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CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced applications are now open for the fifth round of the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program. The Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program provides training opportunities, expands the talent pipeline, and boosts diversity in the construction industry and building trades. Grantees will be selected through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) process. “Since 2021, the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program has helped thousands of Illinoisans gain access to good-paying jobs in the construction and building trades,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I am proud to expand this program to bring even more opportunities to workers who embody the best parts of Illinois—diversity, drive, and dedication to serve our state and the people who call it home.” “With these grants, we’re continuing to build real pathways t

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ALTON - Senior Services Plus, Inc. (SSP), located at 2306 N. Rodgers Avenue in Alton, will host a Social Security Anniversary Celebration on Friday, August 22nd 2025, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. Jean Bohnhoff, the former Director of the Illinois Department on Aging, will be speaking during this workshop-style presentation, and will focus on building a basic understanding of Social Security, including how claiming decisions affect payments and identifying resources that can help you along the way. This event will take place in the School House Grill inside Senior Services Plus. Doors will open at 11 a.m. and speakers will begin at noon. The event is free, open to the public, and lunch will be provided thanks to sponsor AARP Illinois. Registration is required, and space is limited. To reserve your seat, call 618-465-3298 or visit https://events.aarp.org/SSAlton About Senior Services Plus Senior Services Plus, Inc. is a 501(c) not-for-profit organization established to enrich the lives

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Did you know that nearly 77 million people in the United States volunteer annually, contributing approximately 6.9 billion hours of service? Among these, a significant number dedicate their time to local events, especially during summer. But beyond the numbers lies a powerful truth: volunteering at local summer events offers far more than just community service—it provides personal growth, social connection, and unique professional opportunities. Building Community Connections: More Than Just Handshakes Local summer events—festivals, fairs, concerts, and charity runs—are vibrant hubs where communities come alive. Volunteering at these gatherings places you at the heart of this energy, fostering meaningful connections. Unlike passive attendance, volunteering encourages interaction with diverse groups: event organizers, local business owners, performers, and attendees. For example, at the annual city music festival in Austin, volunteers often form lasting friendships

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July 22 has been a day marked by transformative events that have shaped the course of history across the globe. One of the most consequential events on this day occurred in 1298, during the Scottish Wars of Independence. The Battle of Falkirk saw King Edward I of England decisively defeat the forces of William Wallace, the legendary Scottish patriot. Although a setback for Scottish independence, the battle demonstrated the fierce determination of Wallace’s forces and the complexities of medieval warfare. This event not only shaped Scotland’s struggle for sovereignty but also inspired generations with its themes of resistance and national identity. Fast forward several centuries to July 22, 1484, when Pope Innocent VIII issued the papal bull Summis desiderantes affectibus. This decree explicitly endorsed the persecution of witches, bolstering the witch hunts that would grip Europe in the following decades. The bull's issuance marked a grim chapter in history, highlighting

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ALTON — The Madison County Sheriff’s Department attempted to stop a white truck Tuesday around 2 a.m. on College Avenue, but the vehicle fled the traffic stop, leading to a pursuit that ended in the Argosy parking lot. The truck was chased from College Avenue onto Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, where it traveled on MLK before entering the Argosy parking area and coming to a stop. One suspect was taken into custody at the scene, while a second suspect fled the vehicle and jumped into the Mississippi River. The Alton Fire Department fireboat was requested, but the suspect exited the water before the boat was needed and was taken into custody. Scanner communications indicated the truck may have been stolen. An ambulance was also requested after reports that one of the suspects may have swallowed narcotics. The Alton Police Department assisted Madison County authorities during the incident. No further details about the suspects or their condition have been released.

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BETHALTO, Ill. — Joshua J. Morrison was charged Monday with aggravated arson, arson, and aggravated battery following an incident Saturday afternoon at an apartment complex in Bethalto. The Bethalto Fire Department and the Bethalto Police Department responded around 10 a.m. July 19, a report of a truck set on fire and an assault victim at an apartment building in the 300 block of Grant Street. Firefighters arrived to find the truck engulfed in flames and successfully extinguished the fire. Officers located a victim who had sustained injuries from an assault. During the investigation, police discovered a suspect barricaded inside the building. Bethalto Police used a loudspeaker to order the individual to exit. For safety reasons, the Metro East S.W.A.T. team was called in to assist. The tactical team entered the building and peacefully removed the suspect, who was then taken into custody. The situation concluded around 2 p.m. The Bethalto Police Department acknowledged

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ALTON - Alton Mayor David Goins today announced the revocation of the late-night liquor licenses for Hiram’s Bar and Pour Decisions Bar. The two establishments late-night liquor license, which allows them to serve alcohol from 1- 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, will be terminated with immediate effect today, July 21, 2025. Both businesses will retain their liquor license which allows them to serve until 1 a.m. The Mayor’s decision will only affect their privilege to extend their hours past 1 a.m. The Mayor, as liquor commissioner for the City of Alton, may revoke any liquor license as he sees fit. Following the process set forth in the City Code, the Mayor held a public hearing at City Hall on Monday, July 14, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. for Hiram’s Bar and on Monday, July 14, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. for Pour Decisions Bar to gather evidence prior to his action. At the public hearing, testimony was heard from Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford. Following this, both establishments were

