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PIASA - Hannah Mary, a Southwestern High School volleyball and basketball standout, who will also play varsity softball in the spring, follows a long line of girls committed to the overall Piasa Birds athletic program. Hannah volunteered her time with some other high school girls to assist with the Southwestern Middle School softball team in the late summer and early fall before her volleyball season started. Hannah's head girls middle school and high school softball coach Amanda Edwards said it was great to have her aboard. Hannah is such a hard worker that even last spring she cleaned out the press box, and dugouts, and ran the scoreboard for the high school team. She is prepped and ready for the 2025 girls softball season with all her hard work and commitment to the team. Hannah is an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for the Piasa Birds. "Hannah is a great kid," Coach Edwards said. "She helped a lot with the middle school team until the schedules

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EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville senior hockey forward Dean Schlarmann is among the Tigers' leading scorers as the Mississippi Valley Club Hockey Association season begins December, and the Tigers back among the league's elite teams. Through games of Nov. 25, Schlarmann has scored 12 goals and had five assists for 17 points as Edwardsville is 5-1-0 for 10 points, two currently two points behind O'Fallon and three points behind Freeburg/Waterloo in the league's Class 2A division. It's steady as she goes for Schlarmann and the Tigers as they defend their Class 2A championship, won on Edwardsville's return to the MVCHA last season. Dean is a Spencer Homes Male Athlete of the Month for Edwardsville. Edwardsville is also playing for the second year in a row against teams from the St. Louis-based Mid-States Club Hockey Association in a series of games to benefit the NHL's Hockey Fights Cancer charity arm, and on Nov. 15, the Tigers played to a 3-3 tie against Parkway West in a game the Longhorns

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ALTON - Community members are invited to The River Church Christmas Experience. The annual event will include crafts, activities, photo booths, a hot cocoa bar and more, with a musical show at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 13, 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14, and 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy the full experience before the show begins. “Christmas is about the birth of our Lord and peace and hope, and I think that that is just integrated in every part of the Christmas Experience,” explained Kendra, one of the organizers. “Between the songs and the message and the kids’ message, everything just comes out. We’re passionate about it.” Located at 3401 Fosterburg Road in Alton, The River Church offers this free event to bring together the Riverbend community for the holidays. Kendra, Sarah and Corey, who all helped organize the Christmas Experience, promise “just a great time”

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This weekend brings a delightful array of events across the region, showcasing everything from festive holiday markets and family-friendly celebrations to enchanting concerts and community gatherings, ensuring there's something for everyone to enjoy. For a complete listing of all the exciting happenings, be sure to visit https://www.riverbender.com/events/ . If you want to make sure even more of the region is aware of your event email cj@riverbender.com and explore our range of Event Promotion Services! Join Godfrey, Illinois in celebrating the holiday season at Snowflake Festival from 6 – 8:30 pm at Robert E. Glazebrook Community Park! Get your picture taken with Santa in the gazebo. There will be s’mores roasting on an open fire, carriage rides, hot cocoa and cookies, and more. This is a free event, but in honor of the giving season, we will be collecting toys for the United States Marine Corps of Alton Toys for Tots campaign. Don't miss the 2024 ABOB Olde Alton

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA-43) today called on the Department of Education to discharge student loan debt for hundreds of thousands of students who were defrauded by predatory schools. During the first Trump Administration, defrauded borrowers’ applications for debt relief were left to languish for years, and if reviewed, were often denied. In their letter today, the lawmakers called for the Department to use its authority to immediately discharge debt. Since 2022, the Department has announced group discharges for more than?1.2 million individuals?who attended schools that engaged in documented fraud and misconduct, including ITT Technical Institute and Corinthian Colleges. Yet, hundreds of thousands of borrowers are still awaiting their discharges. Many additional borrowers are eligible for borrower defense group discharge because they attended schools

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CHICAGO – Now that colder temperatures have arrived, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is reminding Illinoisans to prepare for the coming respiratory virus season by getting the recommended shots for flu and COVID-19 and RSV. While the IDPH Seasonal Respiratory Illness Dashboard shows the overall illness level in Illinois remains Low, public health officials expect viral activity to increase as the holiday season and time for indoor gatherings kicks into gear. IDPH officials are also warning of a significant increase in whooping cough (pertussis) cases this year. The largest monthly total in 20 years was recorded in October when 408 cases were reported, more than double the number in October 2023. According to preliminary data, the state has recorded more than 1,900 confirmed and probable cases of pertussis in Illinois in the year to date, the highest number since 2012. This tracks a national trend and follows a sharp drop in cases during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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SPRINGFIELD —Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Acting Director James Jennings today announced that the Agency's Office of Energy has awarded $285,400 in the third funding round of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program. The Illinois EECBG Program supports municipalities and counties with the development or revision of existing strategic energy or climate action plans, as well as supplemental energy efficiency audits and publicly owned building upgrades. The recipients of third round EECBG Program funding are: Crawford County - $108,000 City of Rochelle (Ogle County) - $150,000 Village of Riverside (Cook County) - $27,400 In total, Illinois EPA has awarded $1,837,082 to fourteen (14) municipalities and counties across Illinois through the program. A fourth-round and likely final funding opportunity is forthcoming to invest Illinois’ remaining EECBG funding in energy efficiency projects identified within municipal and county energy

