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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville High School Drama Group is having another outstanding year and recently received eight nominations for their Spongebob Musical for the St. Louis High School Musical Theater Awards. Those nominations include: • Outstanding Production • Outstanding Ensemble • Outstanding Lead Actress - Noelle Sonderegger • Outstanding Supporting Actor- Case Warner • Outstanding Direction – Ashley Miller Melton • Outstanding Musical Direction – Emily Ottwein • Outstanding Technical Execution – Jonah Sheckler • Outstanding Costume Design/Execution – Jen Blum-Tatara The entire cast will perform a medley song at the awards ceremony at the Fabulous Fox Theater at 7:30 p.m., on May 26, 2023. Additionally, two students will perform in the opening number with Noelle Sonderegger being featured in a leads medley performance. ???????????? ???? ?????????????? ??????????????, ??????

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ALTON – Volunteers are needed to help the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC sm ) and the Three Rivers Project plant trees in Alton, Sunday, May 7 and Monday, May 8. Over the course of two days, volunteers will help plant 21 trees across the Alton area. This will be the final planting in a year-long tree planting effort. “This spring, Alton-based organizations will be planting trees purchased through a Recover, Replant, Restore! (RRR) grant from Trees Forever,” Trees Forever Field Coordinator Emily Ehley said. This Sunday, May 7, planting will start at noon at the Alton Marina, located at 1 Henry Street. On Monday May 8, the event will begin at 9 a.m. at Hellrung Park, located at 703 Central Avenue. RSVP at http://bit.ly/Altontrees . “We are excited to be able to increase tree cover in popular recreation spots in the Alton area,” said Swarovski Waterschool USA coordinator Jen Mandeville. “Swarovski Waterschool is committed

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ALTON - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rivers Project Office invites you to R.E.C. (Recreation, Education, and Conservation) Fest – the largest recreation and safety festival in the Riverbend! Kick off the summer season with your family at the National Great Rivers Museum, in Alton, Illinois from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for this free, adventure-themed (rain-or-shine) event. “Our goal with this new, exciting event is to encourage families to explore their outdoor recreational opportunities and learn how to go about them safely,” said Park Ranger and Event Coordinator Travis Smith. “From archery and hiking to weather and first aid there will be plenty for you and your family to test out and learn.” R.E.C. Fest will host more than 20 partnering organizations such as the Illinois Department of National Resources, Alton Parks and Rec, and Missouri Department of Conservation and will feature booths and activities that teach about outdoor recreation and safety throug

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SPRINGFIELD - Schools across the state may soon start observing Constitution Day in Illinois through newly passed legislation on its way to the Governor’s desk. House Bill 1273, carried by Senator Erica Harriss (56 th -Glen Carbon) and Representative Amy Elik (111 th -Alton), passed the Senate on May 4 and represents Sen. Harriss’ first bill to make it through the legislative process. “Currently, Constitution Day is recognized federally but not by our state and so this legislation ensures that our schools are honoring this commemorative holiday and providing our students with an educational opportunity to learn more about their fundamental rights and our government,” said Senator Harriss. The bill was brought forward to Senator Harriss and Representative Elik by Madison County Regional Superintendent Rob Werden. “This bill will bring Illinois into compliance with federal law and ensure that our schools are recognizing the importance of our United States

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BETHALTO - Midwest Members Credit Union is proud to sponsor the “Eagles of the Month” program at Civic Memorial High School. Senior students are selected each month by members of the Civic Memorial faculty to represent each department. All students are awarded a certificate and a Subway gift card. Two Seniors (1 female student and 1 male student) that were selected each month will have the opportunity to compete for a $500.00 “Eagles of the Year” scholarship each at the end of the school year. 2023 April's Eagles of the Month winners: Math - Olivia Goodman Fine Arts - Olivia Johnson Social Studies - Cheyanna Zirges PE/Health - Annaliese Dankenbring Choir - Kaleigh Chester Band - Jared Thomas Science - Jared Mathis & Dylan Surovec English - Tayla Fontana C.T.E. - Jade Bowker Teacher of the Month winner: Lucas Meyer - Science

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SPRINGFIELD - Landmark legislation designed to prevent book banning passed the Illinois Senate, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced today. HB 2789, which now awaits the Governor’s signature, sets a nationwide precedent in the fight against book bans, as libraries and librarians face unprecedented censorship of books and resources, including in Illinois. The bill passed the Illinois House in March. Giannoulias, who also serves as the State Librarian, initiated HB 2789 after extremist groups – including the far-right nationalist group, the Proud Boys – targeted Illinois libraries, divided communities and harassed librarians, despite that the books are not required reading. “The concept of banning books contradicts the very essence of what our country stands for,” said Secretary Giannoulias. “It also defies what education is all about: teaching our children to think for themselves. This landmark legislation is a triumph for our democracy,

