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SPRINGFIELD - Illinois State Fire Marshal James A. Rivera and Illinois Finance Authority (IFA) Executive Director Chris Meister issued nearly $7.2 million in no-interest or low-interest loans to emergency responders across the state. The loans are made available through the Fire Truck Revolving Loan Program and Ambulance Revolving Loan Program. “Our emergency responders put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe, and they need safe and reliable vehicles to get the job done,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “That’s why I’m proud that my administration is ensuring that fire departments across the state can purchase the fire trucks and ambulance they need to save lives.” “Without programs such as our Fire Truck and Ambulance Revolving Loan, many departments would have to continue to repair vehicles that are not reliable anymore and never be able to afford a new fire truck or ambulance,” said Illinois State Fire Marshal

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today on the Senate floor joined members of the Senate Democratic Caucus in opposing U.S. Senator Roger Marshall’s (R-KS) request for unanimous consent (UC) to pass House Republicans’ partisan aid package, which includes funding for Israel but neglects to support Ukraine in its efforts to stave off Putin’s unrelenting attacks and conditions support for Israel by offsetting other federal funding. In his remarks, Durbin emphasized his support for passing security funding for Israel while reminding his colleagues that Ukraine is in dire need of its allies’ support. “I understand the concerns raised by my colleague from Kansas. I share many of them,” said Durbin. “We have all seen the horrifying videos and images, the scenes of death and destruction perpetrated by Hamas terrorists from October 7, the deadliest single day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. We all know that

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WOOD RIVER - Wood River Police Chief Brad Wells said late Tuesday night that a pedestrian was struck in the 1700 block of Vaughn Road in Wood River. Chief Wells said the pedestrian was hit Tuesday evening, Nov. 14, 2023, by a vehicle traveling eastbound. He added that the individual who was struck by the vehicle had been taken by ambulance from the scene with injuries. The chief was not able to yet release any other details about the accident.

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PONTOON BEACH — To celebrate the 138 miles of MCT Trails, and to bring public art into our communities, Madison County Transit (MCT) and Agency for Community Transit (ACT) are pleased to announce the installation of six out of eight large-scale "Trail Critter" sculptures along the MCT Trails, as part of the newly launched “Art on the Trails” initiative. Created by the talented Texas-based artist Jeffie Brewer, these captivating sculptures are crafted from durable 10-gauge steel, ensuring longevity, weather resistance, and minimal maintenance requirements. The "Trail Critter" sculptures are a generous gift to the community from ACT, designed to enhance the visual appeal of the MCT Trails while fostering a sense of playfulness and creativity. The vibrant and whimsical sculptures are strategically placed in highly visible locations, providing a delightful contrast to the natural greens and browns of the MCT Trails. The intention is to engage trail users of all ages

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EDWARDSVILLE - For the 10 th year in a row, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville received the 2023 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. As a recipient of the annual HEED Award—a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion—SIUE is featured, along with 108 other recipients, in the November/December 2023 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “The HEED Award process consists of a comprehensive and rigorous application that includes questions relating to the recruitment and retention of students and employees — and best practices for both — leadership support for diversity, campus culture and climate, supplier diversity, and many other aspects of campus diversity and inclusion,” said Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into

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JERSEYVILLE - The Jerseyville City Council unanimously passed new zoning regulations for any future medical and/or adult-use cannabis dispensaries in and around the city, as well as any future and current paraphernalia retail establishments. The new regulations forbid cannabis and paraphernalia businesses and facilities from being located within 1,200 feet of a school, church, daycare, or other “sensitive location,” Councilman William Strang said. These regulations apply within city limits as well as the one and one-half mile extra-jurisdictional area around the city, which Strang said essentially forces these businesses to the “outskirts” of town, where they would have to zone the land as either B-2 Business District or M-3 Manufacturing District, Industrial. They would also need to go through the Planning and Zoning Board to apply for a Special Use permit. Strang said he doesn’t expect any new cannabis or paraphernalia businesses to open in or around

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EDWARDSVILLE – The City of Edwardsville is mourning the death of longtime Ward 3 Alderwoman Janet Stack, who retired from the City Council in May at the conclusion of her third term in office. She died Monday, November 13, 2023, at the age of 71. “Janet was gracious and kind, a smart yet compassionate representative of the City and an active participant in the business of governing,” said Mayor Art Risavy, who became an alderman the same year as Mrs. Stack, in 2011. “She was dedicated to making sure she represented the residents of her ward well and she also was just a terrific person.” Mrs. Stack is survived by her husband, Phillip; her two children, Nicholas and Melinda; and other family. Visitation and funeral arrangements are being handled by Weber & Rodney Funeral Home in Edwardsville. The visitation is scheduled for 4-7 p.m. Monday, November 20, at Weber & Rodney. The funeral also will be at the funeral home and is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday,

