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EAST ST. LOUIS – State Senator Christopher Belt announced that the Illinois Secretary of State has awarded nearly $2.5 million to the Metro East Auto Theft Task Force to combat carjacking and vehicle thefts in the area. “Carjacking and vehicle thefts are serious crimes that threaten the safety and well-being of our community,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “I am grateful to the Secretary of State’s office for recognizing the importance of this issue and for providing crucial support to help prevent this issue.” The funding originates from the Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Council, which is overseen by the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State’s office convenes regular meetings of council members and awards funding to assist law enforcement entities to combat carjacking and prevent motor vehicle thefts. The Metro East Auto Theft Task Force is a collaborative effort between law enforcement

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EDWARDSVILLE – City Park is losing a dear, old friend: A towering maple tree estimated to be about 125 years old will be removed in the near future amid safety concerns about its declining health. The maple tree reaches high into the sky, its branches sprawling far and wide, in a prominent spot in the downtown park. It’s roughly centered between the Edwardsville Public Library and South Buchanan Street. "We've been keeping an eye on it for about five years," said Sarah Cundiff, the chair of the City's Beautification & Tree Commission. "We knew it was declining and have been trying to keep it as long as possible. With that being such an active park, it's a safety concern." An exact date hasn't been set for the tree to be brought down, but it's expected to take place within the next two weeks. Earlier in March, a tree located on the north side of the library fell on a day that saw strong winds, rain and snow pelt the City. The trunk of that tree is all that remains on the

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You will find a comprehensive list of Easter Egg Hunts around the area below. SATURDAY, APRIL 1 ALTON: Alton VFW Post 1308 will be hosting an Easter Egg Hunt on April 1st beginning at 1 p.m. All area children ages 0-12 and their parents are welcome. GODFREY: The Village of Godfrey will be hosting their 20th Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Glazebrook Park on April 1st. The hunt will begin promptly at 2:15 p.m. and will last until all of the eggs are found. Games, crafts, and pictures with the Easter Bunny will go on until 4 p.m. Cedarhurst Senior Living at 1000 Airport Rd. in Godfrey will host an Easter Egg Hunt from 10 am-Noon on April 1. There will also be opportunities to take pictures with the Easter Bunny and enjoy cookies and punch. EDWARDSVILLE: Edwardsville Care Center located at 401 St Marys Dr in Edwardsville will be hosting an Easter Egg Hunt on April 1st beginning at 11 a.m. This event will feature pictures with the Easter Bunny! EAST ALTON: The Village of East

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MADISON COUNTY - Early childhood should be a joyful time filled with curiosity, creativity, play, and innocence where opportunities abound for children to increase their vocabulary and learn important skills like how to problem-solve, manage emotions, and build empathy for others. Healthy relationships and happy memories during this period set the stage for school readiness and a healthy, productive life. Unfortunately, not all families have the same access to resources and support while raising their children. This is preventable with the right tools in place. In April, we recognize Child Abuse Prevention Month and The Week of the Young Child® (April 1 – 7), providing time for reflection and opportunities to advocate for innovative policies that transform systems, so all children and families have what they need to thrive. Every child should have the same access and opportunities to learn, grow, and reach their full potential. Organizations like Children’s Home & Aid

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GLEN CARBON - The purchase of new body cameras and tasers for the Glen Carbon Police Department was approved by the Glen Carbon Village Board on Tuesday, March 28, among several other agenda items. The Village Board approved the purchase of the “Axon Enterprise bundle,” which includes body cameras, new tasers, and cloud video storage at a total cost of $456,960.20. Police Chief Todd Link said this purchase will help officers adhere to requirements in the SAFE-T Act, including one that all officers be equipped with body cameras no later than January 1, 2025. Link said $113,414 of the cost will be paid in Fiscal Year 2023 using Capital Permit Project Budget funds, with the remaining balance of $343,548 to be paid in installments through Fiscal Year 2027. When asked by Mayor Marcus about the cloud storage, Link said the footage would typically be stored on Axon servers for up to 90 days unless the footage is “flagged” to be stored for a longer period. He adde

