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SPRINGFIELD – After years of working with the General Assembly to make fiscally responsible choices, protect working families, and pay down Illinois’ debt, Governor JB Pritzker today proposed his fourth balanced budget, delivering $1 billion in relief from grocery, gas, and property taxes as well as making unprecedented payments to state pensions and the rainy day fund. With revenues from corporate taxes, cannabis, online sales taxes and income far exceeding initial projections, the proposed budget provides significant one-time relief to families, while continuing the responsible fiscal decisions that led to two credit upgrades for the state. Building on the administration’s previous efficiencies, the budget invests in critical areas of growth and services, including education, public safety and small businesses. Select highlights include: Family Relief Plan $475 million in property tax rebates for families, with a one -time property tax rebate payment

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ALTON - State Representative Amy Elik (R-Fosterburg) issued the following statement after Governor Pritzker’s annual budget address to the Illinois General Assembly: “Governor Pritzker’s budget address is nothing more than a mirage. It may seem appealing but once you find out the details, his proposal fails to address the fiscal crisis the state of Illinois is faced with today. It was just two years ago when Pritzker went all-in to support the graduated income tax hike and when it failed, he threatened Illinoisans with a large income tax increase or massive loss of services. "And now during an election year, he is dangling tax cuts in the hopes that voters forget his desperation to increase taxes over the last couple years? Keep in mind, his proposal is only temporary to get through the election, how about he support making these tax cuts permanent? But let us not forget Governor Pritzker signed 24 tax and fee increases into law since he first took office. I support

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Lauren & Kyle (aka boo) from Alton/Belleville Date Met/Started Dating: February 16, 2018 Briefly Describe First Date: Had Maevas coffee and conversation. As soon as I met him I knew I was in trouble! Took one date before I told all my friends I was going to marry this man! Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: We both love music, food, laughing, dancing.. just hanging around the house with the kids, and watching the bird feeder. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Honesty, communication, and vulnerability. We started our relationship on these principles and they’ve gotten us through tough times for sure!

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GRANITE CITY – Granite City High School will be celebrating National Career and Technical Education month in February. GCHS Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs have a very strong history and these programs continue to thrive today. Classes offered in the business and vocational departments have over 800 students enrolled in them. In addition, 14 CTE classes have an opportunity for students to earn dual credit through SWIC. In the Fall, the vocational department received the Illinois Technology Education Association “Program of the Year”. Each Friday during the month of February, be sure to check the GCSD9 website - www.gcsd9.net - to view a CTE student spotlight.

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GREENE COUNTY - As Winter Storm Landon takes hold of the Midwest, Greene County road conditions are getting more dangerous. “Right now, most of the roads seem to be somewhat passable - they are snow-packed and dangerous, though,” said Greene County Chief Deputy Cale Hoesman. “They are starting to drift some, too.” Hoesman said he would advise Greene County residents to “stay home” - but if they must go out, to be adequately prepared. “If people are going out for emergency purposes, they need to be prepared: charged cell phone, blankets, things of that nature,” Hoesman said. “And know where they’re at - know their location, so they can tell us to get them help.” The latest road conditions for Illinois can be found at gettingaroundillinois.com .

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WOODSTOCK - Gary Rabine: “Today we witnessed how out of touch our billionaire Governor, JB Pritzker, is with the people of Illinois. In his State of the State/Budget address, he described the State of Illinois in terms that only someone who spends his days in the cocoon of a North-side mansion or private jet could use.” “JB Pritzker has not done one thing to improve the fundamental fiscal trajectory of the state. Biden paid off JB’s Illinois credit cards last year, but we are still in a fiscal death spiral. A one-time bailout from the federal government does not equate with sound fiscal management. Millions of dollars spent on TV and digital ads don’t turn fantasy into reality either.” “The truth is that Illinois, outside of the Astor Street Mansion, is far different than what JB described. Chicago and its suburbs are the crime capitols of the country. Our unfunded public pension liability is at $130 billion – the worst in the nation.