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ALTON - Kennedy Smith and his nonprofit Unity in the Community will be hosting a Thanksgiving dinner and several other events as the holiday season approaches. “I rode in on the bus, and just coming through the town of Alton, there are so many people homeless, hungry, and I feel that the community shouldn’t be like that,” Smith said. “It never stops for Unity in the Community. It’s that time of the year that Unity in the Community and a couple of other organizations that I’m partnered with this year, we’re giving back to the community.” From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, community members are invited to gather at Millennium Temple Church of God in Christ , located at 801 Blair Avenue in Alton, for a community Thanksgiving. Smith will be wearing the apron, and he thanks his wife, Tiffany L. Thomas-Smith, and his brother and community partners for supporting the dinner. He named Alderwoman Rosetta Brown, Mayor David

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Edwardsville Police Department has joined the Illinois State Police and local law enforcement to ensure holiday travelers are buckled up and driving sober with a “Click It or Ticket” and “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Thanksgiving enforcement campaign. The campaign begins this Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, and runs to Monday, Nov. 27, 2023. Edwardsville Police Lt. Bradn Whittaker said no matter how short or long the drive, remember to buckle up and make sure children are in a safe seat." "By buckling up and making a plan for a sober ride home, you help everyone have a safe and happy holiday," he said. "Don’t be the Turkey this Thanksgiving.” The goal of this high-visibility effort is to reduce motor vehicle crashes, injuries and fatalities. Proper seat-belt use is the most effective way to protect vehicle occupants." According to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), the statewide seat-belt usage rate has room for

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BETHALTO - Sophomore Taylor Brooks was a constant spark to this year’s Civic Memorial girls' cross country team. The senior kept the girls' team “peppy and was the glue to that team,” her head girls' cross country coach Jacob Peal said recently. Taylor is a Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Female Athlete of the Month for the Eagles. Taylor finished the season with a time of 23:19.5 in the IHSA Class 2A girls regional at Highland. She recorded a time of 22:09.9 for 5,000 meters and fourth place in her category in the East Alton-Wood River Invite. Taylor placed 11th in the Madison County Invite with a time of 22:57.1. She also had a good run in the Granite City Invite where she posted a time of 23:40.1 for 31st place. Coach Peal said Taylor is "a hard worker and has a fantastic attitude." “I am very proud of her and she has a great future ahead,” Coach Peal said. Again, congratulations to Taylor Brooks for her recognition as a Tom Lane State Farm Insurance

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MONROE CITY - Kairos Hope will sponsor their third annual Festival of Trees to raise money for their Christian recovery home for survivors of sexual trauma. From Nov. 25 through Dec. 2, 2023, people can check out the festival at Henderson Hall, located at 115 1st Street in Monroe City, Missouri. Thirty local businesses and community members have donated and decorated Christmas trees, which will be sold through silent auction. Raffles, crafts and workshops are also scheduled throughout the week. “We turn an event hall into Hopeville. It’s our version of Whoville,” said Annette Clark, Kairos Hope fundraiser chair. “It’s fun just being able to let go and have fun. We start it right after Thanksgiving so it kicks off that Christmas season, so all those people are coming in just getting into that Christmas spirit. It just is a lot of fun to see it all come about.” Clark said that all of the volunteers will be dressed as Whos from Dr. Seuss’s

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BETHALTO - Civic Memorial distance runner Jacob Cranford was a key part of the Eagles’ boys' cross-country success in the fall of 2023. One of Cranford’s cross-country highlights was a second-place finish in the Madison County Invite with a time of 16:15.9. He also was 19th in the IHSA Regional at Highland with a time of 16:21.7 and posted a time of 16:17.0 in the state championships. He ran a 15:31.3 at the Jacksonville Sectional. Cranford is only a sophomore, so the Eagles' head cross-country coach Jake Peal has him for two more seasons. Cranford will also be a track and field athlete in the spring for Civic Memorial. Jacob is a Tom Farm State Farm Insurance Male Athlete of the Month for the Eagles. Coach Peal describes Jacob as a “very hard worker.” “Jacob is a student of the sport and isn’t afraid to share his goals aloud,” the coach said. Coach Peal said the sophomore runner developed into a huge role this year in the Eagles lineup

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ALTON - If you have a piece of local history - an old photo, a diary, or another small historical object - the Hayner Genealogy & Local History Library in Alton is one of only three select libraries hosting a “Mobile Memory Lab” this Saturday, where you can have your items “digitized” and uploaded to the Illinois Digital Archives to digitally preserve them and share their stories with the public. The Mobile Memory Lab “Digitization Day” will be held at the library this Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m with time slots every half hour - however, time slots are limited and are now only available from noon to 4:30 p.m. Call Lacy McDonald with Hayner Public Library at (618) 433-2859 or email genealogy@haynerlibrary.org to register for an available time slot. McDonald said certain items may not be allowed due to copyright issues, but most material published prior to 1923, as well as newspaper clippings pre-1978, would

