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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined a group of 26 lawmakers, led by U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), in sending a bipartisan letter calling on the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take additional steps to reduce energy costs for Americans through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP is a federally funded program that helps low-income households with their home energy bills by providing payment or energy crisis assistance. In a letter to OMB Director Shalanda Young and HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, the 28 Senators urged the Biden Administration to include supplemental LIHEAP funding in any additional request submitted for Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations. “Amid increased energy prices resulting from Russia’s war in Ukraine and inflationary pressures, LIHEAP has become

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today released the following statement strongly condemning the heinous acts committed in Plainfield this weekend and reminding residents to report hate crimes in Illinois, including to his office’s Civil Rights Bureau. Raoul also highlighted the resources his office provides to crime victims. “The conflict in the Middle East, negative reactions to the recent influx of migrants and the heightening of overall racial and religious tensions have led to a rise in hate crimes in our state, as evidenced by the horrific murder that occurred in Plainfield this weekend. Such unthinkable violence and hatred have no place in Illinois, and we must stand united in condemning all acts of hate and bigotry. “In light of these threats, I would like to remind residents of the resources my office offers, both to address hate crimes and to provide assistance for victims through our Crime Victims Compensation Program. I urge all Illinois residents

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees—met with the nominee to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, a critical position that must be filled as soon as possible to help in our nation’s efforts to support the innocent civilians caught in the ongoing violence in Israel and Gaza. Photos of the Senator’s meeting are available here . “The innocent children and civilians—Israelis, Palestinians, Americans and more—who are suffering as a result of the unmistakable terrorism and unspeakable violence that the world has witnessed in Israel over the last week deserve safety, stability and our swift support. While I’m relieved the United States is providing our Middle East ally with the resources it needs to respond, our nation needs a confirmed Ambassador to Israel who can help us meet the moment this ongoing tragedy demands—especially

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CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the settlement agreement in the Ms. L vs. Immigration and Customs Enforcement class action lawsuit: “Today’s announcement is a win for the hundreds of families who endured severe trauma due to the Trump Administration’s cruel and inhumane family separation policy—a policy that went directly against the values of this nation. The prior Administration chose to separate thousands of children from their parents or guardians, inflicting permanent trauma on these children with no plan to reunite them. We owe it to these families to ensure that we never repeat this dark period in our history. “I applaud the entire Biden-Harris Administration for their steadfast commitment to ensuring these families receive the resources they need to aid in their recovery.” Durbin was an outspoken critic of the Trump

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Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees Leland Strom will serve as a Member of the Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees.* Strom is a partner in the Open Prairie Rural Opportunities Fund, one of the nation’s first Rural Business Investment Companies (RBIC) licensed by the USDA to invest capital in rural America. From 2006-2015, he served as CEO and Chairman with the Farm Credit Administration (FCA), which is the U.S. government agency responsible for regulating and supervising the Farm Credit System and Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation. While at FCA, Strom chaired the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation and established the agency’s office of EEO and Inclusion. He has served as CEO of FARM Illinois, President of the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation, and was a member of the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank’s Advisory Council on Agriculture, Labor, and Small Business. Other board memberships have included AgriBank FCB, Country Financia

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ALTON – Local attorneys M. Caitlin Embrich and Brittany Elliott are partnering to provide legal services to families in counties of southwestern Illinois. E&E Law officially launches their new partnership and law firm with a ribbon cutting ceremony at their Belleville, Illinois office located at 120 W. Main St. E&E Law’s mission kicks off with a commitment to serve families through all of life’s big and challenging moments. Through this new partnership, E&E Law attorneys wish to continue their dedication and quality of service assisting individuals with divorce, legal separation, parentage, custody, child support, relocation, adoption, orders of protection, real estate transactions, mediation, Guardian Ad Litem, probate, and estate planning (wills, trusts, powers of attorney, etc.). E&E Law practices in the southwestern Illinois counties of Madison, Jersey, St. Clair, Monroe, Clinton, Macoupin, and Bond. M. Caitlin Embrich, founding partner, says, “Opening E&E

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EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville campus community joins the City of Edwardsville in mourning the loss of Ward 2 Alderman John “Jack” Burns. Alderman Burns is an SIUE alumnus (1971) who graduated with a business degree in finance and marketing. He died on Friday, October 6, 2023. SIUE provided this statement: "Alderman Burns life of service reflects our SIUE commitment to duty and improving the lives of others. A longtime Edwardsville resident, Alderman Burns was first elected to the City Council in 2017 and reelected in 2021. We especially thank him for his service in the United States Army." Alderman Burns was a father and grandfather. He is survived by his wife, Lori, a retired Edwardsville school teacher.

