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ALTON – A man from Alton faces four domestic battery charges after strangling a witness who tried to stop him from strangling another victim. Aryion E. Sanders, 26, of Alton, was charged with two Class 2 felony counts of aggravated domestic battery and two Class 4 felony counts of domestic battery. Sanders allegedly strangled two household or family members on April 5, 2025. Among several prior charges of battery and more, he had previously been convicted of violating an Order of Protection in a Madison County case from 2024. A petition filed to deny his pretrial release states Sanders got into an altercation with the first victim, during which he strangled and threatened to kill them. When another household or family member witnessed the incident and attempted to intervene, Sanders ceased attacking the first victim and began strangling the second victim “before brandishing a knife.” The petition notes Sanders has repeatedly failed to appear in court, deeming hi

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EDWARDSVILLE - Ivy Hall Dispensary has a special plan to celebrate 4/20. On April 20, 2025 — the date commonly known as “4/20” in the cannabis community — Ivy Hall Dispensary at 6197 Old Alton Edwardsville Road in Edwardsville will offer deals, food and free Easter specials. Director of Marketing Jonny Boucher expressed his excitement for the event and encouraged everyone to come out and join in the fun. “4/20, the day of, is going to be bonkers,” Boucher said. “We are having some real fun.” Starting at 8 a.m. on Sunday, April 20, the first 100 customers will receive a golden Easter egg. Each egg has a prize inside, from a $500 Visa gift card to Six Flags season passes and plenty of gift certificates for local restaurants, tattoo parlors and more. At 1 p.m., 200 customers will receive a free frozen Lou Malnati's pizza with every purchase. Boucher noted that this is especially exciting because it combines Ivy Hall’s roots

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ALTON – The statistics surrounding the incidence rate of lung cancer – nationally, state-wide, and locally – can literally take your breath away. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI): The United States lung cancer rates are 53.1/100,000 people The Illinois state average is 58.3/100,000 people When looking at statistics on a more local level, four (4) counties in and around the Riverbend region can be found in the top 40 within the state: Green County ranks 13th highest out of 102 counties at 89.3/100,000 people Macoupin Ranks 18th highest at 86.6 cases/100,000 people Jersey County ranks 35th highest at 77.3/100,000 people Madison County ranks 39th highest at 76.8/100,000 people “These statistics alone indicate that residents of these four counties are located in areas with a significantly higher rate of lung cancer compared to the United States and state of Illinois averages,” says Angela Halliday, Director of Oncology Services,

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ST. LOUIS, MO – After a five-year pause, Community Development Week is back in the City of St. Louis! The City’s Community Development Administration (CDA) is excited to relaunch this award-winning celebration of neighborhood revitalization and public service. From Monday, April 21, to Friday, April 25, 2025, CDA and its partners will host a full slate of walking tours, networking events, public workshops, and more—highlighting the people and programs transforming St. Louis. “We’re so excited to bring Community Development Week back for the first time since 2018,” said Nahuel Fefer, Executive Director of CDA. “Our team has grown significantly in recent years to administer COVID relief funds, more than doubling disbursement of federal funds and tripling the City’s affordable housing production pipeline. After everything our city has worked through during COVID, it means so much to celebrate progress together again.” CDA is a past

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JERSEYVILLE - JCH HealthCare recently made a donation to CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) of Jersey & Greene Counties through generous employee contributions. This non-profit organization plays a vital role in advocating for the best interests of children in the foster care system, and JCH HealthCare is proud to support their important work in the community.

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EDWARDSVILLE - Ruth Slenczynska, the last surviving pupil of composer-pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff, will be honored by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville during the upcoming three-day Ruth Slenczynska Centennial Celebration . The weekend begins with a series of presentations about the renowned pianist's life, a piano master class and culminates with the celebration concert at Dunham Hall Theater. All events take place May 2–4, 2025. “Pianist Ruth Slenczynska has led an exceptional, accomplished musical life for 100 years,” shared Therese Dickman, Fine Arts Librarian and associate professor, Library and Information Services. “Notably, she performed public piano concerts between the ages of 4 to 96.” “She studied with some of the world’s most esteemed pianists and composers of the early 20th century. Among her many friends and acquaintances were world leaders (including five U.S. Presidents and the Empress of Japan), and she was a

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JERSEYVILLE – Jerseyville city officials held a “workshop” meeting on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 to discuss several ongoing and future capital improvement projects around the city – and possible ways to fund them. Mayor Kevin Stork said his intention with the meeting was to gather all department heads and form a mutual understanding on goals and plans to achieve them, including funding possibilities. No formal action was taken at the meeting, which was for discussion purposes only. T he City of Jerseyville has undertaken several capital improvement projects in recent years, with plans for several more over the next five to ten years. Among these are the recently remodeled City Hall, Police and Fire Department buildings , the construction of a splash pad and bathhouse at Wittman Park , ongoing and future street repairs, and several other ongoing and future park improvement projects around the city. To fund these projects,