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Call me a hippie, but I’m scared of climate change. Not only am I scared of climate change, but I’m also on the lookout for ways to solve it. I know this is a little ambitious — yes, me, a 23-year-old journalist with no scientific background and the lowest-effort recycling pile possible, will fix an age-old problem single-handedly. Well, no, probably not. But I can at least try to minimize my impact. Whether you’re worried about climate change or not, we can all agree that it’s a good idea to take care of the Earth as much as we can. So over the past several months, I’ve tried to be more intentional with my consumption and look for sustainable options where possible: my project to Save the World™, to varying degrees of success thus far. First, I want to acknowledge that sustainability is expensive and often requires space, time and money that not everyone has. I’m lucky that I have access to space, a little bit of extra time,

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ALTON – The Salvation Army Tree of Lights campaign will kick off at 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, during the Alton Main Street Tree Lighting ceremony. The event takes place at Lincoln Douglas Square and includes free trolley rides, a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus, caroling, hot cocoa and cookies. A new addition to the festivities will be the Red Kettle bounce house. For those unable to attend the Tree Lighting in person, portions of the event will be streaming live in a cooperative effort between Riverbender.com and WBGZ Radio. Mike Roberts and C.J. Nasello of Our Daily Show! will host the broadcast. Salvation Army Madison County Corps Advisory Council Chairman Kevin Botterbush announced earlier this year that local Meteorologist Mike Roberts and his wife Karen will chair this year’s campaign. “Our goal is to raise $217,000 through the red kettle campaign,” the Roberts said. “We are humbly asking for gifts - the gift of time and the gift of financial

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ALTON - Rosetta "Rosie" Brown is back at it again with her annual Socks For Tots Community Socks Drive. The campaign has made such a difference in children's lives to keep children's feet warm as winter moves forward in the region. Brown is the alderman for the Fourth Ward of Alton. The Socks for Tots Drive will begin in November and last through December 2023. "It’s time to replenish the socks inventory for our youth," Brown said. "My mission is to 'Heat the Feet' of our school-age children. Last year with the help of our community I was able to provide over 6,000 pairs of socks to schools, daycares, the Oasis Women's Center, Boys and Girls Club and Catholic Children’s Home. Let’s really make an impact on the lives of our children by collectively donating toward this initiative. My goal this year is 10,000 pairs of socks." How and Where to Support The Campaign Boxes will be placed in several venues in our community including the Alton-Godfrey and Wood River

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is announcing the latest recipient of a grant for projects funded through the Wildlife Preservation Fund grant program. The Wildlife Preservation Fund provides grants under the Illinois Non-Game Wildlife Protection Act. Five percent of non-federal dollars deposited into the Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund are committed to grants through this program. The Act provides for a voluntary check-off designation on state income tax return forms, allowing individual taxpayers to make charitable donations to the fund. These contributions provide grants to help with maintenance of existing Illinois wildlife rehabilitation facilities that care for threatened and endangered species. Eligible uses of grant funds are limited to structural repair and maintenance of existing buildings, pens, cages, and appurtenant facilities used to take care of threatened or endangered wildlife species. IDNR has awarded the following

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SPRINGFIELD – Seven snowmobile trail projects in Illinois have been awarded $392,150 for the development, rehabilitation, and maintenance the trails. The grants come from the Illinois Snowmobile Grant program (SNOW) and the Snowmobile Trail Establishment Fund Grant program (STEF). SNOW grant recipients are: Freeport Park District – $39,150 for rehabilitation and maintenance of the trail for snowmobile use. Freeport Park District – $120,000 for purchase of a tractor to groom snowmobile trails. Lake County Forest Preserve District – $29,000 for replacement of snowmobiles and trailer for park rangers so they can perform routine patrols. McHenry County Conservation District – $30,000 for rental of a tractor for maintenance, operation expenses, and trail signage. Rockford Park District – $40,000 for operational and maintenance expenses, rental tractors, and snowmobile trail equipment STEF grant recipients are: Illinois Association of Snowmobile

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) Clandestine Lab Team (CLT) recently hosted a Basic 40-hour Clandestine Lab Safety School and two 16-hour Clandestine Micro-Lab recertification courses to combat the increase in unknown drugs found on the street and the rise of labs used to make illicit drugs. “ISP is committed to combating illegal drugs across the state, including the labs where they are made,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “We want to ensure our people have the necessary training to safely handle clandestine labs as we continue providing these services to law enforcement agencies across the state.” The Basic 40-hour Clandestine Lab Safety School was provided by the Midwest Counterdrug Training Center and was conducted to increase the number of certified clandestine lab team operators. A total of 19 ISP Division of Criminal Investigation agents from across the state attended the school and were certified as CLT members. CLT is based

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) led nearly every member of the Illinois Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to President Biden urging the White House to grant Governor JB Pritzker’s request for federal assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help Cook County recover from storm damage. In September, severe storms passed through Cook County producing nine inches of rainfall and flash flooding. “We write in support of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s request for federal assistance for the State of Illinois, to help Cook County recover from storm damage that occurred in September,” wrote the lawmakers. “Governor Pritzker has indicated that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that an effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and local governments. He requests Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Individual Assistance

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