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WOOD RIVER - Wood River Mayor Tom Stalcup announced several upcoming events around the city and some newly secured grant funding at the City Council meeting on Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. Mayor Stalcup said he was recently notified by the office of State Senator Erica Harris that the city has been awarded $100,000 in grant money from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to use on “infrastructure projects within the city.” “City Manager Palen has been the point-of-contact person for this grant, and I want to thank Director Palen for his work along with Senator Harris’s office for this grant,” Stalcup said. He then announced some events coming up in Wood River, the first being the Downtown Business Alliance’s Annual Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023 from 2 to 6 p.m. on Ferguson Avenue in downtown Wood River. The mayor encouraged residents and visitors to “please come downtown to sample the different chilis offered

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ALTON - Civic Memorial Head Girls Tennis Coach Margaret Welbourne and her squad members are beaming with pride today after an Eagles double team qualified for the state tennis tournament. The combination of Emma Davis, a junior, and Abigail Harms, a sophomore, placed second in the Marquette Catholic Sectional on Monday, Oct. 16, 2023, at Gordon Moore Park Tennis Courts. Davis-Harms are Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Female Athletes of the Month. "CM had not had any girls qualify for state in tennis for several years," Coach Welbourne said. "They were champions of their flight at our Conference Tournament (MVC), which I'm pretty positive hasn't happened in a very long time, if ever." The coach said the girls have put in so much work during the year and their record shows it. Currently, before state, the Davis-Harms combination is 26-3 overall. Congratulations to Emma Davis and Abigail Harms for their Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Female Athlete of the Month recognition.

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ALTON/GODFREY - Amy Strobel loves to play games, but she wants you to know that’s not all your child is doing in P.E. class. Strobel, a physical education teacher with Alton Community Unit School District #11, invited parents and guardians to join her P.E. classes as part of Family P.E. Week. This campaign by Active Schools encourages exercise beyond the school gym. Strobel teaches at Eunice Smith Elementary School and Gilson Brown Elementary School, so she works primarily with younger kids to try to foster an early love for fitness. “I think sometimes people in general and parents sometimes have a misconception of what P.E. is. Even with the little ones, I take what I do very seriously,” Strobel said. “This is the building blocks, at this age, of learning how to move their bodies and use their muscles and what that means for a lifetime of health…You introduce a kid to a football that they’ve never thrown — who knows where that goes

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ALTON - Junior Addison Pranger has continued to improve throughout the girls' tennis season for the Explorers and her head coach Kathy Claywell said she thought performed well in the sectional singles competition on Saturday. “Addison has really improved her game and has become a very good tennis player,” explained the coach. “She works hard at it. Addison has taken lessons since last summer and I have seen a dramatic change in her game and some of our other players.” Addison is a Tucker's Automotive Repair & Tire Female Athlete of the Month for the Explorers. Claywell said Pranger has a solid future for the Explorers and in tennis in general. “She picked up a lot of experience this year and continued to hit the ball better,” the coach added. “She has confidence and is not afraid to ask for help or guidance. She is a very fine young woman and I expect great things from her in 2024.” Congrats to Addison on her honor as a Tucker's Automotiv

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ALTON - Sarah Moehn and Izzy Hough are both rising stars in the Marquette Catholic girls tennis program. Izzy as of last week had recorded six wins in singles and partners with Moehn in doubles for the Explorers. The Moehn-Hough combination performed well as freshmen this fall for the Explorers up against some top-notch competition. Both girls should be ready for big things in 2024 for Marquette Catholic. Moehn and Hough are Tucker's Automotive Repair & Tire Female Athletes Of The Month for Marquette. “Izzy Hough is a good young lady and determined on the tennis courts,” head girls tennis coach Kathy Claywell said. “She always has some of the longest matches of the season and always plays her opposition to three sets with tie-breakers.” Moehn also has equal potential, her coach said, for a strong future. “Sarah and Izzy are a good tennis team and have actually grown together so much,” Claywell said. “Sarah and Izzy never give up. What I

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ST. LOUIS, MO. – The United Way of Greater St. Louis Charmaine Chapman Society kicked off its annual Divine 9 fundraising challenge last month and has already raised $169,592 with Delta Sigma Theta ($48,599) and Kappa Alpha Psi ($35,092) leading the way. The Divine 9 Challenge is designed to increase financial support for United Way’s community campaign and celebrate Black Sorority’s and Fraternity’s continued commitment to service that ensures the St. Louis region is a better place to live, work and thrive. The fundraising challenge began on September 25 and will run through November 20. This serves as an avenue to bring together members of the nine historically Black Sororities and Fraternities in the St. Louis region to support the community by pledging to the United Way Leadership level annual gift of $1,000 or more. “We are having so much fun with the Divine 9 challenge so far, the spirit of giving is in full swing, and I am thrilled to be a part

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CHICAGO – Three lucky Illinois Lottery players won big playing Lucky Day Lotto last week, each purchasing a winning lottery ticket worth more than $300,000. One of the winning Lucky Day Lotto tickets won a $350,000 jackpot prize, and was purchased at Tony’s Fresh Market, located at 5233 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago for the Sunday, October 15 evening drawing . The winning ticket matched all five numbers, 4-11-19-20-21, to take home the top prize. On Thursday, October 12, two Lucky Day Lotto players purchased winning tickets that matched all five numbers in the evening drawing to split a $600,000 jackpot prize - each winning $300,000. One of the winning tickets was purchased at 7-Eleven, located at 2241 S. Eola Rd. in Aurora, and the other was purchased at a BP gas station at 2791 US Highway 34 in Oswego. The winning numbers were 9-25-29-37-40. The lucky winners aren’t the only ones celebrating. For selling the winning tickets, each retailer will receive a bonus

