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GODFREY - On Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, BraunAbility gifted Bright Tomorrows Learning Center with a children’s book series about the disability community. BraunAbility manufactures wheelchair-accessible vans and wheelchair lifts. Matt Contarino, who works for BraunAbility, presented the books to Bright Tomorrows and read a book about Ralph Braun, the founder of the company, to the pre-k class. “Teaching the kids about awareness and not being insecure or afraid of other people ,” said Patricia Dooley, the director of Bright Tomorrows. “It doesn’t matter what their disability is. There’s all different kinds. So getting the awareness and making the kids feel more comfortable, it’s very important.” Dooley noted that many of the kids know people who have physical or developmental disabilities. By reading about the disabilities, she hopes the kids will grow to be more understanding and comfortable around all people, including those in the

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BENTON – A federal jury convicted a Swansea man - Dan R. Waeckerle, Jr. - of sexually exploiting a minor. Waeckerle, 44, was a registered sex offender in St. Clair County. U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe said: “I’m grateful for the law enforcement agencies who investigated this case and pursued justice for Waeckerle’s victim and prevented other children from his abuse." According to court documents, Waeckerle had sexually explicit conversations with a minor via text message in July 2021. Evidence presented during the trial revealed that Waeckerle sent the minor a nude image, requested sexually explicit images from the minor, and discussed meeting the minor for sex. “We are thankful for the training and resources provided by our federal partners which have allowed our detectives to be extremely successful in investigating cases such as these,” said O’Fallon Police Captain Mike Mojzis. “We appreciate the hard work and dedication of our

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AMES, Iowa - More than 10,800 Iowa State University students have been recognized for outstanding academic achievement by being named to the fall semester 2023 Dean's List. Students named to the Dean's List must earn a grade point average of at least 3.50 on a 4.00 scale while carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours of graded course work. The following area students were named to the fall semester 2023 Dean's List: Alton Jason Taylor Godi, 4, Mechanical Engineering Edwardsville Kurt Jacob Brase, 4, Agricultural Engineering John Henry Hilker, 4, Aerospace Engineering Mitchell H. Steinkuehler, 4, Mechanical Engineering Hamel William Reese Kirk, 4, Mechanical Engineering Ryan George Watts, 2, Psychology Jerseyville Chloe Michelle Kallal, 1, Event Management

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ALTON - Centerstone, a national leader in behavioral health care, will co-host, along with Illinois First Judicial Circuit, Heritage Behavioral Health and Kane County System of Care, the no-cost “The Belonging Need: Part 2” webinar on February 21 from 9-11 a.m. CT featuring advocate, speaker and former NFL player Gaelin Elmore. CEUs will be available. “The Belonging Need: Part 2” is geared toward youth-serving professionals, however everyone is welcome to attend. The purpose of this webinar is to develop intentional implementation of belonging, specifically: Why belonging is equally strategic implementation and cultural commitment Stories of already successful implementation Specific strategies for implementation Belonging is a vital component of human flourishing. However, youth who have experienced traumatic and adverse situations often lack a sense of belonging, which can hinder their relationships, development, and their future. Elmore believes tha

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EDWARDSVILLE - St. Louis favorite Spoonful Desserts has opened a second location in Edwardsville. Located in the same building as Poke Munch at 1063 IL-157 in Edwardsville, the Korean dessert café specializes in bingsu, bubble tea, coffee and taiyaki. Owner Monica Lee explained that the café aims to please everyone and give back to the community. “Spoonful is a Korean dessert café that welcomes anyone and everyone,” she said. “Our values are customer service, cleanliness and quality, and a big thing we strive to do is make the environment welcoming so that we take the intimidation factor out. The number of times you’ve walked into an Asian restaurant or even just a foreign food restaurant and you had no idea what to order and you kind of just made a fool of yourself because you just didn’t know, we tried to take out that intimidation factor and just kind of ‘translate’ what these desserts are.” Lee explained

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-IN) along with U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ed Markey (D-MA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) sent the following letter to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urging the Bangladeshi government to end the persistent harassment of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus—and to end its pattern of abusing the justice system to target critics of the government more broadly. For more than a decade, Professor Yunus has faced more than 150 unsubstantiated cases brought against him in Bangladesh. The Senators wrote, “The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk and human rights organizations such as Amnesty International have noted irregularities in proceedings against him, including the most recent

