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ALTON - Illinois State Representative Amy Elik (R-Alton) was selected to serve on the House Republican’s budget team. Elik was appointed on Friday by House Republican Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) to serve as the Deputy Budgeteer along with Deputy Leader Norine Hammond (R-Macomb) as Chief Budgeteer for the caucus during the 103rd General Assembly. “Illinois’ budgeting process needs an overhaul,” said Rep. Elik. “As a CPA, I am ready to get to work as the Deputy Budgeteer for the House Republicans. The budgeting gimmicks and shell games must stop – the process has to be transparent. Families are doing the best they can to balance their checkbooks during a time when just about everything costs more. The people of Illinois deserve a budget that is balanced without higher taxes as we continue to endure record inflation.” Rep. Elik has previously served on the House Republican budget team, the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability,

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SPRINGFIELD – Jobs increased over-the-year in all fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas in December according to preliminary data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). The unemployment rate decreased in thirteen metropolitan areas and increased in one. “For nearly two years, Illinois has seen consistent job growth across the state throughout industry sectors,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. “IDES continues to help jobseekers and employers connect with one another as more people enter the labor force and look to take advantage of newly created and expanded job opportunities in the labor market.” The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Lake-Kenosha IL/WI Metro (+3.8%, +15,700), the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (+3.5%, +6,400), the Rockford MSA (+3.1%, +4,500) and the Chicago Metro Division (+2.9%, +108,800).

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EDWARDSVILLE - By unanimous vote Wednesday, the Edwardsville Township Board appointed Glen Carbon resident Sitsofe Luh Nutsukpui to fill a vacant trustee position. The vacancy was created with the resignation of board member Charles “Skip” Schmidt in December. Ms. Nutskupui currently works at Madison County Community Development with assistance programs like LIHEAP & ERAP, programs that the Township has processed for years. In terms of community service she is currently on Glen Carbon Events Committee, Edwardsville School District’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, she is a member of the Edwardsville NAACP, has been involved in several school PTOs, among many others. "Sitso Luh Nutsukpui stood out from the beginning with her experienced background and passion for our community. She has served on committees for the Village of Glen Carbon and the Edwardsville School District and volunteered with many local organizations," said Township Supervisor Kevin

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The couple: Bill and Vicki Ivester from Delhi; I call him Mr. Bill and he calls me his right hand Date met: September 18, 1996 Date married: January 31, 1998 What makes your relationship special? We have an 18-year age difference and very different skill sets, but our love for each other and our desire to serve the Lord together in the local church and overseas as missionaries brought us together and has kept our marriage strong over these 25 years. Share a memory you have made together: We served together as missionaries in Togo, West Africa for several years after marrying. Mr. Bill was the maintenance and new construction guy (including building "bush" churches as pictured above) and I was a linguist/Bible translation specialist. One of our most exciting adventures together was a safari in Kenya (Masai Mara)... As we sat in the open-top Land Rover, a pride of lions walked right past our vehicle. One of the males stopped, made eye contact with me, and just stared...

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AMES, Iowa – Edwardsville student Taryn Leigh Trauernicht, an industrial engineering student was named to the fall semester Dean's List at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. More than 10,200 Iowa State University students have been recognized for outstanding academic achievement by being named to the fall semester 2022 Dean's List. Students named to the Dean's List must have earned a grade point average of at least 3.50 on a 4.00 scale while carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours of graded coursework.

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EAST ALTON - An investigation by East Alton Police that led to a defendant being convicted in Madison County of attempted murder has now resulted in the defendant also being charged with attempted murder in Nevada and California. After the defendant was charged in Madison County in connection with a double-shooting at an ice rink, local police and prosecutors continued their investigation, linking the defendant to additional shootings in other states. “This is a great example of the extra effort put out by our local police officers, investigators and prosecutors,” said East Alton Police Chief Scott Golike. “Berton Newton is a dangerous defendant, and no stone was left unturned getting him charged with attempt murder, not only here, but across the country.” Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine said the case illustrates that the work of police doesn’t end when an arrest is made. “We have a great team in Madison County, going the extra mile

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JERSEYVILLE - KFC has officially returned to Jerseyville. The new location opened on Tuesday, Jan. 24, and has been steadily busy since opening. The new KFC is located at 1303 S. State Street and shares an entrance with the Jerseyville AT&T store, which is next door at 1301 S. State Street. Drive-thru and dine-in options are available at this new location. "There are a lot of people in Jerseyville extremely excited about KFC coming here," Mayor Bill Russell said prior to opening. "We want to continue to move forward and bring new business opportunities to our community." This marks KFC’s official return to Jerseyville after the old location closed sometime between 2007-2013. That location - 891 S. State Street - then became Village Inn Pancake House, and is now home to Nick’s Pancake House.

