme heat, bring drinking water. Becoming stranded could be dangerous without proper hydration, as dehydration can occur quickly in these conditions. For more information about pavement failures and how they occur, take a look at this educational video created by IDOT.

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O’FALLON — In October 2023, HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Women and Infants Center partnered with Mothers’ Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes (WGL) to open St. Clair County’s only milk dispensary where families can purchase safe, pasteurized breast milk. St. Elizabeth’s Milk Bank is proud to now accept milk donations as St. Clair County’s only breast milk depot. Donations from Mothers’ Milk Banks WGL are delivered to hospitals in Wisconsin and Illinois in need of extra milk. This joint effort increases access to lifesaving, critical nutrition for pediatric patients in need. Donor milk is primarily used in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or the postpartum unit. “Breast milk is an essential nutritional therapy that provides numerous benefits, including infection-fighting factors, growth hormones and improved nutrition and digestion to newborns,” shares Jennifer Swank, RN, International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant

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SUMMERFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that a full closure of Old U.S. 50 at Summerfield Road will start, weather permitting, at 6 a.m. Thursday, June 26, for box culvert and roadway repairs. During that time, motorists should follow the marked detour as follows: Eastbound Old U.S. 50: Take U.S. 50 to southbound Illinois 160 Westbound Old U.S. 50: Take northbound Illinois 160 to westbound U.S. 50 All lanes are scheduled to reopen by 7 p.m. Monday, June 30. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all construction signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling through the work zone. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on the social media platform X at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com .

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EDWARDSVILLE — Alyssa Bivens, a key defensive player for Metro East Lutheran High School’s girls soccer team, has been recognized as a BJ’s Printables Female Athlete of the Month for the Knights. B ivens, who plays center on defense and is considered "a sweeper," provided a strong presence in the backline throughout the 2025 season. “She was the anchor to our defense. She was all over the field and usually ran down balls thrown in,” said MELHS girls soccer coach Rob Stock. In addition to her soccer responsibilities, Bivens also competes on the school’s tennis team. As she prepares to enter her senior year, the Knights look forward to her continued contributions on both the soccer field and the tennis courts.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at a bicameral spotlight forum entitled “Defending the Rights of the People: States and Congressional Allies Fight Back Against Trump's Constitutional Abuses,” with a panel of Democratic state Attorneys General who are combatting the Trump Administration’s egregious and unlawful actions through litigation. House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08) is leading the forum with Durbin. Key quotes: “Our country is currently facing several catastrophic challenges that the Trump Administration is ignoring or exacerbating in favor of fomenting a domestic political crisis through their lawless and cruel directives—and unfortunately, Congressional Republicans have been willing to ignore.” “The last two weeks alone have tragically illustrated this. President Trump ordered an unprecedente

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ALTON – Two men from Alton face felony charges in unrelated cases of domestic battery. Ahmad M. Gerhardt, 23, of Alton, was charged on June 20, 2025 with a Class 2 felony count of aggravated domestic battery, a Class 3 felony count of aggravated battery, and a Class A misdemeanor count of domestic battery. On June 17, 2025, Gerhardt allegedly caused great bodily harm to a family or household member by striking them in the head with a piece of wood, causing a severe laceration to the victim’s forehead. He was additionally accused of striking the same victim about the body with a belt. The victim reported that Gerhardt began striking them about the body with a belt during an argument before hitting them in the head with the piece of wood. Officers documented the victim’s injuries, including the forehead laceration and abrasions to the victim’s body. Gerhardt fled the scene, but was later located and claimed he had “hit the victim with the piece of wood

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ST. LOUIS - A heat advisory remains in effect through Thursday evening, June 26, 2025, for the Alton area and the Metro East region, following a heat warning that lasted until Monday night, June 23, 2025, according to National Weather Service in St. Louis meteorologist Brad Charboneau. Residents can expect heat indexes ranging from the upper 90s to 105 degrees Tuesday through Thursday, he said. The forecasted high for Monday is 95 degrees with a low of 77 degrees overnight, then a high of 95 is predicted for Tuesday and 94 degrees on Wednesday. Thursday is again predicted to have a high near 95 degrees. On Friday, a high of 93 degrees is predicted, so the weather will be a repeat nearly every day this week. Charboneau said the persistent heat is due to a high-pressure system settled over the Ohio Valley, creating a stationary dome of heat typical for summer months. This system, combined with significant humidity and limited air flow, is causing hot and humid conditions to continue