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CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker, Nexamp, and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) joined local leaders and partners to announce that Chicago will serve as Nexamp’s second national headquarters. As the nation’s largest community solar provider, Nexamp’s expansion in Illinois will create 50 new jobs as part of more than $2 billion in planned investments in the state through its existing projects and development pipeline. “Illinois’s commitment to sustainable energy wouldn’t be possible without innovative companies like Nexamp—and their decision to open a Chicago headquarters underscores the role Illinois is playing in the national solar conversation,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “As solar energy companies like Nexamp expand throughout the Midwest, we see a ripple effect of job creation and skills-building that, just like clean energy itself, will benefit communities and generations for years

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office made $1.33 billion in investment earnings from the state investment portfolio during 2023, Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced today. Another $978.8 million in gross investment earnings was earned for cities, villages, school districts, counties and other units of government that take part in the highly rated Illinois Funds local government investment pool operated by the State Treasurer’s Office. “Every dollar we make through smart investing is a dollar that does not need to be raised in taxes for our cities, counties, and schools,” Treasurer Frerichs said. “That means they have more money for public safety, road maintenance, and teaching materials as well as other programs vital to communities across the state.” “We cannot solve all of the state’s challenges,” Treasurer Frerichs said, “but we can be part of the solution.” Treasurer Frerichs

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SPRINGFIELD - A new federal law that took effect on Jan. 1 will impact many Illinois small business owners and companies by requiring they report more information to the federal government, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced. The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) was enacted to establish and maintain a national registry of beneficial owners of entities that are otherwise not subject to disclosure regulations to prevent money laundering, corrupt financial institutions, and financial terrorism. The CTA will affect small businesses, corporations, or other domestic or foreign entities like LLPs or LLCs that file documents with the Illinois Secretary of State’s office. Those businesses are now required to disclose the entity’s beneficial owners – individuals who own or control the company – to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a bureau within the U.S. Treasury. The CTA defines beneficial owners as shareholders who own 25 percent

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EAST ST. LOUIS – A federal grand jury in East St. Louis returned a seven-count indictment charging eleven individuals in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of fentanyl, meth and cocaine in southern Illinois and across the country. Granite City individual is on the list. The indictment charges: Rogelio Martinez-Becerra, also known as “Rodrigo” or “Chaparro” (Shorty), 35, of St. Louis; Jose Manuel Garcia-Ramirez, also known as “Panzon” (Potbellied), 34, of Bakersfield, California; Ricardo Lopez, also known as “Ricardito”, 35, of St. Louis; Gustavo Torres-Yerena, also known as “Ojos verdes” (Green eyes), 60, of San Bernadino, California; Oscar Daniel Barajas-Lopez, also known as “Danny”, 21, of O’Fallon, Missouri; Jaime Barajas, 40, of O’Fallon, Missouri; Dary Axel Amaya-Gomez, also known as “Colombiano”, 31, of Bridgeton, Missouri; Deangelo Barnes, also known as “Lentes”

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ALTON - The recent NAACP Alton Branch Martin Luther King Ceremony was special on many accounts, from the keynote speaker to some of the area legends in attendance, but most notable was how President Leon Smallwood Bey and others involved some area youth in the event. Nine-year-old Myles Lacey stole the show with his vocal rendition of “Total Praise.” Myles was simply great, said the event’s master of ceremonies, Rosie Brown. “People loved him,” she said. “It was so impressive to have Myles and the other young people come out with their skills and portray their love for Dr. King.” Jyion Harrison said he felt great to be there and it was the first time he could be there for the annual NAACP King event. Harrison proudly read the following quote from Dr. King in the ceremony: “The measure of a man is not where he stands in comfort and convenience but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.” Tori Porter, president

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TROY - A man from Troy is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly possessing a stolen motor vehicle and attempting to elude a police officer on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, according to recent Madison County court filings. Matthew J. Delaney, 46, of Troy, was charged with unlawful possession of a motor vehicle and aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer. According to court documents, Delaney possessed a 2010 Ford van with an Arizona registration number while “knowing it to have been stolen or converted.” According to a petition to deny his pretrial release, Delaney “was located in a vehicle that was reported stolen and fled members of the Madison County Sheriff’s Department when they attempted to apprehend him.” Delaney was reportedly speeding at 87 miles per hour in an area with a 55-mile-per-hour speed limit. He is also on parole for the offenses of Home Invasion and Aggravated Battery with a Firearm, along with other burglaries.

