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BELLEVILLE - The 25th Annual Metro Construction Career Expo will be held October 21–23, 2025, at the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds, 200 South Belt East, Belleville, Illinois. This year’s event will welcome a record number of students, more than 1,200 from 37 area high schools, to explore hands-on activities and demonstrations that highlight rewarding career opportunities in the skilled construction trades. Media are invited to attend the Expo to see firsthand how unions and industry leaders are addressing the growing demand for skilled workers across Southern Illinois. Apprenticeship programs offer paid, debt-free pathways into the construction industry, complete with wages, benefits, and pension, providing a strong alternative to traditional college routes. “We are thrilled to see record participation this year,” said Donna Richter, CEO of the Southern Illinois Builders Association (SIBA). “The Metro Construction Career Expo continues to open students’

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ROXANA — The Roxana High School girls' volleyball team raised $10,000 for cancer awareness during their recent annual fundraising game held this year in partnership with Jerseyville High School. The event, which took place recently at Roxana, included the sale of more than 500 T-shirts and sponsorships from over 50 local businesses. All proceeds from the sales and sponsorships were donated to the Riverbend Relay for Life, an organization dedicated to cancer research and support. Andrea Keller, coach of the Roxana girls volleyball team, said the game honors cancer survivors and provides players an opportunity to share stories about people they know who have been affected by the disease. This year’s event was dedicated to Rory Guss, a preschooler at Roxana diagnosed with leukemia in December 2023. “Rory has undergone treatments and continues to fight to overcome this disease. She is a true hero and an inspiration to all of us. So brave and so positive,” Keller

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ALTON - A local neighborhood recently came together to honor their mail carrier. On Oct. 4, 2025, 15th Street in Alton hosted their annual block party. They invited mail carrier Jerri Howard to express their appreciation for her work delivering their mail for the past 18 years. “She’s seen our kids grow up,” said Ruby Blair, who helped organize the recognition. “We wanted to let her know we appreciated her. It was just that simple.” Blair pointed out that Howard has gone above and beyond to serve the community, truly honoring the United States Postal Service creed. “Ours is one of the more difficult neighborhoods to deliver because we have porches and steps. It’s work, in all kinds of weather,” Blair explained. During the block party, the community took a group photo, which Blair printed out and delivered to Howard. Blair believes that the experience was meaningful for both the neighbors and Howard. “I think it was

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COLLINSVILLE - Collinsville Community Unit School District #10 announced that the 2025 Collinsville High School Homecoming Parade will take place on Thursday, October 16, exclusively along Main Street in Collinsville. The parade is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. at the corner of Hesperia and Main streets and will proceed to the intersection of Main and North Center Street in Collinsville. Organizers emphasized that the parade route will not include West Clay Street, a change from previous years. Officials advised attendees to line up only on Main Street in preparation for the event and encouraged the public to share this updated information with others planning to attend. The Collinsville High School marching band, shown above, will once again be one of the highlights of the homecoming parade.

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ALTON - OSF St. Anthony’s Health Center will host an open house to celebrate their 100th anniversary in the community. From 2–6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, community members and previous employees are invited to stop by the hospital to learn more about their services and engage with staff members. Sister M. Beata Ziegler, F.S.G.M., Vice President of Operations and Special Projects, shared that the hospital has spent this anniversary year thinking about their past and future. “As we look over the past 100 years, we spent the first part of the year reflecting on the past, God’s providence through all these years. We also wanted to focus on moving forward,” Ziegler said. “On Thursday, Oct. 23, our open house event, we will be really looking at what services we provide at St. Anthony’s. We’ll have a lot of fun activities. It’s really highlighting what our services are and being able to thank the community.” During

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois State Police (ISP) intensified efforts to combat vehicle theft, hijacking, and related violent crimes between July and September 2025, utilizing grant funding from the Illinois Secretary of State’s Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Council. ISP received a $10 million grant for the first fiscal year, followed by additional funding of $677,000 in June 2024 and $637,500 in July 2025 to support these initiatives. During the third quarter of 2025, ISP conducted 40 missions targeting stolen and hijacked vehicles and related violent crimes. The operations resulted in the recovery of 280 stolen or hijacked vehicles, 21 arrests related to stolen vehicles, and four arrests for vehicle hijacking. Law enforcement also seized 13 firearms connected to these crimes. The agency deployed 30 K9 units and conducted 34 air operations in support of these efforts. Forensic laboratories handled 1,287 assignments

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CHICAGO – Two Illinois Lottery players are now millionaires after each snagged a $1 million prize in Saturday night’s Powerball® drawing. The winning tickets were purchased at retailers in Rochelle and Colona, where excitement is running high among employees and customers alike. The first $1 million winning ticket was bought at Shell, located at 1350 Cleveland Road in Colona. The second $1 million winning Powerball ticket was purchased at Road Ranger, located at 890 East Highway 38 in Rochelle. Both tickets matched all five of the main numbers — 13, 16, 18, 20, and 27 — in Saturday’s Powerball drawing, missing only the Powerball number, 10, to win the game’s second-highest prize of $1 million. Employees at both locations were thrilled by the news. “Stop it! Are you serious?,” gasped Mellissa, manager at the Colona Shell, when she heard the news. She quickly shared it with a nearby coworker, who shouted, “We did!? No way!