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GODFREY - The Village of Godfrey will celebrate their new dog park with a grand opening ceremony next month. At 10 a.m. on Aug. 2, 2025, community members are invited to Glazebrook Park in Godfrey to check out the dog park, built in memory of longtime Parks Board member Max Heinz. Those who spearheaded the park hope that it serves as a place to remember Max while also providing a great resource for dog owners and their pets. “I just feel like every destination community has to have these kinds of amenities,” said Beth Heinz, Max’s daughter-in-law. “I want it to be a space where not only the dogs can come but also the people that live in the community can come and know that Max Heinz was someone who spent a lot of time trying to better the Parks Department and different things that he was involved in. This was kind of one of the last things that he was working on achieving, and I’m just happy that we were able to make it happen.” The park

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EDWARDSVILLE — A visitation at Metro Community Church in Edwardsville on Sunday evening, July 20, 2025, showed the love and adoration of their previous pastor, with hundreds in attendance for hours. Many shared a common story or theme about Paul Westbrook: that he truly related to the congregation, which was built from 35 members to the massive church it is today. Westbrook, founding pastor of Metro Community Church and associate executive director of the Illinois State Baptist Association, died Sunday, July 13, 2025, at his home. He was 64. Westbrook served the Edwardsville and Vandalia communities for more than 30 years, shepherding Metro Community Church from its inception as a small group meeting in a basement to a multi-campus congregation reaching thousands. He and his wife, Melody, founded the church in Edwardsville and began with 35 members and grew to approximately 200 before moving into a school for weekend worship. The church later purchased farmland to build its curren

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BELLEVILLE – One element in the fight against crime is being able to promptly and accurately access and record the related data. The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Center for Crime Science and Violence Prevention’s (CCSVP) recent creation of an extraction tool will help police departments across the country do just that. “The extraction tool is a piece of software code that allows a police department to create a database of their crime incidents standardized to the FBI’s National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS), without needing more complex access to their Records Management System (RMS),” said Dennis Mares, PhD, professor of Criminal Justice Studies and director of CSSVP in Belleville. “Especially smaller police departments lack the capacity to access this data easily,” continued Mares, who devised the tool. “The extraction code handles files that are submitted to the NIBRS reporting system on site at the

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GRANITE CITY - Over 5,000 women from across the country joined the MUDGIRL Run in Granite City this past weekend. On Saturday, July 19, 2025, Tri-City Speedway hosted the MUDGIRL Run, which encouraged women to run through a two-and-a-half-mile muddy obstacle course to raise money for breast cancer research. Tammy Gundaker with Tri-City Speedway said the event was “crazy and fun” for everyone who came. “People flew in for this because there's only so many of these events a year, which was absolutely incredible. It was unbelievable to us,” Gundaker said. “With everything going on in the world today, it’s nice to see something that kind of brightens people up, that you can do together.” The MUDGIRL Run organization holds these events across the country, but Granite City is the only location for the race in this region. Gundaker said they welcomed people from as far away as Arkansas, Michigan and California. Unlike most runs, this event

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ALTON - NeVaeh Bryant secured seventh place in the triple jump at the state meet on May 24, 2025, with a personal best leap of 11.64 meters (38 feet, 2 inches). The event took place as part of the state track and field championships. Throughout the 2024 and 2025 track and field seasons, the Redbirds' Bryant continued to show strong improvements in her various events. Bryant may have been the most versatile girls track and field athlete for Alton this past spring. Bryant also captured first place in the triple jump at the sectional with a jump of 37 feet, 5.75 inches. In addition to her success in the triple jump, she finished second in the 300-meter hurdles at the sectional with a time of 44.18 seconds and recorded a time of 45.59 seconds at state. Bryant is an Auto Butler Female Athlete of the Month for Alton. Beyond local competitions, Bryant competed in the AAU Jackie Joyner-Kersee National Showcase after the high school season where she recorded an 11.40-meter jump in the triple

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O'FALLON - O'Fallon Police Department will conduct a speed enforcement detail Wednesday, July 23, 2025, targeting drivers exceeding safe speeds across the city and throughout Illinois. The initiative aims to address speeding, which authorities say is a leading factor in motor vehicle crashes. Speeding includes not only exceeding posted limits but also driving too fast for weather, road, or traffic conditions. The O'Fallon Police Department emphasized that speeding contributes to higher crash rates, more severe injuries, and increased fatalities. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) shows that in Illinois, between 2021 and 2023, there were 3,500 fatal crashes. Of those, 33.31% (1,166) were speed-related, resulting in 1,339 deaths. Nationally, speed-related crashes accounted for 27.91% (32,693) of 116,861 fatal crashes during the same period, causing 36,430 fatalities. The police department encouraged

