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SPRINGFIELD – With the regular waterfowl seasons about to open this fall, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is reminding hunters to be aware that they could encounter highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, again this year. IDNR will monitor for outbreaks of HPAI during the fall bird migration. Members of the public are encouraged to report large concentrations of 20 or more deceased birds found one location. Reports can be made to the local IDNR district wildlife biologist . IDNR first announced HPAI was detected in wild Canada geese in Illinois in March 2022 in a joint notice with the Illinois Department of Agriculture. IDNR reminds waterfowl hunters to take precautions by thoroughly cooking game meat to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Hunters also should avoid handling sick or dead waterfowl found in the field, and they should not allow dogs or other pets to consume waterfowl that died from unknown causes. Rubber gloves and a mask

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BETHALTO - “Surviving the Holidays,” a special free event for those in area communities who are grieving the loss of loved ones, will take place at Zion Lutheran Church, Bethalto , on Sunday, November 12, 2023, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Adults and teens are invited to hear a presentation about resources, strategies and tools for coping with grief during the holiday season. “Grief and loss are always hard to deal with during the holiday season,” said Rev. Brandon Metcalf of Zion. “Whether the loss was recent or many years ago, this can be a hard time of year, and we want to help and offer hope.” The presentation will focus on how to cope with grief, what to be aware of as the holidays are approaching, and how to find hope in the midst of loss from a Christian viewpoint. Participants will hear from people who have recently experienced a loss and are dealing with grief, as well as from Zion’s pastors, Rev. Kale Hanson and Rev. Brandon Metcalf,

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (IL-12) issued the following statement today regarding U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) being elected the 56th Speaker of the House of Representatives: "I was proud to cast my vote today for the new Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson. Speaker Johnson is a consistent conservative with the steady hand to lead the People’s House through consequential times. "I share his conservative vision for America and value the respect he inspires from all corners of the Republican Conference. We’ve got a lot of work to do, from securing the border to passing conservative spending bills and aiding Israel. The time to get back to work is now; and we’ve got the right leader for the job.” Statement from Rep. Robin Kelly on Election of Rep. Mike Johnson as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL-02) issued the following statement on the election of Rep.

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BALTIMORE, MD. - On Tuesday night, upon returning from her conference visit in Baltimore, St. Louis Mayor Jones took a COVID test as a standard precautionary measure after traveling and received a positive test result. While she is experiencing mild symptoms, Mayor Jones will be working from home and holding meetings virtually over the next five days to protect the health and safety of her staff and others around her. The individuals she was in contact with this week have been notified as well. Mayor Jones is fully vaccinated and boosted, and will continue to test according to CDC guidelines. She urges any St. Louisan who is not fully vaccinated and boosted to take the steps to do so, and find opportunities on the City of St. Louis Department of Health’s website and vaccines.gov .

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MARYVILLE – Intensive Care Unit Nurse, Adam Quitmeyer, RN, of Anderson Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, was recently honored with The DAISY Award® For Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation's programs to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day. The nomination submitted read: “I was in the hospital following an ER visit and emergency Pace Maker implanted. Adam was the Nurse on the ICU level at night during my stay. He was just exceptionally kind, constantly checked on me, answered tons of questions, and continuously went above and beyond. I was quite scared considering my heart had such a large issue, but Adam kept checking on me, letting me know he would return, and offering his assistance with every little thing including making sure I was hydrating, checking my hydration levels, getting me food, and preparing me for all of my tests. "My family was not able to stay at the hospital and thanks to Adam I didn’t

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ST. LOUIS - It’s that time of year when ghosts and goblins take to the streets for some Halloween fun. Halloween continues to be extremely popular with kids of all ages, however, it can pose some safety challenges. “It’s important to plan ahead for Halloween fun and festivities to ensure everyone stays safe while participating in the many different activities surrounding this holiday,” said Beth Elders, executive director of the Greater St. Louis Chapter of the American Red Cross. Here are some tips to consider to keep you and your family safe and healthy this Halloween. Trick-or-Treating Make your trick-or-treaters visible to others . Provide kids with reflective gear, flashlights, and glow sticks to help make the route easier for them to follow and more visible to any vehicles on the roads. Adding reflective tape to costumes and treat buckets can help increase your trick-or-treater’s visibility to traffic. Keep your hands clean. Bring hand sanitizer

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GLEN CARBON - Glen Carbon Code Enforcement Officer Brian Hunt recently gave a presentation to village trustees updating them on various properties around the village, most of which have become code compliant, aside from two problem properties. Hunt said so far, there have been 120 code enforcement citations issued in 2023. Most of these were issued for either junk storage, overgrown brush, parking in yards, and inoperable vehicles. Fines were collected on about 20 of those citations, and Hunt said the majority of them have since become compliant, either before or after going to court. He also commended the work of Next Mile Lawn LLC, a local mowing company founded by a pair of brothers which the village has contracted for seasonal mowing work. “They have done a tremendous job mowing for the village this year. It’s a couple of young brothers that decided to start their company from the ground up. The work they do is great, they have great attention to detail,

