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ALTON — The bravery and dedication of local first responders were honored at the 2024 Alton Area Optimist First Responders Award Celebration. The event recognized the exemplary service of police officers and firefighters from Alton and Godfrey, showcasing the impact these individuals have on their communities. The ceremony, organized by the Alton Area Optimists, took place in Alton, where attendees expressed gratitude and reflected on the vital roles first responders play in ensuring public safety. “We are proud to celebrate the outstanding men and women who go above and beyond to protect and serve our community every day,” said a representative from the organizing committee. Awards were presented to several honorees, including Officer Allen Averbeck from the Alton Police Department, Detective Sergeant Andy Johnson from the Madison County Sheriff's Office, and multiple members of the Alton and Godfrey fire departments. The recipients included Captain Donald

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O'FALLON — The O'Fallon Police Department is gearing up for its annual Breakfast with Santa event, scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. In preparation for the festivities, members of the Metro Alliance FC visited the department to assist with crafting items for the occasion. The collaboration underscores the community spirit that the event aims to foster. The police department expressed gratitude for the support, highlighting the importance of local partnerships in enhancing community events. As the date approaches, the department looks forward to welcoming families and creating a festive atmosphere for attendees.

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ELSAH - Members of the First Church of Christ, Scientist invite the community to join them for their Thanksgiving service. On Nov. 28, 2024, all three area First Church of Christ, Scientist locations will hold a Thanksgiving service. Located at 53 Lasalle Street in Elsah, the Elsah church will begin service at 10:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving. The Jerseyville location (1118 S. Liberty Street in Jerseyville) and the Godfrey location (1430 W. Delmar Avenue in Godfrey) will start their services at 10 a.m. “Thanksgiving as a holiday, if you look at it historically, it’s about giving gratitude to God,” Roger Gordon said. “Whatever your faith background, we would love to welcome you on Thanksgiving. Let’s give gratitude to God together.” Gordon, a fourth-generation Christian Scientist, serves as the chaplain and Director of Spiritual Life at Principia College. He said that his family loves attending the Elsah church, where his wife is a reader. H

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BELLEVILLE - Belleville Township High School District 201's Director of Technology, Curtis McKay, participated as a panelist at the Tech Leader Summit during the Illinois Education and Technology Conference. The event took place recently, bringing together education technology leaders from across the state to address current topics and challenges in the field. McKay's involvement in the summit highlights the district's commitment to integrating technology into education. The conference served as a platform for discussing advancements and best practices, with a focus on enhancing educational outcomes through innovative tech solutions. The Illinois Education and Technology Conference is a key event for educators and technology professionals, fostering collaboration and the exchange of ideas aimed at improving educational environments.

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CHICAGO – An Illinois Lottery player has a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving after cashing in a life-changing $10 million windfall. The lucky winner recently took home the second of three top prizes for the $10 Million scratch-off game. The top-prize-winning ticket was purchased at Jewel-Osco in Countryside, at 5545 South Brainard Avenue. The Illinois Lottery’s $10 Million game has three $10,000,000 top prizes, leaving one still up for grabs. In addition, this game has 15 prizes of $1 million and the best odds to win $500 on any scratch-off ticket currently available in Illinois. The first $10 Million Instant Ticket top prize was won in May 2024 by a player who purchased the ticket in Alton. This is the 48th Illinois Lottery player to win $1 million or more on a scratch-off ticket this year. For selling the winning ticket, Jewel-Osco in Countryside will receive a one percent bonus of the prize amount, or $100,000. The Illinois Lottery currently offers

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) will observe U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week November 18-24, 2024. The annual event is intended to increase public knowledge about the importance of careful use of antibiotics in order to prevent antimicrobial resistance, where bacteria and other germs develop an immunity to the drugs that were designed to fight them. “Antibiotics are powerful, life-saving medications used to treat serious bacterial infections,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra . “However, overuse or misuse of these medications can cause them to no longer work, contributing to antimicrobial resistance. Antimicrobial resistance is a serious public health concern leading to drug-resistant illnesses that have fewer effective therapies. Antibiotic Awareness Week is a good reminder for Illinois residents to use antibiotics only when necessary and carefully follow your provider and pharmacist’s instructions in their use.”