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ST. LOUIS – The Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation is excited to announce the 18 th Annual Kids’ Night at the Fabulous Fox will take place Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at 7:30 PM for a fun-filled evening for the performance of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Fabulous Fox Theatre. For this performance of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory adults will have the opportunity to purchase an adult ticket and receive a kid’s ticket free! Tickets are on sale now. The BOGO offer applies to kids ages 17 & under. BOGO offer is valid on all seating and price levels except front row, premium, and price A orchestra seating. Tickets must be purchased by calling MetroTix at 314-534-1111 or at the Fox Theatre Box Office to receive the BOGO offer. The offer is not available through online purchases. The Fox Theatre Box Office is located at 531 North Grand Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63103 and hours are limited. This program is presented by the Fox Performing

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CARLINVILLE - Blackburn College has named Jody Sturgeon as the Marguerite Steffey Snyder Endowed Dean of Work. One of ten federally-recognized Work Colleges, Blackburn has the only program managed by a team of student leaders. In her role as the Dean of Work, Sturgeon will coach and mentor the Student Work Committee managing their peers and classmates while maintaining operations across 12 work departments. She will also serve as a key member and advisor on the President’s leadership team. For more than a century, Blackburn’s Work Program has added an incredible dimension to the traditional college experience. Established in 1913, the program began as a means to help reduce tuition costs and make higher education more affordable. Today, Blackburn students help plan and manage day-to-day operations on campus, fully recognizing that their success and the College’s success go hand-in-hand. In turn, Blackburn also offers tangible benefits, like four years of resume-building

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WEST FRANKFORT – Addiction is one of the hardest things a person might go through in their life. It can also be challenging for friends and loved ones to watch the people they love struggle with addiction. No one’s journey is the same when it comes to recovery, and that is why building a support system is a huge proponent in achieving and maintaining sobriety. Recovery is a unique learning process for those who are sober and for those who are supporting their loved one’s sobriety. “Go where you feel supported,” says Shane Kuhlman, Chief Psychology Officer at Centerstone, “Advocate for yourself and limit your contact or get away from people who don’t support you in your recovery.” Boundaries are essential for sober living—you can’t assume that everyone is aware or supportive of your sobriety so you need to make your needs known to those who want to be there for you and to disconnect from those who are unsupportive of your recovery.

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WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today reiterated that the United States stands with Ukraine and the surrounding countries against increasing Russian aggression. During his speech, Durbin reflected on the contributions of Ukrainian-Americans such as Sgt. Michael Strank, a Marine who fought in WWII and one of the Iwo Jima flag raisers. Durbin also condemned Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s actions, including ongoing belligerence against NATO allies in the Baltics and Poland. “The Ukrainian people have made it clear: They want to be free and independent, they want to chart their own future, they want to choose their own leaders in the elections that they conduct,” Durbin said. “This is the future that more than 92 percent of Ukrainians chose in a referendum in 1991, after Ukraine declared its independence from the crumbling and corrupt Soviet Union. But Russian President Vladimir Putin—the old

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EDWARDSVILLE - Chief Judge William Mudge issued an administrative order today that due to inclement weather in Madison County, the courts and offices of the Circuit Clerk for Madison County will be closed on Wednesday, February 2, 2022. However, Mudge said, that matter noticed for remote proceed as planned from home, where possible.

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The Jersey County Highway Department offered motorists some advice as snow begins to accumulate at the start of Winter Storm Landon : stay home. “I really advise to stay home until we can get through these events that are going to be taking place,” said Thomas Klasner, county engineer with the Jersey County Highway Department. “My guys, I’ve talked to them. They said there’s hardly anybody out on the roads, so I mean, people are taking the advice of staying home.” In Jersey County, where snowfall was predicted to reach 12-18” , Klasner said the Highway Department has been working steadily to address the issue as much as possible - but drivers should still be careful if they have to venture out. “We’re actually out there plowing the roads as we speak to keep them open. The roads are passable, the county highways are passable from that standpoint,” Klasner said. “Snow’s not piled up on them - there i

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EDWARDSVILLE – For the sake of some distinguishing factors like slave practices affecting African American lineage tracing, efforts towards researching their genealogy have been faced with challenging situations. An upcoming Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Sankofa Lecture and Dialogue Series presentation will examine the uniqueness of genealogy research and accompanying challenges. The ongoing series features robust conversations surrounding the history of slavery and its lasting legacies, and is organized through SIUE’s Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Center, specifically its membership of the international Universities Studying Slavery (USS) consortium. Prince Wells III, associate professor in the Department of Music in the College of Arts and Sciences, will present “The Challenges of African American Genealogy” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 2 via Zoom. Registration is available at https://siue.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Kwi9TYWpTS6pgM_OlkuQoQ

