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Did you know that butterflies play a crucial role in our ecosystems? These delicate creatures are not only a stunning sight but also vital pollinators, helping to fertilize about 75% of flowering plants. As climate change and habitat loss threaten their populations, creating a butterfly garden in your backyard becomes an act of environmental stewardship and personal fulfillment. Here’s how to transform your outdoor space into a vibrant haven for butterflies. Understanding Butterflies: The Key to Attraction To successfully attract butterflies, it's essential to understand their lifecycle and needs. Butterflies undergo a four-stage metamorphosis: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult butterfly. Each stage has specific requirements that your garden must meet. Host Plants: These are the plants where butterflies lay their eggs, and their caterpillars feed. Different species of butterflies prefer different host plants. For example, the Monarch butterfly favors

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GREENVILLE, — A possible tornado struck just south of Greenville at approximately 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, causing significant damage to several structures in the area. Emergency services responded promptly to the scene, where reports indicated that homes and outbuildings had been destroyed. In the aftermath of the storm, multiple roads were closed due to downed power lines, creating hazardous conditions for residents and emergency responders. As of now, there have been no confirmed reports of injuries. The Greenville Fire Department issued a statement emphasizing the severity of the situation. "We've had some significant damage South of Greenville. Emergency Services are responding. Power Company units are dealing with outages and wires down. Stay out of the area. Do not go look. This is a dangerous scene with everything going on," the department said. The damage appeared to be concentrated around Cottonwood Avenue, where photos shared on social media showed what

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GODFREY — A traffic crash involving a school bus and a passenger vehicle occurred on Wednesday morning, April 2, 2025, at the Seiler Road and Humbert Road intersection in Godfrey, prompting a response from local emergency services. At approximately 7:47 a.m. on Wednesday, deputies from the Madison County Sheriff's Office and members of the Godfrey Fire Department responded to the scene. According to Madison County Chief Deputy Sheriff Marcos Pulido, preliminary investigations indicated that a vehicle was attempting to turn left onto Humbert Road from Seiler Road after stopping at a stop sign when it collided with the passenger side of a northbound school bus that had the right of way. Pulido said the incident resulted in moderate damage to both vehicles. He also reported minor injuries in the accident, although specific details regarding the individuals involved were not disclosed. The investigation into the crash is ongoing.

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ST. LOUIS - A confirmed tornado touched down in Washington County, Mo., on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, prompting reports of damage in the area, the National Weather Service in St. Louis said. The tornado, part of a severe weather system affecting the region, was reported in the afternoon, coinciding with heavy rain forecasted for St. Louis and surrounding areas. Meteorologist Patrick Walsh noted that flash flooding is not anticipated on Wednesday. He warned, however, that drainage issues may arise as a result of the excessive rain. From Thursday to Saturday, Walsh said totals reaching up to five inches are predicted in the St. Louis region. "We don't expect any flash flooding," Walsh said, but added, "If you can't tell water is a little bit on a curve, don't drive on it." Residents in the affected areas are urged to stay informed and exercise caution as they navigate potentially hazardous conditions.

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ALTON – On December 28, 1923, five Sisters arrived in St. Louis, MO, from Germany with the intention to open a hospital. It is said those early Sisters, the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George, brought only themselves, a bag of oranges and a lot of determination — determination to make Christ’s merciful love more visible. They would succeed in their goal. The next year negotiations began for the Sisters to purchase Nazareth Home, a residence for the elderly, in Alton, IL. On April 1, 1925, the Sisters moved to Alton, thus establishing the first Thuiner Franciscan house in the United States, renamed Saint Anthony’s Infirmary - an early iteration of what is now OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center. OSF Saint Anthony’s is celebrating 100 years in 2025, and despite the hospital’s growth over a century’s worth of technological and societal advances, Sister M. Beata Ziegler, F.S.G.M., Vice President of Operations

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ALTON — A continued spiritual wellness series will be held at River Bend Yoga at 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 3, 2025. The session, titled "Your Dream World’s Revealed," will focus on techniques to help participants remember and interpret their dreams, providing insights that can assist in daily life. Flora and Sheila, organizers of the series, emphasized the importance of dream work in enhancing one's spiritual journey. "The biggest thing is to help in your daily life," the two said in an interview on Our Daily Show! with C.J. Nasello . "Part of raising your spiritual IQ is knowing more about your spiritual journey." The Thursday session aims to guide attendees on how to access their inner dream worlds, which many may not fully remember upon waking. "We all dream, but many people say they don’t dream," the two explained. They noted that common interruptions, like alarm clocks, often prevent individuals from recalling their dreams. The session will explore methods