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that nonfarm payrolls were down -2,400 while the unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.3 percent in September, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and released by IDES. The September monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from +7,100 to -15,800, while the revised unemployment rate was 5.3 percent, unchanged from the preliminary September unemployment rate. The October payroll jobs estimate and unemployment rate reflect activity for the week including the 12th. In October, the industry sectors with the largest over-the-month job losses included: Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-1,900), Other Services (-1,000), Information (-300), and Professional and Business Services (-300). The industry sectors with monthly payroll job increases included: Leisure and Hospitality (+1,400), Manufacturing (+100), and Private Education

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JERSEY COUNTY - In conjunction with CNB Bank & Trust, J.C.H.S. has selected their “Students of the Month. The recipients for the month of October are Marley Cazier (9) and Aiden Johns (8). The selection of a “Student of the Month” is based upon the number of F.O.C.U.S. nominations, which a student receives for a given month. F.O.C.U.S. (Finding One Clearly Unique Student) is a program, which acknowledges a student each week for academic or kindness. Each week teachers may recognize students who have performed well in their classes by selecting them as F.O.C.U.S. students for that particular week. During October, Marley and Aiden received the most F.O.C.U.S. nominations. Because they received the most nominations, they were named “Students of the Month” at J.C.H.S. They are being congratulated by Mike LaTempt of CNB Bank & Trust. In conjunction with Jersey State Bank, J.C.H.S. has selected their “Student of the Month”. The recipient

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CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement that he will nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): “Mr. Kennedy is entirely unqualified to lead our federal health programs. While masquerading as a crusader against corporate influence or for the concerns of children and parents, Mr. Kennedy pushes quack science that will cause more disease and death. His theories are unsubstantiated and dangerous. This position has life-and-death responsibilities. America deserves nothing less than a serious person to fill it. Mr. Kennedy is not that person.”

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EDWARDSVILLE - SIUE will welcome Maria Beaver Hussman, an Ojibwe educator, seamstress and crafter. From 12–2 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, Hussman will share stories and crafts in the Lovejoy Library at SIUE. Attendees can make dreamcatchers and listen to Hussman’s stories about Ojibwe culture. “She’s just interested in sharing her culture and Native American culture in general with people,” said Simone Williams. “It’s a way to relate the work that we do on campus with the outside community, and also just ways of expressing different ways of learning. I don’t believe that there’s one way to learn, even though we’re in an academic setting. You can take bits and pieces from these different storytellers and apply it to your life.” Williams, Diversity and Engagement Librarian and an assistant professor at SIUE, organized Hussman’s visit to Lovejoy Library. She explained that Hussman sells traditional and contemporar

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ALTON - Residents in the Metro East region of Illinois experienced varying visibility conditions due to fog that developed overnight, primarily affecting areas within five to ten miles of the Mississippi River. National Weather Service in St. Louis Meteorologist Jayson Gosselin noted that the clearing of clouds from west to east allowed for low-level moisture to linger, contributing to the formation of fog in specific areas. In Alton, near the Mississippi River, the fog was very difficult for motorists. The fog was not uniformly widespread, but found primarily in river valleys, the meteorologist said. For instance, southeastern St. Clair County reported minimal fog presence. Gosselin explained that dew point measurements, which indicate the amount of water vapor in the air, played a significant role in this phenomenon. "When the temperature hits the dew point, saturation occurs, leading to cloud formation. Fog is essentially a cloud that forms just above the surface," he said. Visibility

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ALTON - Over $1.6 million has been allocated towards street and highway maintenance in Alton from January to December 2025. City Council members passed a series of related resolutions at Wednesday night’s meeting. Among them is the allocation of $1,660,898.66 worth of Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) funds “for the purpose of maintaining streets and highways” under the Illinois Highway Code from Jan. 1, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2025. Also approved was a Maintenance Engineering Agreement between Sheppard, Morgan & Schwaab, Inc. (SMS) and the City of Alton, which will see the firm perform maintenance engineering services for these road improvements, including bridge inspection engineering. Documents filed with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) show the $1.6 million in MFT funds will be used to purchase materials, rent equipment, and reimburse SMS for their engineering services on the project. Not included is an exact list of streets or highways to be maintained.

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ALTON: WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) announced that the City of Alton will receive a $215,152 federal grant from the Department of Transportation to implement safety improvements for pedestrians. The award is funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - which was signed into law three years ago today - and will support Alton’s ongoing commitment to build a safer and more walkable downtown. “Safer streets mean a more connected community and today, we’re helping to make that a reality for the people of Alton,” said Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski. “On its third anniversary, the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver for Central and Southern Illinois with more than $215,000 for Alton to make its downtown safer and more walkable. I’m excited to see this project come to fruition and to keep working to secure critical infrastructure investments for the folks I serve in Alton and across

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 18 attorneys general, filed an amicus brief supporting a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rule prohibiting noncompete clauses – provisions that restrict employees’ ability to work for or start competing businesses after leaving their current jobs – in employment contracts nationwide. In April 2024, the FTC issued the final Noncompete Clause Rule , which bars employers from including noncompete clauses in new employment contracts and renders most existing noncompete clauses unenforceable. In publishing the rule, the FTC explained that noncompete clauses depress worker wages, create legal hurdles for employees looking to grow their careers and undermine economic innovation and growth by trapping individuals in their jobs. “Noncompete clauses unfairly prevent millions of workers from getting higher-paying jobs that allow them to better provide for themselves and their families. They also