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ST. LOUIS - A 23-year-old Belleville woman - Dionna Samuel - has been identified as the victim of a fatal shooting at a McDonald's Restaurant in East St. Louis. Samuel was pronounced dead at Saint Louis University Hospital in St. Louis after the shooting report in the 500 block of North 24th Street at 7:36 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, at the McDonald's. The McDonald's Restaurant has not reopened since the fatal shooting. Illinois State Police Department continues an investigation into the fatal East St. Louis shooting and no additional details are available at this time.

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WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today paid tribute to five Senators who will be retiring at the end of the 118th Congress—U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Carper (D-DE), Joe Manchin (I-WV), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Laphonza Butler (D-CA). “The Biden-Harris Administration will go down in history as arguably the most productive and consequential administration in the last 75 years. They couldn’t have done it without a good partnership in Congress. Today, I want to thank five Senators who played key roles in the historic achievements of this Congress and many others. They include Chairs of four committees and one subcommittee and they will all be leaving when they finish up their work this month,” Durbin said. “I have more words of thanks for other departing colleagues and will deliver those soon. Collectively, these five Senators have given nearly 135 years of service to the United State

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CHICAGO – The Illinois Lottery is encouraging responsible gifting this holiday season and reminding players that lottery tickets are for grown-ups – not kids. The Illinois Lottery is once again joining forces with the Illinois Council on Problem Gambling (ICPG) to reintroduce its Gift Responsibly campaign, an effort to remind the public that lottery games are intended exclusively for adults over the age of 18. The joint initiative is meant to reinforce the Illinois Lottery’s ongoing commitment to fostering safe and responsible play while raising awareness about the importance of mindful gifting and gaming this holiday season. “While lottery tickets may seem like an easy gift idea, they are not suitable for children and can unintentionally expose them to risky gambling behaviors from an early age. The Illinois Lottery encourages players to consider this impact, and the recipient, before adding lottery tickets to holiday stockings,” said Illinois Lottery

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ST. LOUIS, MO. — As holiday celebrations continue into December, the American Red Cross encourages donors to keep the blood supply top of mind by giving blood or platelets this month. Type O negative blood donors and those giving platelets are especially urged to give now to help ensure patients can continue to receive the care they need in the coming weeks. Record-breaking November travel is expected to carry into the new year, which could cause some potential donors to put off blood donation until after the holiday season. In addition to millions of Americans traveling to spend holidays with loved ones, extended vacations are also surging in popularity at a time when fewer people may be available to give lifesaving blood products. Bring joy to someone facing a medical emergency; give something that means something with a blood or platelet donation. Schedule an appointment this December by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED

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GLEN CARBON - The Cardinal Glennon Guild Junior Board at Father McGivney Catholic High School led a successful coat drive this November. The students collected 427 coats for children and 44 coats for adults. Principal Joseph Lombardi explains, “This program beautifully highlights the alignment of the Glennon Guild Junior Board's activities with Father McGivney Catholic High School's core values. It emphasizes how these students are not only embracing but actively living out the pillar of Charity by using their leadership skills to make a meaningful impact. Their efforts serve as a testament to the school's mission of fostering a culture of life through practical service.” The Board consists of students who want to make a difference in the lives of patients at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital and the community. Through their leadership and volunteerism, they will continue to put on fundraising events like the Coat Drive throughout the school year in an effort to

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GODFREY - Phase one of the Village of Godfrey’s F.E. Widman Trail is officially completed. The new paved walking/biking path will connect Glazebrook Park to LaVista Park in Godfrey. The first phase of the project created the trail from LaVista Park to Rocky Fork. The second phase will take it to Pierce Lane, and construction will start in the summer. “It’s been a long time coming, and it’s finally mostly done,” said Godfrey Mayor Mike McCormick. “We’re starting the next section by the summer, and then it will be complete.” During a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, public officials and project contributors came together to celebrate the completion of phase one of construction. They expressed excitement to see the trail nearing completion, and many people noted the trail’s beauty. The F.E. Widman Trail will make it easier for people to travel from Stamper Lane to Godfrey’s Sam M. Vadalabene Bike Trai