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BENTON – In a U.S. District Court on Thursday, a Granite City man was sentenced to seven years in federal prison after possessing a firearm as a felon while out on supervised release from previous gun convictions. Donnie A. Sherrell, 30, pled guilty to one count of Possession of a Firearm as a Felon. After serving his sentence, he will receive three years of supervised release. “It’s disappointing when individuals don’t learn from their mistakes, and the defendant’s reckless decisions have rightfully landed him back in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “I appreciate the tenacity of law enforcement to pursue this criminal on foot, and I’m relieved the firearm was recovered without incident.” “The Illinois State Police will always go the extra mile to protect the public and pursue repeat offenders who continue to break the law,” said Illinois State Police Major Gregg Cavanaugh. According to court

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JERSEYVILLE/KANE - Jersey and Greene counties are getting their first-ever solar farm, which developer EDP Renewables said is expected to start operating in 2024. Hickory Solar Park, the name of this project, would consist of “1,000 acres of bifacial tracking solar photovoltaic panels,” according to EDP Renewables . The site will be built just north of Jerseyville, between Jerseyville and Kane. EDP Renewables claims the project will greatly benefit the local energy supply. Hickory Solar Park is expected to produce 110 megawatts of energy once it’s up and running, enough to power nearly 28,000 Illinois homes. “Hickory Solar Park’s generation would be equivalent to the average consumption of more than 27,800 of Illinois’ homes,” the company said. “Hickory Solar Park would save 139 million gallons of water each year and prevents the air pollution that causes smog, acid rain, and climate change.” The project is expected t

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GLEN CARBON - The new year can often be a time for setting goals and resolutions. If feeling healthier and younger is on your list, a local aesthetic physician and best-selling author is offering a video course you may want to consider. Kristen M. Jacobs, MD, aesthetic physician, best-selling author of “Live Life Beautifully (With a Little Help)” and owner of Ooh La La Spa, Anti-Aging & Wellness, is encouraging people to make a plan to prioritize their skincare in 2023. Dr. Jacobs is offering a 17-day video course that provides people with simple daily skincare and healthy aging tips. The course is valued at $1,997 but is currently free to those who sign up for the newsletter. “My journey with aesthetics began as a mother who wanted to look refreshed and age gracefully,” said Dr. Jacobs. “But there are so many products and options out there that finding a simple solution that actually works can be overwhelming. With my experience as a patient and physician,

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GRANITE CITY - Three members of GCHS Marching Warriors were recognized at Tuesday's Granite City School District 9 Board Meeting for advancement to the ILMEA All-State Music Conference/Concert. The students - Lauryn Fenoglio, Bailey Hanks, and Isaiah Tebbe - will spend Thursday through Saturday studying their music for Orchestra, Honors Band, and Music Education in Peoria.

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EDWARDSVILLE - Teachers are often asked by their students, “Why do I have to learn this?” and “When will I ever use this in life?” For Liberty Middle School sixth-grade language arts teacher Lauren Davis, the answer is simple. “You must learn to read and write. Language arts is one of the only classes that significantly impacts every person’s daily life.” Davis has taught an array of subjects, but for all 11 years of her teaching, she has taught at least one language arts or reading class every school year. “The power and importance of language arts is what drives me to push my students to become the best writers possible. Along with writing, I love watching students develop a love for reading by finding their favorite author or genre. Reading is powerful because it allows us to step into other worlds, break away from reality, and learn history about ancient places or important leaders that have gone before us.” Davis,

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WOOD RIVER - East Alton-Wood River junior Devon Green recently had outstanding performances in the Carlinville Tournament and is a key to the Oilers' boys' basketball success in 2022-2023. Kevin Gockel is Green's coach with the Oilers. Green said so far, one of the highlights has been winning the Carlinville Tournament Championship. Green has devoted eight years to basketball and he said he believes playing sports has shown him that "what you put into a sport or activity is what you get back. With hard work, you can achieve anything." The East Alton-Wood River star said he also wants to play basketball in college and study to become an aerospace engineer. Green is an overall athlete and also is a forward on the Oilers' boys' soccer team.

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - On January 24, 2023, the St. Louis County Police Department’s Burglary Unit in joint operation with St. Louis Metropolitan Police detectives and City of Normandy detectives conducted an investigation of a string of business burglaries that occurred on December 6, 2022, where a stolen white Hyundai Sonata from Calverton Park was used in conjunction with these burglaries. The detectives arrested two male juveniles (both 16 years of age) from the 4100 block of N. Newstead Avenue where detectives recovered five firearms to include a Glock handgun (pictured) that was stolen from Denny Dennis Sporting Goods on September 16, 2022. The two juveniles were charged with Burglary and Stealing from the following locations and held at Family Court: All incidents occurred on 12/6/2022 7498 Delmar Boulevard - Shell Gas Station 8835 Natural Bridge - Shell Gas Station 11208 West Florissant - Neat Restaurant and Bar 3675 Dunn Road - Conoco gas station