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ALTON – For the second consecutive time this year, a Metro East hospital with a 99-year healthcare ministry in the Riverbend region is celebrating national distinction for achievements in prioritizing patient safety by protecting patients from preventable harm and errors. OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center again has earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit watchdog. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them. OSF Saint Anthony’s also received an “A” grade from The Leapfrog Group during the Spring 2024 grading period. Lisa Schepers, DNP, MBA, RN, NE-BC, Interim President/Chief Nursing Officer, OSF Saint Anthony’s, emphasizes that the hospital

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ALTON - During a press conference at The Wedge Innovation Center , Governor J.B. Pritzker answered several questions about the State of Illinois and Madison County. On Nov. 14, 2024, Pritzker and AltonWorks CEO John Simmons fielded questions about The Wedge and its role in the City of Alton . Pritzker also took questions about healthcare, abortion access and President-elect Donald Trump. He addressed an advisory referendum on the Madison County ballot that asked voters about the possibility of separating from Cook County. In Madison County, 71,695 voters, or 56.54%, voted “yes” to beginning conversations about separating from Cook County. Meanwhile, 55,108 voters, or 43.46%, voted “no.” In a previous visit to Madison County, Pritzker spoke against this advisory referendum and encouraged voters to remember the benefits of living in the same state as Chicago. On Nov. 14, 2024, he said he was “not surprised” by the election results.

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ALTON – Today, Ray Strebel formally announced his campaign for Mayor of Alton in the 2025 Consolidated Elections. Ray Strebel is a third-generation Alton resident, Third Ward Alderman, and local small business owner who is running to end business as usual and return prosperity and opportunity to our residents. “Alton needs new leadership and fresh ideas because our community deserves so much better than business as usual,” said Ray Strebel. “We won’t transform our city overnight, but now is the time to unite behind a plan for growth that gets our community headed in the right direction by improving our residents’ quality of life, fixing our government problems that are holding us back, and returning Alton to the thriving town it once was.” Strebel said he is focused on investing in infrastructure that makes Alton safer, restoring fiscal responsibility to protect taxpayer costs, and growing our community by improving quality of life. “Under

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FIELDON - Fieldon United Church of Christ is hosting their third annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner, giving everyone in the community a seat at the Thanksgiving table - and a free, hot meal. “Last year, we served several family meals, delivered to over 30, and hosted 75 to 100 in-person diners,” Niki Egelhoff, one of the event organizers, said. “This year will be our third year and we hope to reach even more people. No one should feel alone during the holidays.” On Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 28, 2024), dinners will be served starting at 1 p.m. While the community is welcome to dine at the church at 205 1st St. in Fieldon, there will also be family-sized and individual meals available for carryout. Pre-orders can be placed by Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024 for pickup at 10:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day. To reserve your carryout order, or donate to the church, call Jen Fanning at 618-535-3220 or Tim Fanning at 618-535-3221. The event will also feature a cash prize

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COLLINSVILLE - Two people from Indiana face charges in Madison County after stealing several items from the Collinsville Walmart with multiple drugs in their possession. Katelyn R. Staab and Elijah D. Prater, both 28 and of Burket, Ind., were both charged with retail theft over $300 (both Class 4 felonies). They were also charged with separate drug possession offenses. The items stolen included “a crossbow, arrows, sinus kit, smart watch, flashlight and tools,” with a total combined value of more than $300, according to descriptions of the charges. Prater additionally faces a Class 3 felony charge for possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine, while Staab faces a Class 4 felony for possession of “a substance containing buprenorphine.” Staab and Prater’s cases were presented by the Collinsville Police Department. Both have since been granted pretrial release from custody. The issuance of charges is based solely upon probable cause

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Thanksgiving is a time for family gatherings, delicious meals, and expressing gratitude. As you prepare for this special occasion, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere is essential, and nothing sets the mood quite like a beautifully designed centerpiece. Instead of settling for store-bought options, why not tap into your creativity and craft a DIY centerpiece that reflects your style and the spirit of the season? This article will guide you through various DIY Thanksgiving centerpiece ideas, offering practical tips and inspiration to help you create a stunning focal point for your table. The Importance of a Centerpiece The centerpiece is often the centerpiece of attention—pun intended—during Thanksgiving dinners. It not only enhances the visual appeal of your dining table, but it also serves as a conversation starter, bringing people together. A well-thought-out centerpiece reflects the warmth of your home and the joy of the holiday season. It can be simple or elaborate,

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