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SAINT LOUIS - Rachael Sage doesn’t apologize for her art. Sage, a Billboard-charting independent artist, will perform at Riviera STL on July 8, 2025, as part of her “Joy = Resistance” tour with Kristen Ford. As she prepares to tour and release her 17th album, “Canopy,” later this year, Sage looks forward to getting back onstage and enjoying the “bliss” of sharing her voice with other people. “It’s as close to Zen as I think I ever get,” she said. “For me, it’s this absolute freedom to get up on stage, have this connection with the community and the moment, and just celebrate life and joy and our collective humanity.” As an independent artist, it’s up to Sage to manage the writing, mastering, scheduling, marketing and press for her work. While it’s a lot of work, it’s also exciting for her to share her message with the world. She loves performing and always looks forward to returning

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ALTON – An Alton resident has been charged with burglarizing a Delmar Avenue business and stealing a wide variety of products from within. Devon A. Pierson, 23, of Alton, was charged on June 18, 2025 with one count each of burglary (a Class 2 felony) and theft (a Class 3 felony). Pierson is accused of knowingly entering Cloud Buster Smoke Shop, located at 508 W. Delmar Ave. in Alton, without authority on Feb. 9, 2025 with the intent to commit a theft. He reportedly stole “three boxes of ‘Perk’ pills, approximately 40 to 50 jars of wax, approximately 30 pre-rolls, and United States currency from a tip jar,” according to court documents. The stolen goods had a total combined value of more than $500. The Alton Police Department presented the case against Pierson, who was granted pretrial release from custody. All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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EAST ST. LOUIS - For the first time, the live sounds of classical composer Johann Sebastian Bach floated through the air in the Multipurpose Room of Building D on the Wyvetter H. Younge Higher Education Campus (WHYHEC). Bringing the melodies of the German composer to life at 12 p.m. Wednesday, June 18, via the clarinet, double bass, viola, violin and cello was the partnership between the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Music and the SIUE East St. Louis Center for the Performing Arts (ESLCPA) program. The collaboration is part of the SIUE Department of Music Summer Chamber Music Festival. The free, hour-long concert, performed by Chamber Project Saint Louis (CPSTL) for students and staff on the WHYHEC, opened the project that is offering a classical music concert for all, and music and dance workshops for ESLCPA students. SIUE Jazz workshops will be held Thursday, June 26. “This is my first time working with the student

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MADISON COUNTY — Deputies from the Madison County Sheriff's Office participated in the Alton River Dragons First Responder Night event recently in Alton. Deputies Chris Alfaro and Maricela Williams represented the sheriff’s office during the event, which also included a tribute to Alton Police Department K9 Odin, who was killed in the line of duty. The First Responder Night event was aimed at honoring first responders and recognize their service to the community. The Madison County Sheriff's Office expressed sincere gratitude for the opportunity to pay tribute to K9 Odin, acknowledging the sacrifice made by the K9 and the police department.

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CENTRALIA - Friends, family and supporters of Staff Sergeant Josh Melton have launched a fundraiser to repair a memorial statue honoring the fallen soldier in Centralia, organizers announced Monday, June 23, 2025. The campaign, created by Alex Pracht, a former Army comrade of Melton’s, and Mike Melton, Josh’s father, seeks donations to cover the cost of repairing damage recently sustained by the statue. The memorial stands as a tribute to Melton’s service and sacrifice and holds deep significance for his family, friends, and the local community. “Josh was not only a brother-in-arms but a remarkable friend, and his memory continues to inspire all of us who knew him,” Pracht said in a statement. He added that the damage to the statue has been “heartbreaking,” but expressed hope that with public support, the statue can be restored to its original condition. Funds raised will be used for materials, labor and any restoration work necessary to retur

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EDWARDSVILLE — A Parkinson’s support group at the Edwardsville YMCA has been providing resources, activities, and social connection for people living with the disease and their caregivers since summer 2019. The group meets at 2 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month at the Edwardsville YMCA Niebur Center, located at 1200 Essic Drive in Edwardsville. It is open to individuals with Parkinson’s, their caregivers, and anyone interested in learning more about the condition. The support group continues to add people with each session. Jean Price, a retired nurse who has volunteered as a facilitator for two years, described the group as a place where participants “do some fun things” and share practical tips to make everyday life easier. The program often features guest speakers, including healthcare professionals such as pharmacists, physical therapists, and dietitians, as well as instructors offering yoga and spinning classes on stationary bikes. Past session

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