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TAMPA – A Tampa man was sentenced Thursday in a U.S. District Court to 72 months in prison and a $25,000 fine for his involvement in a bank fraud conspiracy. One victim was from Alton. According to court documents, Jaykumar Patel, 33, worked in Florida moving criminal proceeds for an India-based fraud conspiracy targeting elderly, vulnerable victims in the United States. “Those who prey on the most susceptible victims through these kinds of scare tactics and phone scams must be punished to the full extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Defendants both in the United States and overseas need to know that we will protect and defend vulnerable Americans.” In June 2021, the Alton Police Department filed a report when a resident received a phone call from an individual who claimed to be a member of law enforcement warning her that her identity had been stolen. The caller demanded the victim to send $29,000 to an address in Florida so h

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ALTON - The Alton High School girl's basketball team finds themselves undefeated 16 games into the season. That’s all in part to the team’s starting five rotation. A main part of that starting lineup is junior guard Alyssa Lewis. Reaching the midpoint of the season she’s scored 165 points good for a 10.3-point per game average. Lewis is an Auto Butler Female Athlete of the Month for the Redbirds. Where she's especially lethal is from behind the three-point line. She’s knocked down 35 threes and has a matching 35 percent shooting average from beyond the arc so far this season. Last game, a home victory over Belleville West on Monday, she scored 18 points, her second-best performance of the season. The game with Belleville West was relatively close after the first quarter. That was before Lewis heated up and made five straight threes before halftime. "It was just practice," she said after her excellent shooting performance. One of those three-pointers

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SPRINGFIELD - Secretary of State Jesse White announced today that the state’s organ/tissue donor registry reached 7.5 million registrants. “I am so proud that Illinoisans have shown their giving and caring spirit by signing up for this lifesaving program,” said White. “Our mission over the past 24 years has been to strengthen the Organ/Tissue Donor Program through outreach and registration initiatives. We have worked to end the waiting for the approximately 4,000 people statewide. Each year, unfortunately, about 300 people die waiting for a transplant in Illinois.” Of the more than 12.8 million people living in Illinois, 10,146,583 qualify to become organ/tissue donors. Of those, 74% have registered as organ/tissue donors. In addition, more than 270,000 16- and 17-year-olds have registered with the program since 2018, when Secretary White initiated a law allowing them to register as organ and tissue donors. “I believe our public awareness campaign,

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EAST ST. LOUIS – Jaylan D. Quinn, 23, of St. Louis, pled guilty in a U.S. District Court on Wednesday to fatally shooting a security guard while robbing First Bank in East St. Louis in August 2021. “Vicious acts of armed violence in our communities are intolerable,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “The U.S. Attorney’s office is prepared to pursue justice in honor of the life lost, and I commend the FBI and our law enforcement partners for their efforts to improve public safety and remove dangerous individuals from society.” “The FBI and our law enforcement partners acted swiftly, working around the clock, to quickly arrest the individuals responsible for the robbery and tragic death of Mr. Horn,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “While the violent act will have a lifelong impact, we hope the justice that is to come will bring some level of comfort for the employees, friends, and family

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EDWARDSVILLE - Danyel Harrell, a co-owner of Wall to Wall Home & Commercial Furnishings in Edwardsville, said she and her husband feel right at home in the new business because of their Edwardsville background. Recently, the Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting at Wall to Wall. “My husband and I both graduated from SIUE,” she said. “Edwardsville just fits for us. We are excited to get into it. We have a lovely store manager, Melissa, who has helped set up the design inside and she works and checks local trends. When people walk into the store, they can order things in the store and from kiosks. Customers can get measurements or outfit anything they want from our store. We have items for living rooms, bedrooms, mattresses, and anything you might need in a home or business.” The owners also said: “We feature America’s finest furniture brands. A shopping experience at Wall to Wall provides unmatched variety as our expansive