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GODFREY - Margaret Freer announced on Monday, July 21, 2025, that the Christmas In July event held last Friday, July 18, 2025, at Freer Auto Body in Godfrey raised a record $76,000 for Community Christmas, surpassing last year’s goal of $75,000. Freer expressed surprise and gratitude over the outcome, noting the challenges faced during the fundraising effort. “I really did not think we would make the goal," she said. "It was a slow at first and a rough year and it seemed I had to do a lot more begging and pleading. “I really get misty-eyed when I think of how many people this will help. The community is amazing and the event Friday was fun.” Despite being short-staffed and unable to visit with many attendees on Friday, Freer said the event drew a large, happy crowd. “Everyone was happy and everyone said best sloppy joes and cheesecake ever,” she added. Freer also acknowledged support from local businesses, highlighting that Bakers and Hale contributed

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EAST ST. LOUIS – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced lane closures on eastbound and westbound Interstate 64 from 15th Street to Illinois 157 in St. Clair County. Beginning Monday, July 21, nightly lane closures will reduce traffic to one lane to allow for road maintenance. Closures will occur Monday through Friday, weather permitting, and will remain in effect until mid-summer 2025. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this closure. 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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EAST ST. LOUIS — A federal judge sentenced Daniel Robert, 48, of Houston, Texas, to life in prison Wednesday after a jury found him guilty of leading a cocaine trafficking operation that transported more than 325 kilograms of the drug to Southern Illinois. Robert, also known as Dewayne Robert, was convicted following an eight-day trial on charges including conspiracy to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to obstruct justice, witness tampering, and attempted witness tampering. The drug operation, active from January 2014 to August 2018, was responsible for trafficking an estimated 327 kilograms of cocaine, according to court documents. “Large-scale drug traffickers who profit from poisoning our communities with dangerous narcotics and then try to obstruct justice through threats or intimidation will be held fully accountable under federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “This life sentence reflects the seriousness

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ALTON - Alton authorities are investigating the defacement of the "Welcome to Alton" sign on the city’s northern entrance, where graffiti containing a derogatory message targeting a resident was painted sometime between Friday night and early Saturday morning, July 19, 2025. Cory Davenport is with the Sunken Press in Alton. His name was painted with the derogatory message sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said officers are actively following up on leads to identify the person or persons responsible. Davenport also expressed appreciation for community members who covered the sign until it could be removed. Davenport acknowledged the incident in a statement, thanking Paula Jamison and others who helped cover and replace the sign. He speculated that the act may have required a truck to reach the sign. “I have angered enough people through well-researched and honest opinions and community-organized efforts that things like

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FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS - The Southwestern Illinois chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI SWI) will host their annual Walk for Mental Health Awareness. On Sept. 20, 2025, at Moody Park in Fairview Heights, community members can come together for a walk that will raise money for NAMI SWI and their programs. Kaleigh Peery with NAMI SWI explained that the goal is to bring people together and start the conversation about mental health. “I think that's really what NAMI is about. It’s just coming together and supporting one another,” Peery said. “The thing about mental illness is that it doesn't discriminate. We all either have experienced it or have had a loved one close to us experience it or have something traumatic that impacts your daily life. To have a day where you can come together and just know that everybody there has experienced something and can relate to what you felt or you’re feeling — coming together is healing.”

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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined a coalition of 15 attorneys general opposing the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) unlawful and baseless attempt to strip temporary protected status (TPS) from Honduran, Nepali and Nicaraguan immigrants. The TPS program is a critical humanitarian lifeline established by Congress in 1990 that protects immigrants from being returned to countries that have been deemed unsafe, allowing them to work and build a life in the United States. In an amicus brief filed in National TPS Alliance v. Noem, Raoul and the coalition highlight the devastating economic and humanitarian consequences of ending these TPS protections and urge the court to postpone the proposed actions. “People with temporary protected status have fled trauma and extreme hardship and are now working and contributing to their communities across the country,” Raoul said. “I am proud to join my fellow attorneys general in asking the court to preserve

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NORMAL - Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and Adient, a global leader in automotive seating, today announced the company will establish a facility in Normal to assemble seat components for Rivian products. Adient plans to make a capital investment of more than $8 million with support from the Reimagining Energy and Vehicles in Illinois (REV Illinois) program, which will enable the company to establish its operations and create 75 new full-time jobs. “With more EV suppliers calling Illinois home due to our unmatched workforce, infrastructure and competitive incentives, we are growing our reputation as a global leader in the electric vehicle sector,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Adient’s new facility in Normal is a critical investment in our state’s growing EV ecosystem and supply chain. With yet another global company choosing to locate in Illinois, we’re creating more jobs, opportunities and

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