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DUQUOIN – Illinois State Police (ISP) Troop 10 officials announce the arrest of 61-year-old Randal C. Everitt of DuQuoin, IL, for two counts of Aggravated Assault (Class 4 Felony), two counts of Unlawful Use or Possession of Weapons by Felon (Class 3 Felony), and one count of Possession of Firearm Without Requisite Firearm Owner’s Identification Card (Class 3 Felony). On May 3, 2023 at approximately 1:20 P.M., officers from the DuQuoin Police Department (PD) responded to the 200 block of West Park Street in DuQuoin, IL for a report of a suicidal subject. DuQuoin PD requested additional resources to assist after making contact with an armed male in a building at that location. Assets and personnel from ISP Troop 10, ISP Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team, ISP Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT), DuQuoin PD, Pinckneyville Police Department, Perry County Sheriff’s Office, Illinois Department of Conservation Police, Illinois Secretary of State Police Bomb Squad, DuQuoin

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GRANITE CITY – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that repairs on westbound Interstate 270 between Illinois 3 and Riverview Drive in Missouri will require lane closures, weather permitting, starting at 9 p.m. Friday, May 5. One lane will remain open at all times. All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, May 8. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this closure. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all construction signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling through the work zone. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.

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EAST ST. LOUIS – On April 25, 2023, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office approved one count of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm (Class X Felony), one count of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm (Class 1 Felony), and one count of Mob Action (Class 4 Felony) for 25-year-old Breona A. McClain of East St. Louis, IL. The charges stem from the April 14, 2023 shooting of an 11-year-old male victim in the 1400 block of North 39 th Street. In addition to the charges on McClain, the following juveniles were charged on April 20, 2023, in connection to this incident: Female 15, with one count of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm (Class X Felony), two counts of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm (Class 1 Felony), one count of Reckless Discharge of a Firearm (Class 4 Felony), one count of Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon (Class 4 Felony), and one count of Mob Action (Class 4 Felony). Male 16, with one count of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm (Class X Felony)

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ALTON - The Vintage Voices committee has set an audition date for Vintage Voices tours to be held in October. Auditions will be held Saturday, June 24, 2023, at YWCA Southwestern Illinois, 304 E 3rd St, Alton, Illinois 62002. Actors wanting to audition should arrive anytime between 12:00 and 4:00 p.m. and will be asked to do a cold reading from a provided script. The event consists of tours held in the Alton Cemetery with actors in period costumes telling the story of Altonians who have shaped the area’s history. Auditions will cast the roles of fourteen characters in a variety of ages – four White females, four White males, two Black females, two Black males, and two children. Commitment is five performances and an individualized rehearsal schedule. “Vintage Voices highlights the stories of so many people who contributed to the Alton area: people who were often well-known during their lifetimes, but whose legacies are now buried in books and newspaper articles. W

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ALTON - The Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau of Southwest Illinois along with the cities of Grafton and Collinsville were awarded a total of $135,000 in Illinois Travel and Tourism grants from the Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity and the Illinois Office of Tourism. The grant funds will be used to market the region and the individual cities in tourism promotions spearheaded by the Tourism Bureau. “This is the first time we’ve applied for and received marketing grants for individual communities,” Cory Jobe, President of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau remarked. “The grants call for a 50 percent match, so effectively we will be spending $270,000 on paid targeted marketing efforts, in addition to our normal marketing budget. We’ve seen a surge in interest in our region in the last several years from key markets in St. Louis, Chicago, Indiana, and Central Illinois-and that can be directly attributed to our strong marketing efforts.”

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EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s nursing students participated in a mass casualty exercise in coordination with Air Evac Lifeteam 156, Edwardsville Fire and EMS. This exercise is another example of how the School of Nursing provides hands-on learning and practice in a variety of environments and scenarios. “Educating nurses in community health includes health promotion and disease prevention; however, it also includes ensuring preparedness for unexpected, devastating events such as mass casualties,” said Myjal Garner, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, instructor of family health and community health nursing. “A multidisciplinary approach promotes collaboration between emergency responders and future nurses, allowing for a more comprehensive learning experience to augment didactic learning.” The exercise simulated a scenario of multiple people injured from an explosion. In collaboration with the emergency response professionals, the

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding a ProPublica report that alleges that Justice Clarence Thomas accepted and failed to disclose private school tuition payments for his grandnephew made by prominent Republican donor Harlan Crow: “Today’s report continues a steady stream of revelations calling Justices’ ethics standards and practices into question. I hope that the Chief Justice understands that something must be done—the reputation and credibility of the Court is at stake. “At our Judiciary Committee hearing this week, I was disappointed that not a single Republican on the Committee even raised a question about what’s happening in regards to Justice Thomas’ actions. I think that all Justices should be held to the same ethical standards as every other federal judge—and I have been calling on the Supreme Court to

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GLEN CARBON - Sophomore Kannon Kamp has gone to Catholic schooling his entire life. In the last two years, he's gone to two different private schools. During his freshman year, he attended Marquette Catholic before his family moved to Maryville where he was then enrolled at Father McGivney. For his continued success, Kannon is a Byron, Carlson, Petri & Kalb LLC Athlete of the Month for Father McGivney. He burst onto the scene his freshman season with a .392 batting average and .505 on-base percentage. He finished the season with 29 hits and 19 RBI through 74 at-bats. He made the transition smoothly to Father McGivney, Marquette's main rival in the Gateway Metro Conference, and has only gotten better. So far, through McGivney's perfect 29-0 start, he is batting .438 with a .556 OBS. Through 64 at-bats he racked up 28 hits for 24 RBI. Yesterday, May 3, in a 12-1 win over Belleville West Kannon went 3-3 with an RBI. "I'm just seeing it well," he said when it comes to his offensive