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GLEN CARBON - Jeff Garde and his family have once again constructed a memorable, family-friendly Halloween display at 54 Oakshire Drive in the Fairfield Subdivision of Glen Carbon. Garde said this marks the 11th consecutive year for the family Halloween display at their home. The home is located near Father McGivney Catholic High School. "Each year, we like to invite all families as we give out candy the night of October 30," Garde added. "Last year, we had over 300 visitors." Last year's special display was a spider display that attracted hundreds during the Halloween season. In 2023, the Garde family decided to construct the display with a Haunted Daycare theme. Jeff's family assists him with the project each year. He said before that the family asks people what their biggest fears are every year and somehow they formulate a plan for the display. He has said it is a complete Garde family effort to build and take down the display, plus formulate ideas. Close to Halloween

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Police and local law enforcement are reminding the public that impaired driving can lead to frightening consequences this Halloween. The message is simple – don’t be scared to “Drive Sober” and “If you “Drive High, you’ll get a DUI.” “Don’t let this Halloween turn into a nightmare. If someone has been drinking, using cannabis or any other impairing substance, don’t let them trick you into letting them drive,” said IDOT Director of Highways Project Implementation Steve Travia . “Thinking ahead is your responsibility and means you’ll avoid a costly DUI that will take away your driving privilege – and save lives.” As of Oct. 16, 991 people have died on Illinois roads, according to IDOT provisional data –12 fewer than on the same date a year ago. However, while crash fatalities are lower than this tim

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MARYVILLE - The Anderson Hospital Foundation 12 th Annual Sporting Clay Classic was held on October 7, 2023, at 1 NILO Farms in Brighton Illinois. The event featured 100 targets and 12 stations, the event also included a large BBQ buffet for the shooters. Anderson Hospital Development Director Lori St. John said: "We had 184 shooters, which was a record amount, that came out on a beautiful fall day to enjoy this event. We thank the Sporting Clay Committee who worked hard to make this event a success and the 33 sponsors that donated to this event and who continue to support us each year." The event raised over $54,500. The Foundation allocates funds for capital projects and programs in support of Anderson Hospital." The 13 th annual Sporting Clay event will be on October 12, 2024, at NILO Farms. Please contact Lori St. John at 618-391-6426 for more information.

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GLEN CARBON - 2023 has been a good year for the Glen Carbon Senior Center so far, with a wide variety of activities and programs for local seniors. Senior Center Administrator Felicia Voelkel gave a presentation to village trustees at their meeting this week to update them on the center’s progress this year. Voelkel said her time as administrator of the busy Senior Center has been “so far, so good.” “I’ve been at the Senior Center a little over a year, and so far, so good,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of activity, a lot of different projects going on.” The center hosts “Game Days,” which feature cookies, bingo, and the card game “Whoopee.” They also host an “Age Well” exercise class with a certified personal trainer, as well as a weekly Art Class which is currently working on a sculpture of a cardinal perched on a tree branch. Past activities included Chair Yoga and Tai Chi, the latter

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WOOD RIVER - The second annual Chili Cook-Off presented by Wood River Economic Development LLC on Saturday in Downtown Wood River was rated a big success once again, organizers said. For the second straight year, the Pump House Bar & Grill was the grand champion. Runner-up was Rachel & Co. Coffee House, third was C&B Boiled Bagels, and the Mayor's Choice award went to Harper Davis. Kristen Burns, a spokesperson for Wood River Economic Development LLC who coordinated the event, issued a huge thank you to all the volunteers, Money Shot band, who performed, the City of Wood River, City of Wood River Public Services and City of Wood River Parks & Recreation for their help in the very successful event. "Everyone seemed to have a great time," she said. "The chili was the best and we had some good competition. We can't wait to do this again next year." Wood River Mayor Tom Stalcup said the event was certainly a success with a lot of quality chili and once again had great attendance.