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ST. LOUIS - Schnuck Markets, Inc. and The Salvation Army today announced that Schnucks customers and the company donated a total of $250,135 to The Salvation Army’s annual Tree of Lights campaign through Schnucks’ “Round Up at the Register.” Schnucks customers had the option to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar, with 100 percent of donations from the two-week campaign benefiting The Salvation Army. Customers donated $237,424 and Schnucks added $12,711. “Each year during the holidays, our customers show their immense generosity towards The Salvation Army at checkout through our Round Up at the Register campaign and by donating to the red kettles at the entrances of our stores,” said Schnucks Chairman and CEO Todd Schnuck. “We congratulate The Salvation Army on a successful 75th annual Tree of Lights campaign and thank them for the tireless support they bring to those in need. Together, we continue to Nourish People’s Lives

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ALTON - YWCA Southwestern Illinois Women of Distinction Event Chair Donna Dixon pleased to announce that the nomination period for the Women of Distinction program is now open. In addition, the 32nd Annual Women of Distinction Celebration will be held on Thursday evening, May 4, 2023, at Julia’s Banquet Center, East Gate Plaza, East Alton. Each year, some of the region’s brightest, boldest, bravest and most influential women have been honored at the YWCA‘s Women of Distinction (WOD) celebration. Honorees are women who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and achievement in their professional, civic and personal lives. The WOD Academy has grown into a dynamic and diverse group of over 300 women representing a wide range accomplishments and contributions. YWCA is requesting the public’s help in soliciting nominations for Women of Distinction. The community is urged to nominate exceptional women who create real change in our communities. Nomination packets

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GODFREY - The Godfrey Village Board passed one ordinance and two resolutions at their first regularly scheduled meeting of 2023, which was held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 3. Trustees Karen McAtee and Rick Lauschke were both absent from the meeting. The Village Board unanimously approved an ordinance amending the Municipal Code of the Village Of Godfrey by the addition of Article IV, which establishes standards for the construction of facilities on the right-of-way. Essentially, this ordinance updates the language of the village’s current right-of-way ordinance, which was put into effect in 1992. A resolution authorizing an application to be filed for a project fixing erosion issues at 5405 and 5403 Cottonwood Drive was also approved unanimously by the Village Board. The project is set to be partially funded by a Madison County Resource Management Program Environmental Grant. Finally, the board unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the Mayor/Supervisor/Park Board

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Letter To The Editor: ALTON - For those unaware of the American Rescue Plan of Action (ARPA) funds, Alton received over $21MM in ARPA funds in 2022. The use of these funds is very restricted, misuse can result in stiff penalties, the least of which is Alton having to reimburse the misspent funds. Madison County also received ARPA funds and hired Ernst & Young, one of the Big Four accounting firms, to ensure that the guidelines were followed. A couple of months ago, a public hearing was held at City Hall, to read the department head's wish list and to meet the federal requirements of a “public hearing.” There are some worthwhile expenditures cited, new HVAC systems for five city buildings, a ladder truck, two EMS ambulances, a street sweeper, paving equipment for our pothole-filled streets, servers for the city’s IT department, etc. The above-mentioned equipment will cost well over $12MM, leaving less than $9MM for other projects. One proposed use is one o

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EAST ST. LOUIS – Larry W. Hale, 54 of Belleville, Illinois, was sentenced to 15 years in the Bureau of Prisons in a U.S. District Court on Wednesday for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Transportation with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity. According to court documents, Hale, who was 51 at the time, traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, in February 2020 to pick up a 16-year-old female and bring her back to Illinois to live with him. She was discovered in his home in July 2020. In a voluntary, videotaped interview with law enforcement, Hale admitted to engaging in a sexual relationship with the minor, stating that it began shortly after she moved into his residence. He also admitted to knowing she was 16 years old when he picked her up in Georgia and transported her to Illinois to live with him. Finally, he admitted that there was a video of the victim performing a sex act on his cell phone. “Sex crimes against children are particularly disturbing, and Larry Hale deliberately

