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EDWARDSVILLE – The Edwardsville Police Department has issued a strong warning to motorists about texting and driving in honor of Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The Edwardsville Police Department is partnering with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Police, and more than 200 local law enforcement agencies to step up enforcement efforts across the state. Motorists can expect to see increased patrols and traffic safety enforcement zones throughout April. “Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of motor vehicle crashes on our roads today,” said Lt. Brandn Whittaker. “During Distracted Driving Awareness Month, law enforcement will boost enforcement efforts, stopping anyone who is texting and driving. Remember, if you have a phone in one hand, you can expect a ticket in the other.” In Illinois, using your phone in anything other than hands-free mode is not only dangerous, it’s illegal. Drop it and drive. The Illinois

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JERSEYVILLE - Two individuals were charged with meth-related offenses in Jersey County over the past week, according to recent court filings from the Jersey County Circuit Clerk’s Office. Michael C. Ault, 38, of East Alton, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver, as well as driving on a suspended license. He “knowingly possessed with the intent to deliver more than 15 grams, but not more than 100 grams, of methamphetamine” on March 22, 2023. Ault was charged with a Class X felony for the meth offense and his bail was set at $50,000. His preliminary hearing is set for March 29 at 1 p.m. More information and updates on this case are available here . Nicholas J. Shewmake, 29, of Wood River, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. On March 19, 2023, he was found in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine and a glass pipe. Shewmake was charge

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ALTON – Ameren Illinois customers in and around Alton and Godfrey will see energy at work throughout the spring and well into the fall as crews replace steel pipeline and natural gas services with modern, corrosion-resistant polyethylene material. Ameren Illinois awarded the work in both communities to a diverse contractor, Jayne Excavating and Welding, a woman-owned business. Jayne crews will upgrade more than 4.5 miles of natural gas pipeline from the 1960s and approximately 315 individual customers' natural gas services in Alton. In Godfrey, crews will upgrade 3.5 miles of pipeline and natural gas services for nearly 160 individual customers. All work should be completed by early November, weather pending. Alton – Construction is underway on Danforth and Oakwood Avenue. Spring Street, work is underway. McPherson Avenue, work begins in early April. Myrtle Street, project to start end of May. Manor Court, project to begin mid-August Milton Road, work begins in

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JERSEYVILLE - One individual was charged with attempting to disarm a police officer and another was charged with kicking out a police car window and causing other vehicle damage last week, according to recent Jersey County court filings. Donald E. Schrieber, 41, homeless, was charged with attempting to disarm a peace officer. On March 20, 2023, Schrieber “attempted to take a weapon from Jamie Damm,” an officer with the Jerseyville Police Department, while Damm was “engaged in the performance of his official duties,” according to court documents. Schrieber was charged with a Class 2 felony and his bail was set at $25,000. His preliminary hearing is set for April 24 at 1 p.m. More information and updates on this case are available here . David M. Hoffarth, 32, of Centralia, was charged with criminal damage to government property after damaging a Jerseyville Police Department vehicle “by kicking the driver’s side rear window out and damaging

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GLEN CARBON - Jacob Huber posted a time of 52.82, a Father McGivney school record for sixth place this past weekend at the Illinois Top Times Meet Indoor Track and Field Championships. Jacob is a Byron, Carlson, Petri, and Kalb Male Athlete of the Month for Father McGivney Catholic. Jacob is also outstanding in the long jump and sprint relays. "He has high goals for the 400 meters and wants to make it to state," McGivney head boys track coach Jim Helton said. "He is a great person to coach. He is a great overall athlete in multiple sports and has a lot of power." Huber finished second place in the 400-meter race at the Jersey Winter Thaw Indoor Meet back on March 11 with a time of 53.14 seconds. He placed fifth in the 200-meter race with a time of 24.35 seconds.

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WASHINGTON PARK - Searchers worked both Friday and Saturday looking for Joshua Amos of Granite City. He was last seen a week ago Sunday in the Washington Park area near Bunkhum Road. Amos walks with a noticeable limp and was on foot in the area. Saturday, searchers looked from 23 rd Street in East St. Louis to Kingshighway near the Washington Park border covering wooded and noticeable areas. Some went door-to-door in East St. Louis asking if anyone had seen the missing person. Police used a canine to attempt to track the missing person on Friday to no avail. Josh is described as having an athletic build at 5-10 to 5-11, 190-195 pounds with chest tattoos and a cross on his left bicep, and tattoos on his right lower arm. He is last known to be wearing blue jeans and a gray hoodie (most likely North Face) and walks with a slight limp. He has not been seen or heard from since the evening of Saturday, March 18, 2023. Authorities speculate Josh may have gotten a ride with someone in

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ROXANA - Aidan Briggs, a junior, three-sport athlete for the Roxana Shells was honored for his actions on the basketball court Sunday night at the 76th Annual Gallatin Awards. Briggs was named his team's Most Valuable Player. For his achievement, Aidan is a Midwest Members Credit Union Athlete of the Month. The Shells had a 10-21 regular season but made some noise in the playoffs. Roxana defeated rivals Wood River and then Piasa Southwestern to earn a trip to the Regional Championship game, but just came up short against Greenville. Briggs was a constant threat throughout the season for Roxana. He was the team's second-leading scorer with 324 points. He averaged 9.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Briggs also plays football where he's listed as a tight end and defensive back. Right now, he's beginning baseball season for the Shells who are off to a 1-2 start.