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GLEN CARBON - A "Kicks On 66" car show this fall, open community garden spots, and more were among the announcements from Glen Carbon Mayor Bob Marcus at the most recent Village Board meeting on March 28. Later this fall, a “Kicks On 66” car show will be held at Schon Park. Marcus said the event will feature “over 500 high-end classic cars” as well as vendors, music, and more. The car show will be held on Saturday, Sept. 16, and more details will be announced as they are finalized. There are still seven Community Garden spots available on a first-come, first-serve basis at Village Hall, Marcus said. Applications are available at this link from the village website. Marcus also said sponsorship and vendor opportunities are also still available for the Glen Carbon Homecoming taking place on June 16 and 17. He said to visit this link on the village website for more information. Glen Carbon was recently named a Salute To Southwestern Illinois award winner at

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MATTOON — First Mid Bank & Trust has launched their ‘Certified Homebuyer Program’ to give borrowers a head start on securing home financing. First Mid lenders can help potential homebuyers complete their purchase and start a new chapter in their lives even sooner. Buying a home is a monumental decision and it can be overwhelming. First Mid is excited to offer this program to simplify the homebuying process. Becoming certified can help by taking care of the financing paperwork up front and letting potential buyers know what they can afford before searching for a home. The program can also identify any unexpected financing issues ahead of time. While many banks offer prequalified programs, the First Mid Certified Homebuyer Program goes a step further. “Many individuals don’t realize there is a difference between prequalified and pre-approved,” says Chad Abernathy, Chief Retail Loan Officer. “Prequalified is when an application is completed and

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EDWARDSVILLE - When conducting surveys, researchers ask respondents for identifiable data such age, race, and sex. This information rarely caters to nonmonosexuals, sometimes out of unconscious preference for gender, or heterosexual and homosexual, binary. This is about to change, thanks to an instrument developed by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Aidan Ferguson, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Social Work. As principal instigator, Ferguson is collaborating with colleagues Jennifer Erwin, PhD and Lane Forsman, PhD, assistant professors in the Department of Social Work. The project, Enhancing Sexual Identity Classification using the Ferguson Sexual Identity Classification Instrument (FSICI): A Proof of Concept Study , will pilot test an instrument that aims to provide a tool which will better capture accurate sexual identity information in research and in other areas where demographic information is obtained. The instrument is named for Ferguson as

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GLEN CARBON - A model train set based on the Village of Glen Carbon was the central attraction at the Metro East Model Railroad Club’s most recent Open House event. Publicity Chairman Bob Gibson said the train set includes models of several historic Glen Carbon buildings along 1,000 feet of track, and is appreciated by visitors of all ages. Gibson said many adults recognize some of the buildings in the miniature depiction of the village, including one visitor who even spotted the house they grew up in. “A lot of the adults will come in and say, ‘Gee, this is really nice,’ and very realistic if you grew up in Glen Carbon, this area. In fact, there’s a building behind me which was the superintendent’s house for the railroad at the time, and one of the visitors came in and said to us, ‘I grew up in that house,’” he said. “We got a lot of that … people who grew up here recognize some of the stuff.” The club’s

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EAST ST. LOUIS – A federal grand jury announced today it returned a 15-count indictment charging a St. Elmo man on several assault and firearms charges after he allegedly opened fire on federal law enforcement agents who attempted to serve an arrest warrant at his residence in Fayette County. Dax Baldrige, 46, is facing seven counts of assault of a federal officer, seven counts of using a firearm in during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. “Fortunately, the law enforcement officers returned home safely to their families after the incident in Fayette County,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Attacks on those who protect us threaten safety in our communities, and violent offenders who recklessly aim and shoot firearms at federal agents conducting official business will be expeditiously charged and held accountable for their thoughtless actions.” “As the U.S. Marshal for the Southern Distric