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ALTON - Swapping is the new shopping! Clean out your closet and join Alton Main Street on Sunday, April 6th from 12:00-4:00 p.m. for a Pop-Up Clothing Swap in Downtown Alton. The event will be held in the ballroom at Mineral Springs Mall, located at 301 E. Broadway, and attendees should enter through the side door to the lower level which faces Alton Street. To participate, you simply bring gently used clothing, accessories and shoes that you no longer wear and trade them for as many new-to-you items as you can carry out. An option to bring your items in advance is available; early drop off is on Saturday, April 5th from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at the same location. The event is open to the public, and the entrance fee is $5.00 when you bring clothes to swap or $10.00 when you just bring yourself. Leftover clothing will be donated to local charities. Attendees may also bring fabric in any condition (such as worn-out clothing, pillows, blankets, etc.) which will be recycled with Remains Inc.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)— a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Ranking Member of the CST Aviation Subcommittee—pressed Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg four times whether he would commit to neither seeking nor accepting delegation of airworthiness inspection authority—an authority that would allow the company to self-inspect its own aircraft—from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) until FAA fixed its own oversight lapses. Again and again, Mr. Ortberg dodged the question and refused to make a firm commitment. During her questioning, Duckworth highlighted how inappropriate it would be for Boeing to accept this delegation authority as the FAA continues working to implement all 16 of the Department of Transportation (DOT) Inspector General’s recommendations from an October report that found FAA’s oversight of Boeing production was “not

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EDWARDSVILLE – With no other contests on the ballot in Edwardsville, here’s a closer look at the unofficial results from the April 1, 2025 races for Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7. The most crowded race saw seven candidates compete for three open seats on the District 7 School Board. Incumbent Scott Ahart secured re-election as the board prepares to welcome two new members, Alma Carver and Sara Bauer. Ahart took the overall lead, tallying 4,155 votes or 24.1% of the total vote. Coming in second was Carver with 3,844 votes, amounting to 22.3% of the total. Bauer secured her school board seat with 2,801 votes, accounting for 16.3% of the vote. The race also resulted in the board’s incumbent Vice President, Terri Dalla Riva, losing her re-election bid. Riva was first elected to the board in 2015 and previously secured re-election in 2021. In addition to Riva, Patricia Lowe, William Duffy, and Joshua Arnold also lost their bids for school board. Riva

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EDWARDSVILLE – A new indoor recreational field house featuring courts for basketball, volleyball and training opportunities is planned for Plummer Family Park as part of a partnership between the City of Edwardsville and Lucky 13 Hoops, which is owned by Edwardsville native Mark Thomas. Mayor Art Risavy announced plans for this exciting addition to the City’s Plummer Family Park sports complex on Wednesday, April 2. The 45,000-square-foot facility will feature five high school regulation-size basketball courts that can transition into eight to 10 volleyball courts for games, training, open play and camps. The facility will be the new home for the Edwardsville Parks & Recreation Department’s youth and adult basketball leagues, offer public training and playing opportunities and host tournaments. It also will be the site of Shoot 360 Edwardsville, a cutting-edge, immersive, data-driven basketball training experience for athletes of all skill levels. “This is

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ALTON - If you want to look at someone who will be looking out for you, this month's most recent Art Fahrner-Edward Jones Remarkable Redbird, sophomore Atticus Chapman is likely to be that person. Atticus is a member of the Alton High ROTC and has been the first sophomore promoted to an officer position. He is responsible for overseeing his fellow 60-plus classmates in ROTC during four periods of class. He is also responsible for meeting with Flight Commanders to teach drill and also Academic Advisors to teach class to the ROTC members. Atticus is also a part of the Kitty Hawk Air Society, which is a tutoring program for any ROTC cadets that they may need in any subject. Atticus is currently a tutor for Science and English, but he added there are other tutors for other subjects as well. Some of the tasks he has enjoyed with ROTC include trash pickup, community service, taking recycling bins from around school and taking to the recycling plants, doing color guard for sporting

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BELLEVILLE – While St. Clair County saw no shortage of contested races for Mayor and more, it did see a shortage of participation from local voters in the April 1, 2025 elections. Voter turnout was considerably low across St. Clair County, where only 15% of all registered voters participated. While the county is home to 168,330 registered voters, only 25,291 of them cast their ballots on Election Day. Belleville In the county seat of Belleville, the vast majority of voters chose to sit out a highly consequential election which saw current Mayor Patty Gregory ousted by challenger Jennifer "Jenny" Gain Meyer. Out of 43,180 registered Belleville voters, just 6,914 cast their votes – meaning the town’s new leadership was decided by just 16% of eligible participants. Collinsville Only 19% of Collinsville voters decided the contested City Council race, which saw Donna Green secure re-election as David Seaton Jr. won a seat on the council against Eric M. Nagel an

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Dear Editor, As the Fire Chief of the Godfrey Fire Protection District, I am concerned about the current Village of Godfrey Trustees' decision to dismiss the proposal for expanding ambulance services. In September 2023, I suggested leasing the old fire station on Godfrey Road to enhance our emergency response, but this was ignored. Relocating the proposed service to Roxana contradicts the trustees' vision for our village. Reliable emergency services are vital, and opposing this expansion undermines our residents' safety. Currently, Alton Memorial is our only ambulance service, and while they perform admirably, our growing community needs more support. Expanding services would, in periods of increased demand, ensure quicker response times and better care during emergencies. To Godfrey trustees, please again consider the importance of reliable emergency services. Thoughtful decisions can ensure that our community's needs are met and that we continue to thrive. Sincerel