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ALTON - The Alton Redbirds girl's soccer team can consider themselves lucky that they have such a lethal attacker on their side. That would be none other than senior forward Emily Baker. She burst onto the scene last season with an impressive 31-goal campaign. She is already off and running this season with eight goals in just five games. For her continued success, Emily is an Auto Butler Athlete of the Month for the Redbirds. Usually, the fastest player on the field, Emily uses her speed and agility to get behind defensive lines constantly. Whenever she is on the field, the other team must know where she is at all times. Saturday, against the defending two-time IHSA Class 2A state champions Triad Knights, Emily scored a brace to get her team back into the game. Alton went down 2-0 after the first half, but Emily's two second-half strikes, one being a penalty, tied the game back up at 2-2. Although the Redbirds went on to lose the game, Triad head coach Matt Bettlach still praised

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ST. CHARLES, Mo. – The family of 39-year-old Jacquelyn Mitchell is thankful a man is in police custody for her crime but now hopes justice will prevail. Maryland Heights and St. Charles police held a joint news conference and said Mitchell and the suspect, Joseph Dejoie exchanged texts the night of March 14. The last time Mitchell was seen alive was on surveillance video, leaving the popular Maggie O’Brien’s restaurant in Sunset Hills. Mitchell apparently went to Dejoie’s apartment after but was not that acquainted with him. Dejoie is charged with second-degree murder, tampering with evidence, and the abandonment of a corpse. The charges say the 49-year-old Dejoie told police he killed Mitchell and left her body in his bedroom for six days. Police said he also moved her car to another apartment complex less than a half-mile away. Records show he also admitted to wiping down her car and body attempting to hide evidence, records show. Mitchell's family describes

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ALTON - A cooperative effort between OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center and the Alton Police Department has led to a new community health initiative to address the mental health needs not only in the Riverbend region, but in communities throughout Madison County. 55 attendees encompassing first responders (police, fire, EMS), health care professionals, and county government representatives participated in Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) held on February 27-28 - specifically geared toward those individuals responding to a mental health crisis situation - with the ultimate goal being to get people the help they need rather than criminalize the mentally ill. “The CIT program is a true collaborative endeavor that brings community partnerships closer together to address a vital community health need,” says Jerry Rumph, President, OSF Saint Anthony’s. “Specifically from a hospital point of view, CIT provides an opportunity for hospital staff and first responders

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SPRINGFIELD - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced the Illinois House of Representatives passed his legislation to protect vulnerable residents from gas or electric utility service disconnection for nonpayment of bills when temperatures are 90 F or above, or when the National Weather Service issues an excessive heat watch, heat advisory, or excessive heat warning. Raoul initiated House Bill 1541, which was sponsored by Sen. Mattie Hunter and Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, to amend the Public Utilities Act (PUA), which currently prohibits disconnection when the temperature is 95 F or hotter. However, the PUA does not account for extreme heat events when the heat index may rise to a dangerous level when temperatures are below 95 F. “Summertime heat in Illinois is not the time to put lives at risk. Too often do Illinois residents die in heat waves that can easily be prevented by lowering the threshold for utility shutoffs,” Raoul said. “This updated legislation will

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JERSEYVILLE – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that intermittent daytime lane closures will take place in both directions of Illinois 16 at Grafton Road/Otterville Road in Jerseyville, weather permitting, on Wednesday, March 29. These lane closures are necessary for the evaluation of pavement conditions. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all 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 @ IDOTDistrict 8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.

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GODFREY - Kreative Kids Learning Center is getting ready to open their new location in Godfrey with a Grand Opening ceremony on March 31 starting at 9:30 a.m. Kreative Kids CEO Keith Neuber said the ceremony will feature a ribbon-cutting around 10 a.m., tours of the new building, guest speakers, and that “it’s going to be great fun.” “We’re going to give tours of the building so that the folks can see just what we’re about,” Neuber said on an episode of Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com . “It’s a beautiful new building, people are going to love seeing it. It speaks ‘kid.’” Kreative Kids was previously located at the McKinley School in Alton for 22 years, and also spent a few years in the old St. Patrick’s School building. They’re now moving to the former Alvereita Beauty College facility at 3048 Godfrey Road in Godfrey. Neuber said this new location will allow them to expand some of their offerings,