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ALTON - After the death of Laura Kimbro’s son, she has written a book to share more about traumatic brain injuries and post-concussion syndrome depression. “Giving Light to Darkness” tells the story of Seth, Kimbro’s son, who experienced depression triggered by a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Seth ultimately died by suicide, and Kimbro is doing everything she can to inform people about post-concussion syndrome depression and how to heal. “I needed to be a voice for our son, and not only for our son, but for others who are going through it, for others that are in this unknown,” Kimbro explained. “I hope to share that you are not alone.” Following an accident, Seth had a long road of healing ahead of him. But Kimbro was pleased to see that he seemed to be on the right track. He was exercising, getting back to work, and making plans with his fiancé. But on the inside, he was struggling. He had good days and bad days,

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ALTON - The Alton High School Construction Trades class will resume its home-building program. In the next year, students in the AHS Construction Trades class will be building a house from the ground up. On Wednesday, April 16, 2025, community leaders gathered at 1 Woodland Hills Court in Alton, where the house will be located, for a groundbreaking ceremony. “I am just thrilled to be here with you to make an announcement and to celebrate the return of our Construction Trades home building,” said Superintendent Elaine Kane. “We’ve had Construction Trades at Alton High School over the past 20 years. It’s just that we modified the scope of the course, and this morning, we’re here to celebrate kicking off the return to building homes with our students. This community continually rallies around our school and our students, and this project is no exception.” Students will work with the Construction Trades teachers and Tycon Builders employees

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GLEN CARBON – Ameren Illinois is currently constructing a new distribution power line into its Main Street substation in Glen Carbon to enhance energy service reliability, flexibility and load capacity. This additional electric capacity will support the ongoing economic development in Meridan Plaza. The new, 2.4-mile distribution power line will extend from the Main Street substation down to and along Illinois Route 157, just to the northeast of the intersection of South University Drive and Chain of Rocks Road. The added capacity is similar to expanding a two-lane highway to a four-lane highway. Nearly 1,500 customers will benefit from these enhancements. "Substations do not get a lot of fanfare but they are critical elements in a reliable, resilient energy grid," said Langston Rose, Director of West Region Electric Operations, Ameren Illinois. "With these enhancements, Ameren Illinois is taking proactive steps to prepare for the future needs of our electric customers.

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ALTON - The Alton Police Department has named Captain Kurtis McCray its Officer of the Month for February 2025 in recognition of his efforts to reduce gun violence in two troubled neighborhoods. Capt. McCray's efforts have made a huge difference in Alton. For more than a year, the 800 block of Pearl Street and the 1200 block of Central Avenue in Alton experienced persistent gun violence that disrupted the lives of residents. Despite numerous arrests and firearm recoveries by police, the violence continued. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said Captain McCray responded by going beyond traditional enforcement methods. He worked closely with the property owner in the 800 block of Pearl Street to facilitate an eviction order and the sale of the property, a process that involved complex negotiations and cooperation among multiple parties. In addition, he collaborated with the Madison County Housing Authority to assist in relocating a family residing on the 1200 block of Central Avenue,

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ALTON — Crisis Food Center and Midwest Members Credit Union will distribute free Easter hams and side items to families from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 19, 2025, at 21 East 6th Street in Alton. This marks the sixth year the two organizations have partnered for the Easter Ham Giveaway, with each contributing equally to the purchase of hams and side dishes. Derrick D. Richardson, a board member of Crisis Food Center and former board member of Midwest Members Credit Union, emphasized the importance of supporting the community during the holiday. “Together, we are able to purchase a lot of hams for families in need this Easter,” Richardson said. “Teaming up together makes a good partnership. We believe that feeding our community is important and want to make sure that families in our community are able to celebrate Easter with a nice Easter meal. We want to give back in a way that would definitely impact the families in the community.” Tiffany James o

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CARLINVILLE – Blackburn College has announced that Jared Jones, a 2016 graduate and director of team travel and logistics for Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Guardians, will be the keynote speaker at the College’s 2025 commencement ceremony. The event will take place Saturday, May 17, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. on the Hudson Quad. Jones brings an inspiring perspective to this year’s graduating class, shaped by their shared experiences in Blackburn's student-managed Work Program—the only student-managed program in the country. The Work Program offers students a way to gain valuable, hands-on experience in roles that directly support the College's daily operations. Students who participate in the Program develop essential skills, build a resume, and reduce the cost of their education, all while earning a four-year degree. Jones's journey from a student worker on campus to a leadership role in the Major Leagues highlights the impact of Blackburn’s nationally