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GRANITE CITY - The Granite City Police Department arrested a man last week on charges of aggravated battery and resisting a peace officer on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, according to recently filed Madison County court documents. Michael J. Randazzo, 51, homeless, was arrested by the Granite City Police Department on charges of aggravated battery and resisting a peace officer on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. According to court documents, Randazzo “caused great bodily harm” to the victim after striking them “about the head with a blunt object,” causing injuries that required multiple stitches. He was additionally charged after resisting arrest by a Granite City police officer. Randazzo faces a Class 3 felony for the aggravated battery charge and a Class A misdemeanor for resisting a peace officer. Court documents indicate he was remanded to jail until his initial court appearance. The issuance of charges is based solely upon probable cause and is not an

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ALTON - The highways and streets around the region had minimal traffic in a journey on Monday afternoon, Jan. 22, 2024. However, plenty of Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and city street personnel were out salting. The route from I-270, to I-255 then 143 through Wood River to Alton was mostly clear as of 2:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 22. Rain will continue into the afternoon, the National Weather Service said today. Motorists are asked by Illinois State Police to reduce speed on roads and plan for additional travel times. “Be aware of slick sidewalks and parking lots,” ISP added. If you must be out, please plan and travel accordingly and visit https://idot.click/u6h for traffic and road conditions.

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ILLINOIS - It’s officially Girl Scout cookie season, and there are Scouts out in the community selling Thin Mints, Samoas and other favorite flavors. But while cookies are a popular part of the organization, parents and kids want people to know that the program is about much more than sweet treats. Proceeds from cookie sales provide the funding needed for troops to complete volunteer initiatives, learn new skills and explore the community. “The girls enjoy it,” said Stacey Eccles, a volunteer parent from Godfrey with a daughter in the Scouts. “This is how they make their money so that they’re able to do all the events and different things that they’re wanting to do. The girls all have big aspirations and dreams about what they want to spend their money on.” Last year, the Scouts went to Holiday World and visited Abraham Lincoln’s home. While Eccles isn’t sure what the girls will decide to do with their money this year, she

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ALTON - A man from Alton has been charged with unlawfully carrying a firearm and over 30 grams of cannabis on a street in Godfrey, according to recent Madison County court filings. Marcus A. Hendricks, 18, of Alton, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful possession of cannabis on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024. According to court documents, Hendricks According to court documents, Hendricks allegedly carried a firearm, specifically a “Glock .40cal model 23” on a public street - Laurel Avenue in Godfrey - at a time when the gun was “uncased, loaded and immediately accessible” and he had not been issued a currently valid Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card. Hendricks was additionally charged with unlawful possession of more than 30 but less than 100 grams of cannabis, other than as authorized in the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. In total, Hendricks was charged with one Class 4 felony for unlawful firearm possession

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GRANITE CITY - The Administrative Court in Granite City has been canceled for Jan. 22, 2024. “To ensure that nobody is placed in danger while traveling to and from Granite City Hall Granite City Mayor Mike Parkinson and the Honorable Tom Gibbons have announced that the Administrative Court of Granite City will be closed on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. Letters will be sent to schedule a new court date.

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MARYVILLE - Anderson Hospital announces its first New Year’s baby today and the name is Knox Thebeau. “Knox had a rough start and we needed some intensive care for the baby from our amazing partners at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital," Anderson Hospital Public Relations Director Natalie Head said. Knox was born at 8:47 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2024. He weighed 7 pounds, 9 ounces and was 20 inches long. Anderson Hospital held off on announcing the first baby until the child returned home. Knox’s parents are Lauren and Tanner Thebeau of Marine.

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ALTON - A woman from Alton has been charged with aggravated and domestic battery after allegedly stabbing someone on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, according to recently filed Madison County court documents. Sandra A. Kenshalo, 58, of Alton, was charged with one count each of aggravated battery and domestic battery. According to court documents, Kenshalo “used a deadly weapon, a kitchen knife, and stabbed in the arm causing injury.” According to a petition to deny Kenshalo’s pretrial release, the victim in this case advised officers that they had been in a verbal argument with Kenshalo before she entered the victim’s bedroom and stabbed them in the arm, causing them to flee from the residence. Officers reportedly located the knife suspected of being used in the attack. Kenshalo was charged with a Class 3 felony for aggravated battery and a Class A misdemeanor for domestic battery. Court documents indicate she was ordered remanded to jail until her initial

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EAST ALTON - Local pickleball players gathered on Jan. 13–14, 2024, for a “Picklin’ for the Cure” pickleball tournament that raised over $4,000 for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life initiative. Competitors played a round-robin tournament over two days at Keasler Recreation Complex in East Alton. Ruby Berghoff, tournament director and a U.S.A. Pickleball ambassador said “a perfect marriage” of organizations came together to make the tournament successful. “Pickleball people are just good people. It really worked out well,” Berghoff said. “It was an emotional day in a way because we have several survivors within our organization, within the group that were playing there that day.” Players and spectators enjoyed a raffle, silent auction and 50/50 drawing throughout the weekend. There were 48 teams and they played in different divisions depending on skill level. Loretta Gratta and Jane Short won in the women’s

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