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WASHINGTON PARK - A search is ongoing for a missing person from Granite City - Josh Amos - in the East St. Louis/Washington Park area. Josh was last reported seen in East St. Louis. Authorities speculate Josh may have gotten a ride with someone in that area or walked. Josh is described as having an athletic build at 5-10 to 5-11, 190-195 pounds with chest tattoos and a cross on his left bicep, and tattoos on his right lower arm. He is last known to be wearing blue jeans and a gray hoodie (most likely North Face) and walks with a slight limp. He has not been seen or heard from seen the evening of Saturday, March 18, 2023. If anyone has seen or heard from Josh Amos, please reach out to any of these numbers: 618) 967-1027 (618) 219-0830 (618) 866-3772

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EDWARDSVILLE – The National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (NCERC at SIUE) is pleased to welcome Steve Ward, PE as its new project management engineer. In his new role, Ward will oversee research projects in NCERC’s pilot- and demonstration-scale research laboratories while working directly with clients from across the world who come to the center to perform scale-up of commercial-bound biotechnologies. In addition to his role on the research team, Steve will serve as a mentor for NCERC’s operations staff and those who participate in the workforce training programs at the center. “I’m thrilled to be rejoining the NCERC team in this new role as the project management engineer and eager to work with its dynamic staff and clients again,” said Ward. “As an engineer, NCERC is an incredible place to work and I look forward to working with its leadership and operations teams again to see through exciting

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College’s 18 th Annual Student Art Exhibition returns to the Hatheway Cultural Center Gallery, March 31. The exhibit, which will run through April 30, will open with a reception from 4-6 p.m., Friday, March 31. According to Art Program Coordinator Angela Hung, 91 pieces will be featured in the show, many of which will be available for purchase. “Student Art Exhibition is always the highlight for the Art Department each year,” Hung said. “People can expect to see a variety of media and techniques that our students put into their work. Students have produced great quality of work this year. We are very proud of all of them." Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place, with three honorable mention awards. The event is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturdays throughout the exhibition. Learn more at www.lc.edu/art-student

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Byway Discovery Center and Piasa Park redevelopment part of $10 Million Illinois Capital Grant Development Project ALTON - Plans for the redevelopment of Alton’s Piasa Park including the addition of a new Byway Discovery Center will be presented at the Alton Riverfront Advisory Commission meeting on Tuesday, March 28 from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Alton City Hall council chambers. The meeting is open to the public and comments are welcome. The much-anticipated project calls for the redesign and redevelopment of Piasa Park – home to the painting of the Piasa Bird on the limestone bluff walls -- and a new state-of-the-art Byway Discovery Center. The project is funded by a Capital Bill Grant received by the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau to create and enhance product development along the Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway in Alton and Hartford. The Bureau also manages the 33-mile scenic byway which runs from Hartford to Pere Marquette State Park. “This

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JERSEYVILLE - Washington St. Barber Shop & Social Club opened at 117 S. Washington St. in Jerseyville a couple weeks ago, and owner/founder Chris Heberling said it’s already proven popular with the community as they gear up for an Open House on April 15. Heberling’s son is the head barber at the shop, who is currently finishing up barber school and works for just tips until he finishes school and goes full-time at the shop in July. Among his specialties are bald fades and beard fades, and Heberling said they can do “all types of hair.” “We can do any kind of haircut - a lot of people here in town do not,” he said. “We had people calling the other day and they wanted to know if we can do Black hair - we can do anything. We can do all types of hair, beards, anything like that.” They also have a tattoo artist available by appointment only, and they are open for walk-in haircuts during their normal business hours; those hours are Monday

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GLEN CARBON - The Gori Law Firm is hosting a first-ever Women’s Celebration 5K event in honor of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month at 9 a.m. Saturday, March 25, 2023. The event will be held at Ray M. Schon Park, 192 N. Main St., Glen Carbon. The Gori Law Firm, one of the largest women-owned and women-led asbestos litigation firms in the country, local businesses and residents that enjoy running, being outdoors, and wanting to celebrate the accomplishments of women throughout history and in our community. The race is to celebrate the impact of women throughout history as well as within the community, The Gori Law Firm is proud to host its first-ever Women’s Celebration 5K event. All community members are welcome to join in this family-friendly outdoor event. Participants of all ages may walk or run in the race, and a virtual option is also available. Proceeds from the event will go toward The Gori Law Firm Scholarship at Edwardsville Community

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MARYVILLE - Anderson Hospital is proud to have been named one of the best hospitals in the United States by Newsweek magazine in their annual "World’s Best Hospitals" rankings released this month. The 2023 list lands Anderson Hospital in the top 5% of hospitals in the United States and marks our 2nd year in a row to be recognized. Newsweek is a premier news magazine and website that has been bringing high quality journalism to readers around the globe for over 80 years. This prestigious award is presented by Newsweek and Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry-ranking provider. Newsweek and Statista developed a complex methodology to ensure the quality and validity of the ranking. Three data sources were used for the evaluation, including hospital recommendations from peers, patient experience, and medical key performance indicators (patient safety, hygiene measures, and quality of treatment). “It’s an honor to be nationally recognized,”

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