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ALTON - Ameren Illinois' new carbon-free assessment program aimed at helping public schools in the state reduce energy costs and improve sustainability has been very successful, Michael Pittman, manager of new clean energy programs, said. The program, which began in the first quarter of 2024, offers comprehensive energy assessments to public school districts within Ameren Illinois’ service territory. The assessments evaluate both the interior and exterior of school buildings and provide a strategic roadmap to increase energy efficiency, including opportunities to update HVAC systems, improve insulation, and consider solar facilities. “Energy costs are one of the largest expenses of operating a school,” Pittman said. “We look at the facility comprehensively to identify opportunities such as updating HVAC schedules, installing smart thermostats, fixing windows and doors, and making other capital improvements that can lead to significant savings.” Since

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SPRINGFIELD - Recognizing Financial Literacy Month, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is celebrating a generous donation of books that teach children about the value of financial literacy, which every Illinois public library received. As part of its charitable endeavors, Walmart donated 1,500 copies of Mellody Hobson’s ‘Priceless Facts about Money’ to over 750 public library branches across Illinois. An Illinois native, Hobson is the Co-CEO & President of Ariel Investments, a global value-oriented asset management firm founded in 1983 in Chicago. Hobson is a leader in corporate boardrooms, as former chairman of Starbucks Corporation and a current director of JPMorgan Chase. She was listed among Forbes Magazine’s 100 most powerful women in the world. Written for children, Hobson’s book illustrates with entertaining stories and facts how money works and introduces readers to fundamental principles of financial literacy and money management

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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 21 attorneys general, filed an amicus brief supporting an effort to block erratic and unlawful layoffs and mismanagement at the Social Security Administration (SSA) by Acting Commissioner Leland Dudek and the Department of Government Efficiency. Raoul and the coalition point out that such actions jeopardize continued benefits payments for millions of Americans. The brief supports the plaintiffs’ request for an injunction in American Association of People with Disabilities v. Dudek, and it was filed today in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. “The Trump administration claims that it’s making the Social Security Administration more efficient, but in reality, these seemingly-arbitrary layoffs and office closures are throwing it into chaos,” Raoul said. “Millions of Americans, including more than 2 million Illinoisans, rely on Social Security benefits to

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SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt advanced a measure to stop gym and fitness centers from cancelling or changing benefits of a promised lifetime membership. “When gyms advertise lifetime memberships, someone shouldn’t have their benefits reduced because they’re actually utilizing the gym,” said Belt (D-Swansea). "If you sign up for a lifetime membership at a set price, the gym shouldn’t be able to turn around next year and raise your rate." Gyms and fitness centers follow rules under the Physical Fitness Services Act. Belt’s measure is designed to prevent fitness centers and gyms from changing prices or reducing benefits for any “lifetime membership” price they advertise. If a fitness center wants to change prices or benefits for one of these contracts, they would have to clearly disclose their intention when the gym membership contract is being signed. “We’re trying to crack down on deceptive tactics used

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CHICAGO — Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to reduce electricity capacity prices that are set to increase substantially on June 1 for ComEd customers. If allowed to go into effect on June 1, the results of the 2025-2026 PJM Interconnection (PJM) capacity auction would drastically increase electricity prices for consumers. In his complaint , Raoul is asking that the auction be rerun under revised rules that would be fairer for consumers. “PJM and FERC have acknowledged that the rules are flawed, and they have been changed for the next two auctions,” Raoul said. “I am asking that the most recent auction be conducted again under the revised rules, which have already been approved by FERC. These changes are critical to protect consumers from unreasonable increases to their utility bills.” Capacity prices are paid by each residential, commercial and industrial customer as part of their electric

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ST. LOUIS – On Tuesday, April 15, 2025, new St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer took office in the rotunda of City Hall surrounded by family, friends, elected officials from across the state and residents who were excited to usher in the City’s next chapter. Mayor Spencer’s inaugural address called for unity and collaboration and also pointed to four priority areas including openness and accountability, city service delivery, public safety and growing an inclusive economy. “I ran for Mayor because I know when we work together, we work best,” Mayor Spencer said. “The people of this city are generous and hardworking, resilient and humble. We’re also as tough as the carbon steel of the arch. With the determination and grit this city was built upon, we can and will do better.” The Mayor was officially sworn in by Missouri Supreme Court Judge Robin Ransom. Comptroller Donna Baringer was officially sworn in by Judge Michael Stelzer. Additional

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ALTON - During his final meeting with the Alton Community Unit School District #11 Board of Education, longtime member Ed Gray was recognized for his service to the community. During their regular meeting on April 15, 2025, the Board of Education took a few minutes to recognize Gray as he prepares to step down from his position. Superintendent Elaine Kane called Gray “a local legend.” She noted that Gray has served the Alton School District for 58 years in different capacities, including 20 years on the school board. “Mr. Gray, for your tireless service and meaningful contributions, in honor of your professional and personal legacy of service, on behalf of all who are here and many who can’t be, we extend our heartfelt admiration and appreciation for you,” Kane said. Gray was hired to teach in the Alton School District in 1967. He became an assistant principal at Alton High School. In 1985, he was named the Administrator for Plant Facilities and

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