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After professional football player Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during a game, experts are talking about the importance of knowing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). CPR is a life-saving skill. And for Jordan Meeks, a pediatric wellness specialist at OSF HealthCare , it’s a critical skill for young people to learn. “Most cardiac arrests happen in people 40 years and older, a lot of teachers, parents, grandparents, coaches, and those that young people are spending a lot of time with,” Meeks says. “And young people are getting to a point where their body is maturing, so they’re able to do those compressions with enough strength to be helpful.” Meeks visits schools across Illinois teaching students hands-only CPR. Recently, she was in Fisher, a small, rural town where it might take first responders a little longer to get to an emergency - all the more reason to equip junior high and high school students with CPR skills. CPR basics Me

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senator and combat Veteran Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) that would establish a new memorial in Washington, D.C., to honor the contributions of the estimated 18 million women who helped keep our nation’s economy and society running during World War II by working as pilots, engineers, taxi drivers, letter carriers, code breakers and more was recently signed into law by President Biden. The legislation was co-sponsored in the U.S. Senate by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Mike Braun (R-IN) and in the House of Representatives by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC). The concept for this memorial came from Raya Kenney, who has been advocating tirelessly for it for more than a decade. “It’s long past time we recognize the contributions hardworking women made during World War II—they rolled up their sleeves and took whatever job was necessary to keep the country they loved moving forward,”

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ST. LOUIS - Neurosurgery of St. Louis (NSL), an independent physician’s group serving St. Louis and Metro East Illinois, is starting the new year by nearly doubling its footprint in the region. The practice, which began last year, has added three additional locations and expanded its team of highly trained neurosurgeons and nurse practitioners to twelve. The group now has six locations in Illinois and Missouri, as well as a new Specialty Surgery Center of St. Louis which is located in the Walker Medical Building. The practice specializes in treating common brain and spine conditions including brain tumors, cervical and lumbar spine conditions, and spinal stenosis. “It’s a very exciting time to be part of NSL because of what this growth will allow us to achieve from a quality care standpoint,” said NSL’s Managing Partner Dr. Michael Polinsky. “What this means for patients is that we’re able to offer even more highly specialized care in a more

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ST. LOUIS - Talented teens have the chance to perform before a live audience on The Fabulous Fox Theatre Stage. Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation is proud to underwrite and produce an adjudicated competition showcasing teens of the St. Louis region. Teens are encouraged to compete in a talent category of their choice, whether they sing, dance, act, or do something eccentric. All talent is welcome For the chance at $8000 towards a college scholarship, head over to FOXPACF.ORG and complete the “St. Louis Teen Talent Competition Registration Form”. From there, registrants will be able to submit details about their act. REGISTRATION IS OPEN UNTIL JANUARY 31. THERE ARE NO FEES TO PARTICIPATE. Open to High School students that live within 50 miles in any direction of the St. Louis Gateway Arch. Students must be enrolled in grades 9, 10, 11, or 12 during the 2022-2023 academic year to participate. Performers under the age of 18 will need a parent or guardian

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GODFREY - Godfrey Village Board Trustee Jeff Weber announced Godfrey will be receiving $500,000 from Madison County Transit to improve the F. E. Widman Bike Trail in Godfrey. He made this announcement at the Village Board’s first regularly scheduled meeting of 2023 on Jan. 3. “Madison County Transit - in the past, they’ve never paid any attention to Godfrey at all. We’ve never got a dime out of them,” Weber said. “Under new management over there, which Mike has been working with, they’re going to give us $500,000 towards the Widman Bike Path.” Godfrey Mayor Mike McCormick named the “new management” as S.J. Morrison, the executive director of Madison County Transit (MCT). McCormick added that the process has “taken a lot of work,” and Weber complimented the mayor for his work securing this funding. Both McCormick and Weber confirmed that this is the first time MCT has been financially supportive of a project

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ALTON - Paul Lauschke Jr., a legendary Realtor/community activist, and a family man died early Wednesday morning, Jan. 4, 2023, at the age of 88. One of his sons, David Lauschke, said late Wednesday afternoon Paul had suffered from heart issues in the last months of his life. Paul was a father to six children and had many grandchildren. Several in the community considered him a mentor and someone they deeply trusted when it came to real estate matters and issues in the Alton area in general. Mac Lenhardt, an owner of Mac’s in Downtown Alton, purchased his building from Paul’s agency in 1983. He said he had only positive things to say about him. “Paul was a straight-shooter,” Lenhardt said. “You would get a straight answer from him. He was a strong man. I looked to him for advice on the first 10 of the 15 properties I purchased in Downtown Alton. I also have worked with Rick and Dave Lauschke, his sons, a lot over the years. They are all good people.”