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Roughly 20,000 Americans are diagnosed with esophageal cancer each year. It’s a form of cancer more commonly seen in men, with around 1 in every 100 men or 1 in every 400 women being diagnosed over their lifetime. While other forms of cancer have specific screenings to find the disease, esophageal cancer treatment relies greatly on the presence of symptoms. “The most common symptoms are patients who have trouble swallowing,” says Kyle Stang, MD, a radiation oncologist with OSF HealthCare. “We call it dysphagia. Whether it’s trouble getting food down when you’re swallowing or pain when you swallow, that’s the most concerning symptom. You can also have reflux or heartburn that don’t get better with medications. Other times, folks can present with weight loss, coughing, shortness of breath or even chest pain.” The esophagus is the tube that connects your mouth and stomach. It helps deliver food between the two. According to Dr. Stang,

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STAUNTON – With new telephone numbers in southern Illinois in high demand, the Illinois Commerce Commission approved the implementation of the new 730 area code to overlay the existing 618 area code region. The 618 area code serves all or part of 37 counties, and includes communities such as Alton, Belleville, Cairo, Carbondale, Centralia, Collinsville, East St. Louis, Edwardsville, Effingham, Granite City, Edwardsville, and Marion, as well as many other smaller communities. Starting on July 7, 2023 , customers in the 618 area code overlay region may be assigned a number in the new 730 area code when they request new service or an additional line. The 730 area code will co-exist everywhere in this region with the 618 area code. Customers receiving the 730 area code will be required to dial 10 digits (the area code and phone number) for all local calls, just as customers with telephone numbers from the 618 area code do today. Telephone customers should know the following

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ALTON - Alton Police reported Wednesday evening that today, the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the facts of these cases and charged the following in regard to a case on Maxey Street: Unnamed Juvenile Male - Count I: Involuntary Manslaughter, Count II: Reckless Discharge of a Firearm, and Count III: Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm. The juvenile is being held at the Madison County Juvenile Detention Center. MARQUAN A. KNIGHT – Count I: Unlawful Possession of a Stolen Firearm and Count II: Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapons. The Honorable Judge Jumper signed an arrest warrant and set the bond at $100,000. At 12:50 p.m. on 05/02/23, Alton Police Department Officers responded to a report of a juvenile victim with a gunshot wound to the chest in the 2600 block of Maxey Street, Alton, Illinois. The victim, a 15-year-old male, was transported to a local hospital by members of the Alton Fire Department. Despite lifesaving efforts, the victim ultimately

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ST. LOUIS - As part of its effort to develop an initiative to strengthen the region’s key corridors of commerce, Greater St. Louis, Inc. will visit Alton, Illinois, Wednesday, May 10, to tour businesses downtown and hold a roundtable discussion with local leaders and business owners. Greater St. Louis, Inc. CEO Jason Hall will conduct a walking tour of downtown businesses and then join local leaders and business owners to discuss how the region can support the local business districts and commercial corridors across the metro that act as nodes of commerce and centers of civic life. “The STL 2030 Jobs Plan calls for the development of this initiative to strengthen and grow local centers of businesses across the metro,” said Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc. “Revitalizing and supporting these key business districts will help stabilize local communities, revive small businesses, and create new jobs. “As the voice of the region’s civic-minded

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) announced today it has located another fatality from the May 1, 2023, crash on I-55 near milepost 76. Initially, six individuals were found deceased at the crash scene. However, the severity of the crash masked the remains and what was previously believed to be the remains of one individual was two. ISP is working closely with the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office to confirm the identification of the seven deceased individuals and information will be released once identification is complete and proper notifications have been made. The coroner previously confirmed 88-year-old Shirley Harper of Franklin, WI. died in the crash. A total of 37 people were transported to area hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to critical and ages spanning 2 years old to 80 years old. Approximately 72 vehicles are known to be involved in the crashes that occurred in both northbound and southbound lanes of I-55 between milepost 72 and

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ALTON - Argosy Casino officially unveiled its new Music Hall gaming floor expansion last weekend. The new area features 85 new gaming machines, and General Manager Randall Peterson said its name pays homage to the casino’s history while more additions are planned for its future. “A little history on the Music Hall was that we had bands and big bands and all that stuff,” Peterson said. “We just opened it and really expanded our slot floor. We’re super excited about that, 85 new games in a really fun space.” Peterson added that it’s been great to see the room repurposed with a “refresh.” “It’s just been exciting to be a part of it and really see what we really can do with our existing property,” he said. “The property itself has been around a while, and so this is kind of a refresh for us and we’re really excited about it.” He also said there are plans to open a new restaurant in the casino

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