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ST. LOUIS – EDUrain company and CEO Byron Pierson of Alton is back again this year for the annual Inno Madness competition. Inno Madness is a friendly, bracket-style challenge where readers vote to advance companies based on one question: Who would you invest in? Whether you believe in one mission or product slightly over the other or would prefer to back a more established company versus an early-stage startup, how you answer that question is entirely up to the person voting. Sixty-four local startups are vying for the top prize in Inno Madness this year. "We won round 2 and round 3 Voting is open," Byron Pierson, CEO of EDUrain said. "You can vote once per day. Please vote for EDUrain in round 3 now. "Thank you for the round 2 votes. Let’s bring this home. We need 2,000 votes this round to win! Please share the voting link and invite 1 person to vote as well." Pierson also said: "As a former foster-care youth, to be in this position to support students with issues tha

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TROY - Two-sport athlete Tobey "TJ" Suter has been one to watch early on in this baseball season for the Triad Knights. Through six games and 20 plate appearances, TJ is batting a .421 average. He's got eight hits so far including five doubles. He's also a starting pitcher and has struck out eight batters through two outings and 10 innings pitched. TJ is an Axes Physical Therapy Athlete of the Month for Triad. Last game, a 9-5 win over the Mater Dei Knights, he had three total hits. He hit two doubles good for two RBIs and also had a run. "I was just seeing the ball really well," TJ said after the game Monday afternoon. "All the work I've put in is paying off. I just feel comfortable at the plate." "TJ has been playing like a senior, like a guy that's been around," Triad head coach Jesse Bugger said. "He's relaxed and he's playing the game to win. It's simple for him right now, just go attack and play. He's done a great job for us so far." Bugger mentioned that TJ, being

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JERSEYVILLE – Special interests are lobbying for federal legislation that would put heavier semi-trucks onto local roads in Illinois and across the Country. A new report being delivered to the U.S. Congress shows that more than 72,000 bridges nationwide cannot safely handle the proposed heavier truck weights. Replacing these bridges would cost taxpayers more than $60 billion. Here in Illinois, 1,252 bridges would be put at risk, with a replacement cost of more than $1 billion. Jersey County Engineer Tom Klasner co-authored a new study and is heading to Capitol Hill on March 29 th to tell Congress local taxpayers can’t foot the bill. He is joined by leaders from across the country who don’t want motorists in their towns to be forced to share the roads with bigger trucks. Klasner is past President of the Illinois Association of County Engineers and current representative of Illinois to the National Association of County Engineers. Both groups strongly oppose any

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GRANITE CITY - The Lady Warriors girl's soccer team is off to a great 4-0 start to this season. A big part of those results is the team's three captains, including junior Madison Vasiloff. She's scored six goals through the first four games of the season including a hat trick last Saturday against Althoff Catholic in a 3-1 win and a stellar strike against the Triad Knights in a 4-1 triumph. Madison is a Stillwater Senior Living Athlete of the Month for Granite City. She hit a half-volley Monday night against Triad from about 20 yards out that flew into the upper left corner to put a bow on what was a great all-around performance against the Knights. "I was just hoping it would go in," she said about the captivating goal. These results don't come as a surprise to Vasiloff. “Absolutely not,” she said when asked about being surprised at all. “The girls from the very beginning have been super excited to start the season. We have a big senior class, so everyone’s

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Wheels & Walk Festival is off and running for a second year of bringing area college students and Edwardsville residents together to spend time on the trails, benefit a good cause, and enjoy some food, games and music. The Wheels & Walk Festival is set for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 15. The event is being hosted by the Campus to Community Committee, which includes student, faculty and resident representatives of the City, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Lewis and Clark Community College. The festival will kick off with an approximately 2.5-mile hike on a Madison County Transit trail from two locations – SIUE and a new site for 2023, the Edwardsville campus of Lewis and Clark Community College. How participants traverse the trails – walk, bike, skateboard or other means – is up to them. The trail hike will lead to the Ironworks business development, in the 2300 block of Plum Street, where food and games will be available.