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MADISON COUNTY - On behalf of the Circuit Judges of the Third Judicial Circuit, Chief Judge Stephen A. Stobbs announced that Emily Johnson Nielsen and Justin S. Zimmerman were elected to fill the Associate Judge vacancies in the Third Judicial Circuit. These Associate Judge vacancies were created by the retirements of Associate Judges Philip B. Alfeld and Thomas W. Chapman. Associate Judges are appointed by a majority vote of the Circuit Judges in each circuit as provided by Supreme Court Rule. Chief Judge Stobbs stated, “The Circuit Court welcomes these two accomplished attorneys to the bench, and stands ready to support them as they begin serving the citizens of Madison and Bond Counties.” Emily Johnson Nielsen has been practicing law for 17 years. She is currently employed by the Madison County State’s Attorney, Thomas Haine, as the Chief of the Civil Division. Ms. Nielsen received her undergraduate degree in 2002 from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri,

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COLLINSVILLE - Two individuals were found deceased in the parking lot in the rear of 103 W. Main St. in Downtown Collinsville on Jan. 1, 2023. Over the course of the last three days, Collinsville Police Department investigators have worked diligently on the case. The following individuals were pronounced deceased in the parking lot - Ricardo Correa, 20, of Collinsville, and Rodolfo Torres-Granado, 24, Granite City. The Collinsville Police Department said today that Edgar O. Torres Granado, 22, of Granite City, has been charged with one count of mob action, a Class 4 felony. The Honorable Judge Neil Schroeder set the bond for Granado at $50,000 - he posted the bond on Jan. 3, 2023, and was released from custody. The Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office has taken the case under advisement regarding any potential charges to any additional defendants at this time. The Collinsville Police Department was called to the scene at 12:45 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, with

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JERSEYVILLE - New details have emerged regarding a shooting in Jerseyville that occurred in the 700 block of Liberty Street on Christmas Day. New court filings name the victim of the shooting as well as the type of weapon that was used. Donald R. Jones Jr., 29, of Jerseyville, was charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, citing an “intent to kill” the victim, Derek L. Day. Both counts are Class X felonies for which “25 years or up to a term of natural life shall be added” to the term of imprisonment set by the court, which could be another six to 30 years. Jones reportedly shot Day with a Taurus GX4 9mm pistol. One bullet was fired through a rear window of Day’s residence and struck him, according to a press release issued by the Jerseyville Police Dept. shortly after the incident. A warrant was issued for Jones’ arrest with his bail set at $1 million. He was taken into custody on Dec. 27 at the Jersey County Jail and his

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JERSEYVILLE - New information regarding the break-in and burglary of the new The Cave location at 610 S. State St. in Jerseyville has been released. One suspect was named and issued three different felony charges relating to the incident. Kaleb G. Roth, 18, of Rockbridge, was charged with burglary (a Class 2 felony), theft between $500-$10,000 (a Class 3 felony), and criminal damage to property between $500-$10,000 (a Class 4 felony). A warrant was issued for Roth’s arrest on Dec. 29 and his bail was set at $25,000, but he had already been arrested by the Carrollton Police Department on the afternoon of Dec. 27. He was taken into custody at the Jersey County Sheriff’s Department, where he remains. His preliminary hearing is set for 1 p.m. on Jan. 4 at the Jersey County Courthouse. While the other suspect was not named in this case, Carrollton Police Chief Micheal McCartney said they are 17 years old and have since been released on bond with an ankle monitor.

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