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ST. LOUIS - Thousands of area residents rely on public transportation on a daily basis as it offers a safe, convenient, cost-effective, and relaxing means to get them where they need to go. To reinforce this message, Citizens for Modern Transit, Metro Transit, and St. Clair County Transit District are hosting a “Crushing on Transit” Valentine’s Day campaign, encouraging transit riders to take a selfie at a Transit Center or on board MetroLink, MetroBus or Metro Call-A-Ride on Monday, February 14, 2022, and post it to social media for the opportunity to receive a free day pass good for use on a future transit trip. The photo must be posted to either Instagram, Facebook or Twitter, and the rider must include #CrushingonTransit and #CMTSTL to be eligible. The partnering organizations will reach out via direct message to the first 200 transit riders who post a selfie to determine if each individual would like the free day pass valued at $5 to be mailed or uploaded to

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ST. LOUIS - National Weather Service Meteorologist Jon Carney said early Wednesday that so far the winter storm has gone as the weather forecasters had envisioned. "I think it is about what we were expecting," he said this morning. "The forecast had mixed precipitation of sleet, snow, and ice before 6 a.m. Wednesday and that is what we received. Driving on the roads is not great from what we are hearing." Carney had been there throughout the night on the weather post. "The ice moved in from west to east about 2 a.m. to 3 a.m.," he said. "The forecast of snowfall looks at about 7 to 11 inches for your area. You will see two waves of snow, one this morning to early afternoon and shutting off about 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesday, and then will come back about 8 to 9 p.m. in the early evening. It will be overspread from the southwest. It will continue to Thursday." This is the updated National Weather Service in St. Louis forecast: Today Snow, mainly before 4 pm. Steady temperature

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OUR LOVE STORY: The Couple: Ryan and Emile Schneider from Wood River Date Met/Started Dating: July 29, 2010 Briefly Describe First Date: It was a cliche first date at the movie theater. We watched The Other Guys. Date Married: July 19, 2014 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Just about anything outdoors. Riding 4 wheelers, float trips, camping, hunting. Anything along those lines really. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Communicate but also comprehend. Also, be willing to listen with all of your attention. Just because something isn't a big deal to you doesn't mean it isn't to your spouse.

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ALTON - Murray the groundhog will not be out to see his shadow this year in Alton but should return in 2023. Because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau has canceled this year’s Groundhog Day gathering in Alton with hopes of resuming it in 2023. Stephanie Tate, marketing and communications director for Great Rivers & Routes, said with the strong winter storm predicted for Wednesday and Thursday, it is probably a blessing the event was canceled for this year. “We weren’t going to do it regardless of the weather, but it was mostly because of the COVID-19 Pandemic,” she said about the Groundhog Day cancellation. “We have a lot of kids who come and we really wanted to keep it safe for everybody. We are of course encouraging people to go to Tree House to see the groundhogs and we are looking forward to having something fun next year.” “The Groundhog Day event is so popular,” she added. “People just love

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OUR LOVE STORY: The Couple: Marshall and Molly Brase from Edwardsville Date Met/Started Dating: August 27, 1995 Briefly Describe First Date: Our first date was dinner at Pasta House on 8/27/1995 Date Married: March 2, 1996 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: We enjoy traveling, watching football games, and spending time with our kids. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Be flexible, be kind, and always be grateful. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth every minute.

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O’FALLON — In recognition of February being National Canned Food Month, HSHS Home Care Illinois is holding their annual “Cram the Car” food drive this month for the Catholic Urban Program food pantry to help those struggling with food insecurity. Community members are invited to “cram” a Home Care car by donating non-perishable items. On Tuesday, Feb. 15, a HSHS Home Care Illinois branded car will be parked on the HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital campus at the main entrance canopy (blue “Hospital” sign) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. accepting donations. Some non-perishable items that the food pantry could use are: Pancake mix and syrup Jelly Canned fruit Pasta sauce Cereal Granola Sugar free canned fruit Low salt canned vegetables Large boxes of oatmeal …as well as any other non-perishable items. Canned fruits and vegetables are a good source of important nutrients. Select canned fruit that is packed in 100% juice or wate

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The Conversation - The groundhog has evolved into a winning combination of cute and ungainly. This burrowing squirrel may resemble a furry cube with a leg at each corner, but do not be deceived by its bumbling, hapless charms: this is a Nostradamus of the animal world. In North American folklore, the groundhog can apparently be used to foresee the future, as many a town in the US and Canada will vouch on February 2 as they celebrate Groundhog Day. Groundhogs are great diggers and spend much of their time hunkered down in their burrows – understandably since they feature in far too many food webs. They’re among nature’s “ true hibernators ”, and become fully dormant for much of the winter. This period, so the story goes, is broken on February 2 when they emerge from their burrows. For the human celebrants of Groundhog Day, everything depends on whether the animal is spooked by its own shadow. If it is cloudy, the hogs stay out and about and spring will com

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