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EDWARDSVILLE - Hi-Pointe Drive-In, an iconic St. Louis burger and sandwich restaurant, is opening a new location in Edwardsville on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023, starting at 11 a.m. Named for the historic Hi-Pointe neighborhood, the drive-in is best known for its burgers and custom sandwiches with locally sourced ingredients. The restaurant recently announced details of the Edwardsville location’s opening on Facebook - the event will feature special guest Metro East Humane Society. “We’re opening the doors to our eighth location on October 19th,” they wrote on Facebook. “We’re donating 50% of our opening day proceeds to Metro East Humane Society who will have adoptable pets on site!” The new Hi-Pointe Drive-In will be located at 6147 Trace Parkway Drive in Edwardsville. It will be open from Sunday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., as well as Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information and updates on the Edwardsville

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ALTON/GODFREY - Local veterans and their families are invited to an appreciation breakfast in commemoration of Veterans Day. This is the sixth annual Veterans Day Appreciation Breakfast. From 8–10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, veterans and family members can enjoy a free breakfast and presentations at Best Western Premier, located at 3559 College Avenue in Alton. “ honoring them, what they’ve done for us and for our freedoms and for the country,” said Jim Claywell, owner of Claywell Asset Management and organizer of the event. “The more veterans and their families we can honor, the better this event is.” Volunteers will start serving breakfast at 8 a.m. on Nov. 11, and then a veteran will share their story while attendees eat. Local performers The Gibson Girls plan to dress in Army attire and sing war songs, which Claywell said is “pretty moving,” especially when the veterans join in. “When you see it happen

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GRANITE CITY - Drake Reeves, a senior who's also one of the captains for the boys' soccer team at Granite City High School, is a very encouraging and positive team leader who helps keeps his teammate's spirits up during matches and practices, no matter the situation. The young team has at times struggled through a 2-9-2 campaign after a 3-0 loss to longtime rival Collinsville on Oct. 12 at Gene Baker Field in Granite. The match was the inaugural Paz Cup, named for former Warrior goalie Alex Pax, who was diagnosed with liver cancer recently and will eventually need a transplant. Paz now lives in Collinsville, where he owns a successful and popular photography business and is often seen shooting pictures of Kahok and Warrior sporting events and community activities. Both communities bonded together to play the match as a fundraiser for Paz and his family, and the entire evening was a success. Although the Warriors were outscored on the evening, the players worked hard and never surrendered,

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College’s Community Education program is offering three unique baking courses during the Fall 2023 semester. Carla Soll, who will instruct all three courses, is a professional mobile baker and cake decorating instructor, team building activities instructor and the proud owner of Anointed Cake Creations, LLC. She’s a graduate from Forest Park Community College’s Culinary Arts program with a concentration in Baking and Pastry Arts. “Hey sweet friends,” Soll said. “I’m a cake artist who loves to bake, but I’m anointed to teach. Now all I need is you! Come unleash your creativitiy and join me for this series of exciting hands on decorating classes. While you learn to decorate your sweet creations, the fun and laughter had by all is the icing on the cake!” "Gobbley Good" Thanksgiving Themed Cupcakes Just in time for the holidays, come learn how to decorate cupcakes with a Thanksgiving-inspired

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College’s Godfrey Campus just became a little more accessible – thanks to the gift of several new picnic tables created by Building Futures YouthBuild AmeriCorps students. YouthBuild donated the handmade wheelchair-accessible picnic tables, as well as benches and a brand-new coffee cart for College for Life’s (CFL) Coffee for Life stand. The new outdoor furniture is located on the great lawn outside of Fobes Hall. CFL Program Coordinator Roselyn Ellington said students and visitors can use this space to enjoy the campus grounds. Associate Dean of Adult Education Val Harris and Adult Education Director of Pathways Sabrina Davis approached Ellington about a collaboration between CFL and YouthBuild students. They asked what items CFL would benefit from, and Ellington sent them a list. YouthBuild built everything on the list and more. “The students have some accessibility needs,” Ellington said. “The

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ALTON - Twenty writers and countless bookworms flooded the halls of Milton Schoolhouse for the seventh Writers of the Riverbend event on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023. Writers of the Riverbend invites local authors, editors, photographers, illustrators and other creatives to connect with each other and share their work. Community members, including many aspiring writers, stopped by the schoolhouse to support the artists and learn about the publishing process. “When I started, I didn’t know any other writers,” said Sarah J. Dhue, author and organizer of the event. “Community is huge, huge, huge for me, and it’s become more in the most recent years in writing as well as other parts of my life, just how important it is to have that community.” Dhue explained that the event aims to bring writers together so they can network. She said it’s difficult to navigate the writing, editing and publishing process by yourself, and it helps to have mentors

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