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GODFREY - The Godfrey Finance Committee on Tuesday approved an additional $112,000 in Business District Funds to extend Stamper Lane to the east for future development. The Village Board in April of 2023 approved an agreement with Sheppard, Morgan, & Schwaab (SMS) to design the Stamper Lane Extension, which will serve two lots slated for development on the east side of Godfrey Road. SMS agreed to coordinate with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) on the project’s design, compliance with IDOT regulations, and more, with all associated services estimated at the time to cost a maximum of $145,900. After an 18-month series of IDOT meetings led to more revisions than anticipated, the estimated cost of construction engineering services for the project increased by $112,000 more than the previous estimate, now totaling $257,900. Village Engineer Rich Beran explained in a recent memo to trustees and Mayor Mike McCormick that developing the extended area

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GODFREY - Godfrey trustees voted on Tuesday to limit the number of video gaming establishments allowed in the village at one time. Village Board members unanimously approved an ordinance limiting the total number of video gaming licenses issued in the village to 24. Village Attorney Phil Lading said this number corresponds to Godfrey’s current number of gaming establishments, effectively banning any more from opening or operating. As was previously the case, only businesses with certain liquor licenses can legally operate gaming machines. This new limit doesn’t apply to all liquor licenses, just those that allow gaming - Class E and Class N. However, the ordinance states that if 24 Class E and/or N licenses have already been issued, all additional licenses are ineligible for video gaming. After some further clarification from the village attorney, trustees agreed that a limit was urgently needed on such establishments. Mayor Mike McCormick added that while exception

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years and is a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee—called on President-elect Donald Trump to prove that he is serious about keeping his bold promise that he would mandate the federal government and insurance companies pay for all costs associated with IVF services. The House-passed NDAA, as it currently stands, would provide our nation’s servicemembers with the same level of IVF coverage that Members of Congress receive in 2025—though some Republicans in Congress are quietly attempting to remove that coverage after the House voted 217-199 to pass it. Trump could begin keeping his promise by simply telling those Republicans to end their efforts and ensure IVF is covered for servicemembers and military families. “Although the NDAA will be finalized by the 118th Congress, the fate of one key provision in H.R.

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EAST ST. LOUIS - A GoFundMe campaign has been organized for Dionna Samuels, an East St. Louis McDonald's employee who was shot and killed while at work in the drive-thru window. The fundraiser is organized by Chatyvia Franklin, an East St. Louis McDonald's cashier and “one of many friends, family members, and supporters” of Samuels, as she wrote on the GoFundMe page . “Dionna was a daughter, auntie, cousin, and sister. This is a devastating loss,” Franklin wrote. “Dionna was a very smart and lovable person; she did not deserve any of this. Nobody deserves to have to bury their child so suddenly because of gun violence. “She touched a lot of people and made so many bonds while working for the McDonald's company. She made sure everyone was doing their job the right way but also made sure everyone was comfortable and happy.” She added that contributions will help support the family and ensure Samuels is given a proper burial. &ldquo

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ALTON - Alton Main Street presents First Fridays, a late night art and shopping experience which spans 15 locations across the Downtown Alton district. This event was held on the First Friday of October and November and will enjoy its final installment on December 6, 2024, providing you with an opportunity to check out new shops and galleries and visit familiar favorites to experience art and great specials at each business. Participants are offering a variety of discounts, refreshments, and giveaways. Everyone who has their passport stamped at a minimum of 8 locations will be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift certificate to any participating business. Free parking is available in the lot next to FLOCK Food Truck Park & Bar, located at 210 Ridge Street, and a free shuttle bus will be provided from 5:00-8:00 p.m., running a continuous loop between all participating locations. Start your evening by picking up your First Friday passport at any participating location, then hop

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GRANITE CITY – Granite City Community School District #9 is partnering with All God's Children Shall Have Shoes for its annual event held Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, at Famous Footwear at the Alton Square Mall. All God's Children Shall Have Shoes is an annual free socks and shoes program for local schools in the metro area. Students from Frohardt, Grigsby, Lake, Maryville, Mitchell, Prather and Wilson are participating in the event. Volunteers will assist the children in picking out a pair of shoes and a package of socks to take home. Buses were donated from First Student, Inc. to transport the students to and from Famous Footwear. Attached is a short video recap of the event from 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vt_5HdIDsY

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The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, and, of course, delicious treats. Cookies, in particular, hold a special place during this festive time, whether they are enjoyed at family gatherings, exchanged as gifts, or left out for Santa. With so many options to choose from, it can be overwhelming to decide which cookies to bake. This article explores some of the best holiday cookies to make this year, providing a variety of flavors, textures, and methods that cater to all tastes and skill levels. Classic Sugar Cookies A Timeless Favorite Sugar cookies are the quintessential holiday cookie. Their soft, buttery texture and sweet flavor make them a favorite among all ages. The great thing about sugar cookies is their versatility. They can be cut into festive shapes using cookie cutters and decorated with icing, sprinkles, or edible glitter. Tips for Success Chill the Dough : Chilling the dough for at least an hour before rolling it out helps prevent the cookies from spreading

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