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O’FALLON – As part of March’s Caffeine Awareness Month, HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and HSHS Medical Group Diabetes and Endocrinology – O’Fallon want to share how the stimulant affects our brain and body. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates 80% of U.S. adults consume caffeine daily. Although it can help with alertness, health experts say overdoing it can cause dangerous side effects including: Increased risk of heart attack Increased blood pressure Insomnia Skin aging and wrinkling Headaches Increased anxiety One known effect of caffeine is the negative stimulation of the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands sit on the kidneys and have a role in releasing hormones when we are confronted with stress. When caffeine is consumed, these glands are stimulated to release adrenaline into the body. This can affect sleep patterns and make us less alert in the morning and throughout the day. “Caffeine is a stimulant that

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ALTON – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today lane restrictions will be encountered beginning at 8 a.m. Tuesday, March 28, 2023, in Alton. The right lane will be closed on southbound Illinois 3/111 (Homer Adams Parkway) over Bloomer Avenue in Alton, IDOT explained. "These restrictions are needed to perform emergency bridge deck patching," IDOT said. "All lanes are expected to reopen by 3 p.m. on Friday, March 31, 2023. IDOT District 8 Operations forces will make the needed improvements. Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. To avoid the work area, when feasible, use of alternate routes should be considered." IDOT added that drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices and be alert for workers and equipment. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details

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GODFREY - Several local high schoolers met at the Lewis & Clark Community College River Bend Arena to compete in an annual trebuchet contest last Friday, March 24. Molly Freimuth, a math professor at LC, said the event is a great way for students to show off their engineering skills and also learn about the post-graduation engineering and STEM opportunities in the area. “I absolutely love seeing the students so animated and excited about their competition,” Freimuth said. “It’s really awesome to see the different designs and the models that they tend to go with and which ones seem to be successful, or how the kids adjust if they aren’t successful. “It’s a great opportunity for high school students to get out and see the local area schools and Engineering and STEM focus, whether that’s Missouri S&T , SIUE School of Engineering … it’s also cool for them to see Lewis and Clark, where they could start here with their engineering

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Letter To The Editor: WOOD RIVER - Wood River is at a tipping point. The city has an influx of growth happening, not only in our downtown district but also on the east side of town near 255. New restaurants, shopping and entertainment venues are looking to make Wood River home. It is an exciting time for “Good River.” As a consultant for the city, I have had the opportunity to, “push the good”, or highlight the great things in Wood River. Working with Mayor Stalcup we were able to refresh the website not only making it more user-friendly for residents but also easier for entrepreneurs and developers to learn more about our city. I am incredibly proud of the work that we have done for the City. My campaign is simple - growth, inclusivity and pride in the community. I believe my fresh perspective and ideas can move our city forward. We can continue to grow our economy, bringing new small businesses, in turn bringing young families to town. We can offer programming

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ALTON - A change in ownership is on the horizon for a Riverbend media company. Sheila and Nick Darr of Godfrey have entered into an agreement to become the new owners of Big Z Media, purchasing the controlling interest from current owner Sam Stemm of Alton. The parties to the agreement have filed a Transfer of Control application with the Federal Communications Commission and once approval is given, likely within 90 days, the deal will be finalized. What started as AM radio station WOKZ 75 years ago has grown and morphed into Big Z Media, which operates news/talk radio station WBGZ (1570 AM 107.1 FM) and oldies station MyMix 94.3 (94.3 FM and 92.3 HD3). In addition, it publishes the Advantage newspaper as well as a local news and information website AdvantageNews.com, which also serves as the streaming platform for both radio stations. Nick Darr began his radio career at WBGZ in 2001 as a part-time news reporter. He ascended through the ranks and excelled as an advertising account

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