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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 Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) issued the following statement on today’s oral arguments in Louisiana v. Callais : “All Americans should have a fair say in who represents them in Congress. Led by a President who tried stealing an election, Republicans have lost all respect for election integrity. We’re now witnessing a never-before-seen political pressure campaign to rig elections by enabling politicians to choose their voters—not the other way around. “Rather than tit-for-tat political games, the American people deserve stability at the voting booth. The Voting Rights Act has provided that consistency for decades—but faces escalating attacks from Republicans dead-set on politicizing election administration. “By ruling in favor of Black voters in Louisiana, the Supreme Court can protect fair representation

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SPRINGFIELD - Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) joined Innovative Rail Technologies (IRT) and Motive Power Resources, Inc. (MPR) to celebrate the commissioning of their latest zero-emission, battery electric locomotive. Bolstered by a Reimagining Energy and Vehicles in Illinois (REV Illinois) agreement , Motive Power Resources, Inc. has been expanding their facilities to increase production of IRT-designed battery electric locomotives and battery configurations to retrofit diesel locomotives for use in the United States and Canada.“I am proud to stand with Innovative Rail Technologies and Motive Power Resources as they unveil the latest in zero-emission, battery electric locomotive technology being made right here in Illinois,” said Governor JB Pritzker . “This advancement will make rail systems nationwide more reliable, more efficient, and more resilient – all while solidifying Illinois leadership

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EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Chaya Gopalan, PhD, a professor in both SIUE’s School of Education, Health and Human Behavior (SEHHB) and School of Nursing (SON), leads a partnership between STEM faculty of collaborating four-year and two-year institutions awarded $2 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The grant, titled "Developing STEM Education Reform Leaders through a Multidisciplinary and Cross-institutional Community Transformation,” supports the development of STEM education by introducing an innovative teaching model known as “Flipped Teaching” to faculty members across Illinois. The amount of $1,228,850 goes directly to SIUE and their partnering two-year institution St. Louis Community College (STLCC). Gopalan will be the lead Principal Investigator (PI) collaborating with Co-Principal Investigator Sharon Locke, PhD, Director of SIUE’s STEM Center. “Our goal is to empower a dedicated

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SAVOY - On Tuesday, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) met with air traffic controllers at the University of Illinois Willard Airport to hear how they are being impacted by the government shutdown. While air traffic are seldom furloughed during a shutdown because of their essential role, they are not paid. “My visit with air traffic controllers at Willard Airport underscored exactly why we must work to reopen the government as quickly as possible,” said Congresswoman Budzinski . “The workers I spoke with shared deep concerns about their ability to pay their bills and the strain caused by staffing shortages resulting from this shutdown. On top of that, the public safety risks that come with an understaffed and under-supported air traffic control system demand we act quickly. For the sake of our air traffic controllers and the traveling public, I urge my Republican colleagues to come to the table and reach a deal to end this crisis.” The shutdown has

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BETHESDA, MD. — U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, underwent a preplanned medical procedure Monday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to address residual pain and mobility issues related to her combat wounds, a spokesperson said. The procedure, described as long-awaited, aims to improve Duckworth’s physical condition. According to the statement, the senator expects to return to Capitol Hill later this week. Duckworth has been open about the lasting effects of injuries sustained during her military service. The latest procedure reflects ongoing efforts to manage those challenges while continuing her legislative duties.

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CHICAGO - Bob Fioretti, a civil rights attorney and two-time Chicago alderman, announced his candidacy for Illinois Attorney General, positioning himself as a Republican challenger critical of the current officeholder’s ties to political insiders and donors. Fioretti, who switched from the Democratic to the Republican Party several years ago, said the Democratic Party “abandoned family, faith, and fiscal responsibility,” prompting his change. He launched his campaign with a pledge to serve as “the people’s lawyer,” rejecting what he described as the influence of politicians, donors, and insiders on the Attorney General’s office. “As your Attorney General, I will fight for common sense values we all share: standing up FOR crime victims instead of violent criminals, FOR our citizens instead of illegal aliens, FOR parents instead of teachers’ unions, and FOR taxpayers instead of corrupt politicians,” Fioretti said. He emphasized