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BETHALTO - Mark Cassidy, a Bethalto resident and U.S. Navy veteran with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is in need of assistance from a caretaker as his disease progresses. His current Medical Assistant, Amy King, is seeking applicants to help her assist Cassidy with day-to-day functions. Cassidy said veterans are twice as likely to get ALS, regardless of their branch or position. “About 5,000 people a year are diagnosed with ALS in the United States, and for some reason, veterans are twice as likely to get ALS as non-veterans,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what branch of the service they were in, whether or not they saw combat duty, had a desk job … it doesn’t matter, veterans are twice as likely. “ The Association , after finding out this oddity about us being twice as likely to get it, they made the determination that there must be some connection between our service and ALS.” During his time in the Navy, Cassidy

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PIASA - MaCaylin Day is a strong athlete in multiple sports for the Southwestern High School Piasa Birds. For the 2022-2023 girls' basketball season, Day is the Southwestern leading scorer. She also is a standout in girls' soccer, an outside hitter in volleyball, and will be counted on heavily in the spring by the Piasa Birds. MaCaylin's goal is to play college soccer. Southwestern had a strong girls' soccer team last season. MaCaylin is an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for the Piasa Birds. MaCaylin has even spent some time in cross-country in her Southwestern career. The Piasa Birds’ athlete said one of the key things she has learned from sports participation is that "if you want something, you have to work for it." Southwestern head girls basketball coach Darren Mosley said MaCaylin always “plays hard.” “She is not only our leading scorer, but she always has the assignment of guarding the other team’s best

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MSCHA HOCKEY EDWARDSVILLE 5, ST. DOMINIC CATHOLIC 0: Andrew Mohesky scored twice to lead Edwardsville to a 5-0 win over St. Dominic Catholic of O'Fallon, Mo. in a Mid-States Club Hockey Association game played Tuesday night at RP Lumber Center. Mohesky's first goal came at 6:06 of the first period, assisted by Carter Crow and Connor Morrison, with Luke Thomlinson scoring at 55 seconds of the second period, from Konnor Goclan and Fred Bramstedt to put the Tigers up 2-0. Mohesky got his second goal from Joe Viox at 6:24 of the second to make it 3-0, and a goal at 14:59 from David Hensley, assisted by Thomlinson and Goclan, to give Edwardsville a 4-0 lead. The final goal was scored by Bramstedt, unassisted, at 9:17 to make the final 5-0 score. Edwardsville outshot the Crusaders 53-10, with Kai Vetter getting the shutout win. The Tigers are now 5-10-4, while St. Dominic goes to 8-7-4. MSCHA HOCKEY In a Mid-State Club Hockey Association game played Saturday night at th

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced Wednesday that an Alton man has been convicted of attempted first-degree murder for a shooting that injured a woman and her daughter at the East Alton ice rink. Berton L. Newton, 31, received a sentence of 35 years in prison. “This crime happened in an area that is otherwise safe, and we intend to keep it safe," Haine said. "I commend our prosecutors who secured the conviction and sentence, the East Alton police and others who conducted a very thorough and swift investigation, and the victims and witnesses for their courage.” Assistant State’s Attorney Morgan Hudson, in outlining the evidence to the judge, said police responded to the East Alton ice rink on Jan. 22, 2022, for a report of shots fired. Two women were struck by a bullet but survived. The women – a mother and daughter – told police they were approached on the parking lot by a man who asked for a light for a cigarette.

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CARLINVILLE - The Blackburn College Department of Music & Theatre continues its Guest Artist Series on February 6 - 10, 2023, featuring Los Angeles-based professional singer, actor, and teacher Meridith Pyle. The week-long residency at Blackburn will include educational opportunities open to the public and conclude with a free community concert. Known for her “vocal chameleon” versatility and strong musicianship, Pyle is a full-time singer, voice teacher, and on-camera actress. During her Blackburn residency, Pyle will lead a Masterclass on Tuesday, February 7, and a presentation of “Don’t Sing It If You Don’t Mean It” on Thursday, February 9, both at 4:30 p.m. The week-long residency concludes with a free community concert Friday, February 10 at 7:00 p.m. The classes and performances will be held in Bothwell Auditorium and are open to the public. She also will have open rehearsals throughout the week, preparing for her concert and allowing students

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) today voted to establish a Federal Aviation Administration task force to improve the pilot alert system for flight safety hazards. The Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system experienced an outage earlier this month that led to the cancelation of more than 1,300 flights and the delay of nearly 10,000 more. “The recent ground stop demonstrates how critical it is that the FAA makes immediate improvements to the NOTAM system,” said Bost. “Pilots and passengers alike should never have to worry about whether the system meant to keep them safe will fail them midflight. As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I am working to ensure that the FAA is held accountable and that such a colossal failure never happens again.”

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