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SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is inviting fifth and sixth-grade writers and artists from around Illinois to participate in this year’s Annual Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest. The contest theme for the 2024 awards is “ Where Does Rain Go? How Can We Slow the Flow? ” focusing on understanding how rain moves through the landscape, the effects of droughts and floods, and how we can adapt to help protect our water resources. Educators are encouraged to introduce students to topics such as watersheds and the water cycle, how the amount of rain (frequency and duration) impacts water pollution and the landscape in droughts and floods, and how we can apply conservation practices (slow the flow) to help protect our water resources. Conservation practices can reduce stormwater runoff (nonpoint source pollution) and flooding impacts on our rivers and lakes and even our city’s sewer systems. Informational resources are available

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EDWARDSVILLE - Madison County’s Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday Madison County’s law enforcement agencies, in cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, will operate a drop-off site for Prescription Drug Take Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28, in Edwardsville. The event will be in the Madison County Administration Building's back parking lot at 157 North Main Street, Edwardsville, 62025. Madison County State’s Attorney Thomas A. Haine, Sheriff Jeff Connor and Coroner Steve Nonn will be operating the drop-off site in coordination with the DEA. Haine said the event is “a convenient way for Madison County residents to help fight the overdose epidemic and save lives.” Connor added, “I strongly encourage local residents to take advantage of this service. It’s a way to dispose of unneeded medicines in a manner that is healthy and safe.” Nonn said, “Many of the tragic overdose deaths we see

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ALTON/GODFREY - The Alton Symphony Orchestra will kick off their season with a performance titled “The Musical Landscapes of European Minds.” Brett Klaus, a Marquette Catholic High School teacher, will solo. The concert is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, at Hatheway Hall at Lewis and Clark Community College. Maestro Shane Williams explained the power of sharing music with the community through the Alton Symphony Orchestra (ASO). “In my heart, it’s about the people,” Williams said. “My mission when I came onboard here at the orchestra was to make the music come alive for all. It starts with the players, and then it becomes the sections and then it moves to the audience so that everybody can enjoy it, from young to old, from violin to French horn. It comes alive for everybody.” To prepare for the concert, Williams asked the musicians to share what pieces they wanted to play that fit the European theme. The music

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GREENVILLE - Greenville University celebrated its annual homecoming festivities last weekend with a full slate of special activities, building dedications, musical concerts, athletic games, and alumni gatherings. Those events were conducted against a backdrop of beautiful fall weather and the emergence of orange and gold foliage on campus. Headlining the weekend was a packed concert by Christian music legend Michael W. Smith on Friday night at Whitlock Music Center. His nostalgic performance had the audience singing along with his praise songs from the past several decades. Another Homecoming highlight was the unveiling of a new look for Hoguey, the University’s mascot. After several decades of wearing a furry black suit, Hoguey now has a bright orange suit with black trim. It gives the mascot a new muscular appearance and a face that matches the redesigned Panther logo introduced in 2017. The weekend activities kicked off Thursday evening with a concert by the GU Choir.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Chair of its Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation—issued the following statement after the United States Senate voted to confirm Michael Whitaker as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Whitaker’s confirmation comes amid a chilling surge in near-deadly misses involving commercial airlines that likely stems from plummeting aviation workforce experience levels after airlines paid tens of thousands of their most experienced pilots to stop flying, along with a wave of air traffic controller retirements. “At a time when our nation is experiencing an alarming aviation safety crisis, we need an FAA Administrator who will uphold the strongest pilot experience and training certification standards that ensure the flying public safety before our luck runs out and this year’s

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with Metra leadership to discuss ongoing rail improvements throughout the Chicagoland area, including the need for expanding Metra’s service to O’Hare International Airport. Duckworth, a member of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, met with Metra CEO Jim Derwinski and Metra Deputy Executive Director Janice Thomas to receive updates on Metra’s ongoing and proposed improvements throughout the Chicagoland region. This includes accessibility improvements made possible through the All Station Accessibility Program , which she created through a law she authored, that will provide $1.75 billion over the next five years to help build ramps, install elevators and make other improvements to ensure that all of America’s public transit stations are finally usable for everyone. Duckworth also reiterated her support for the Chicago Hub Improvement Program. A photo from

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) emphasized the importance of ensuring every American’s access to telecommunications, arguing that defending telecoms rights is inextricably interwoven with the fight to protect many of the other rights we hold dear, while speaking at the 41st Annual Everett C. Parker Lecture & Awards Ceremony. At the event, which honors the legacy of a civil rights pioneer who tirelessly advocated for the public’s rights in broadcasting, Duckworth received an award for her work writing, pushing forward and passing the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act . Her legislation—which President Biden signed into law earlier this year—applies the ethical imperative of Dr. Parker’s work to America’s incarceration system, empowering the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to finally end the predatory phone call rate scheme that all too often prevented incarcerated people from staying

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. During his speech, Durbin remembered the victims of the October 7 th horrific Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and commended President Biden’s emergency supplemental request to provide security aid to Israel, as well as the recent provision of humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians caught in the conflict. “The wanton slaughter of more than 1,000 Israelis and an estimated 200 hostages still being held is hard to fathom. One fact tells the grim story: more Jews died on this day than any time since the Holocaust. It was not just another bad day in the Middle East. It was a premeditated slaughter of historic proportion,” Durbin said. During his speech, Durbin also spoke on two Illinois hostages—Natalie and Judith Raanan—who were recently released from Hamas terrorists. Durbin called for all remaining hostages to be immediately

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