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HOYLETON — Hoyleton Youth & Family Services (HYFS) is thrilled to announce it has received a transformative $60,000 grant from The Maschhoffs Impact to fully fund the creation of an All-Abilities Playground — a first-of-its-kind inclusive play space designed for children of every ability. The playground, to be located on HYFS’s therapeutic residential campus, will provide a safe, welcoming environment where all children — regardless of physical or developmental challenges — can play, explore, and thrive together. “This project perfectly embodies our mission to make lasting contributions in the communities we call home,” said Danielle Solis, Chair of The Maschhoffs Impact. “We’re proud to partner with Hoyleton Youth & Family Services in creating a space that will bring joy and inclusion for generations to come.” Meghan Seipp, Director of Philanthropy at HYFS, expressed gratitude for the gift: “The Maschhoffs Impact ha

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ALTON - Alton Main Street will host their Downtown Chili Cook-Off this weekend. From 12–3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025, community members can stop by FLOCK Food Truck Park for the chili competition. Entry costs $10 for adults and $5 for children. Each attendee will receive a two-ounce sample from every chili competitor and can vote for their favorite chef. “You just pay once to get in the door, and then you go around and eat to your heart’s content,” said Alton Main Street Executive Director Sara McGibany. This year’s Downtown Chili Cook-Off will feature 17 teams, divided into categories for individuals, businesses, organizations and restaurants. A panel of judges will decide on a winner in each category, who will receive $100. The best decorated booth will also receive a $100 prize. When attendees arrive, they receive a ticket that can be deposited at their favorite booth. Whoever collects the most tickets will win “the coveted silver

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ALTON - Riverbender.com's Ryan Schlueter provided a morning view of the remains of the home in the 1200 block of Seasons Drive in Godfrey on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. Charlie Schlueter and Ryan both contributed to the photos above. The fire started at about 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. The Godfrey Fire Protection Chief Eric Cranmer has described the home as "a total loss." Six fire departments fought the serious blaze valiantly to extinguish it. There was some damage to the siding and some other issues with a home next door during the massive blaze, but the fire department's efforts protected other structures in the neighborhood. Chief Cranmer said the fire spread into the attic of the home and eventually the roof collapsed. Thankfully, the family and neighbors were able to get out safely after the fire broke out.

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ALTON – Alton authorities have charged two area residents with obstructing justice after allegedly giving false information to police investigating separate shootings from earlier this year. Deveon J. L. Burger, 24, of East St. Louis, was charged on Oct. 10, 2025 with obstructing justice, a Class 4 felony. Burger allegedly gave police false information about Hosea J. Burgess, who was charged last June with a Class X felony count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a repeat offender in connection to the fatal shooting of Donald R. Lane of Alton on May 28, 2025. On May 30, 2025, Burger allegedly falsely told the police “that he did not see Hosea Burgess with a firearm” on the night of the shooting, according to charging documents. Burger was ordered released from custody pending trial in the case presented by the Alton Police Department. In a separate but similar case, a Collinsville man was also charged on Oct. 10, 2025 with a Class 4 felony count of obstructing

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO. — Detectives with the St. Louis County Police Department are investigating a homicide that occurred early Wednesday morning, Oct. 15, 2025, in the 8300 block of Eaton Place. Officers from the City of Jennings Precinct responded at 3:13 a.m. to a ShotSpotter activation in the area. Upon arrival, they found an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. No suspects are currently in custody, and the investigation remains active. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477), where a reward may be available. Additional details will be released as they become available.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the Senate floor to honor Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the chaplain of the Loyola-Chicago men’s basketball team, after she passed away last week at 106 years old. “The phrase ‘Cura Personalis’ is the lodestar of Jesuit education. It means ‘care of the whole person,’ and it emphasizes the need for teachers to cultivate not just a person’s mind, but their spirit as well. No one embodied this ethos better than Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt,” Durbin said. “For more than half a century, Sister Jean shared her faith with her community in Chicago. She was a professor at Mundelein College, before it affiliated with Loyola , where she then became an academic advisor,” Durbin continued. “Basketball fans might remember Sister Jean as the de-facto chaplain and mascot of the Loyola Ramblers of the City of Chicago. Her cheers were louder than

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ALTON - The Audubon Center at Riverlands and Alton Main Street will unveil their new mural in downtown Alton. At 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, community members are invited to 224 E. Front Street in Alton to celebrate the mural, enjoy site-specific dance, and then head to My Just Desserts for a reception. The new mural spotlights the Lesser Yellowlegs and aims to encourage bird conservation. “It is a beautiful mural that wraps all the way around the entire building down on Front Street right next to Mineral Springs as you’re going down Landmarks Boulevard,” explained Sara McGibany with Alton Main Street. “It's a nice sunset scene with these adorable yellow-legged birds. It’s a fantastic addition to our public art scene.” McGibany pointed to the partnership between Alton Main Street and The Audubon Center as a driving force behind this newest mural. Mike Kelly and Center Advisory Board members Penny Schmidt and Susan Flader collaborated

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