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EAST ST. LOUIS — East St. Louis Senior High School hosted its annual Poetry Slam recently, featuring the theme “Words That Breathe and Transform.” The event, sponsored by English Language Arts teacher Melanie Davis, showcased the talents of students as they expressed themselves through spoken word poetry. Participants delivered a range of performances that highlighted their creativity and passion. The event aimed to provide a platform for students to share their thoughts and experiences, encouraging self-expression and artistic exploration. “Congratulations to all the participants and winners,” Davis said. “Your voices, creativity, and passion truly shined.” The Poetry Slam is part of a broader initiative at East St. Louis Senior High School to promote literacy and the arts among students. The event drew an enthusiastic audience, with attendees supporting their peers and celebrating the art of poetry. Highlights from the event included

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O'FALLON, Ill. — A community is coming together to support David Lang, who is facing the challenges of raising two daughters alone following the sudden death of his wife, Maria Lang, on March 27, 2025. Maria died shortly after giving birth to their newborn daughter, Adelynn, leaving behind her husband and their 8-year-old daughter. In the wake of this tragedy, a fundraiser has been organized by Shelby Brennan on behalf of the Lang family. The initiative aims to help David cover funeral expenses, medical bills, and ongoing needs for his family. According to the fundraiser's description, Maria was "so excited to be a mom again." Following her death, Adelynn spent time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) but has since returned home. The fundraiser has been launched by members of the Holy Childhood School community, where David's older daughter is enrolled. Organizers hope that the effort will provide financial relief and support during this difficult time. The fundraiser

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led all Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats in a letter to Chairman Grassley pushing for a hearing on Ed Martin’s nomination to be U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. While the Committee doesn’t typically hold hearings for U.S. Attorney nominees, Mr. Martin’s record and deeply problematic conduct merit heightened scrutiny and more than justify the full committee questioning him under oath. The Senators described Mr. Martin’s record of attacks on law enforcement and association with violent criminals , writing: “Prior to his appointment as interim U.S. Attorney, Mr. Martin made stunning attacks on federal prosecutors and associated himself with individuals who present a threat to our nation. Mr. Martin was a leader of the so-called ‘Stop the Steal’ movement to illegally overturn the 2020 election. H

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ALTON - Senior Services Plus, Inc. (SSP), located at 2306 N. Rodgers Ave. in Alton, will host a "Meet the Legislators" panel discussion on April 25, 2025, from 12 to 1 p.m. Proudly sponsored by AARP Illinois, the event will feature District Director Brian Zilm from U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski's office, Senator Erica Harriss, and State Representative Katie Stuart. These legislators will discuss key topics and issues impacting the older adult community, followed by a Q&A session where attendees can engage directly with the speakers. “We are grateful to have local legislators visit our agency to share updates and answer questions for our older adults. It’s important that we offer opportunities for our older adults to stay engaged and informed. This event wouldn’t be possible without our AARP Illinois’ collaboration and support.” said SSP Development Director, Emily Jackson. This event will take place in the School House Grill inside Senior Services

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) and U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)—along with SVAC Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) called out the White House for declaring SignalGate—the most devastating and significant national security breach in years—“ case-closed ” without holding any senior Administration officials responsible for leaking classified information through an unclassified communications channel, putting the lives of our servicemembers at greater risk. In her remarks, Duckworth called on Republicans to join her in demanding congressional hearings and an independent investigation to look into the Trump officials on the Signal chat—urging her colleagues on the other side of the aisle

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Dr. Paul Kearns, Director of Argonne National Laboratory to discuss the future of scientific research as the Trump Administration takes aim at federal research institutions. During their meeting, Durbin and Dr. Kearns spoke about the disastrous impact of the Trump Administration’s funding cuts and freezes to scientific research. Durbin and Dr. Kearns also discussed Illinois’ position as a leader in quantum computing research. In February, Durbin introduced his bipartisan DOE Quantum Leadership Act , which would authorize more than $2.5 billion over the next five years for quantum research at the Department of Energy. “Illinois is home to premier research institutions, including Argonne National Lab. But the Trump Administration fails to understand just how critical our scientists and researchers are in pushing our country forward,” said Durbin. “It was a pleasure to

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—secured a commitment from President Trump’s nominee to serve as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Lieutenant General Dan Caine, to ensure legally-required oversight and accountability of military decisions in light of SignalGate demonstrating Trump Administration officials’ deeply troubling pattern of using unclassified and unaccountable backchannels that jeopardize the safety of our servicemembers. A day after the White House declared SignalGate “ case closed ” and that no one on the Signal chain would lose their jobs for breaching our national security, Duckworth outlined how this Administration has been corruptly mishandling our nation’s secrets. Duckworth’s full remarks can be found on YouTube . “The Trump Administration has shown they are more interested in keeping secrets

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