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ALTON - The Mississippi River Water Trail Association (MRWTA) will host their annual “Mississippi Meanderings” event with a focus on source-to-sea paddling. On Jan. 20, 2024, the organization will highlight Dale Sanders, the oldest person to paddle the entire Mississippi River at age 87. Attendees can listen to a history of long-distance paddling on the Mississippi, enjoy a Q & A session with Sanders, and watch “The Grey Beard Adventurer” documentary that was made about Sanders’s trip. The event starts at noon at the National Great Rivers Museum in Alton. “I really think this is just kind of an excuse for those of us who really love the river and are in the paddling community to get together in the middle of winter when it’s a lot harder to get outside and enjoy the river directly,” Dean Klinkenberg said. “We get to hang out with each other, share some companionship and some stories. And this year, it’s a good

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CHICAGO - A new State-supported shelter is beginning to serve asylum seekers in Chicago today. The location is the site of a former CVS in the Little Village neighborhood. The shelter will be part of the City of Chicago’s existing asylum seeker shelter system and will house approximately 220 people as they transition to independent living. The shelter development is part of Governor JB Pritzker’s investment of an additional $160 million, via the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis presented by the arrival of over 34,000 asylum seekers from the U.S. southern border. The State saw an uptick of new arrivals over the holidays and created a temporary shelter at a Chicago hotel. Those new arrivals are now transitioning to the shelter in Little Village. With the cold weather and continued arrival of asylum seekers, the State is committed to partnering with the City of Chicago to take the necessary actions to keep people safe

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ALTON - Granite City's Nick Raftopoulos, a candidate for state representative, held one of his meet-and-greets at the Tango Event Center in Alton this past Saturday. Abe Lee Barham, one of the organizers, said about 40 people came out and it was a session for about an hour and a half with the candidate running for state representative. "There were not any questions that he didn't answer," Barham said. "I encourage people to post to him and participate in the Democratic process because your voice matters. Educating yourself on who will be your elected officials is very important to move our country and towns forward." Nick responded to questions about unions, school safety, and nurses' rights in a town hall type of style. Barham said he thought the meet and greet was informative and "enlightening" for those in attendance.Nick has stated he is running for the Democratic nomination for state representative in Illinois' 111th House District because he wants someone to

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police Department Crimes Against Persons and Regional Arson and Explosives detectives are investigating a homicide in the 10500 block of Baron Drive that resulted in the death of an adult male. At 8:50 p.m. on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, St. Louis County police officers from the North County Precinct responded to a call for service for a house fire in the 10500 block of Baron Drive. Fire personnel extinguished the house fire and located one adult male who was deceased. The investigation is ongoing. Additional information will be disseminated as it becomes available. Please contact the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210 to speak with investigators if you have any information regarding this incident. To remain anonymous or potentially receive a reward, please contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477).

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National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day was celebrated on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, around the country and the Metro East Region. The day is held each year and helps citizens come together to show their appreciation to their local law enforcement members. Madison County Chief Deputy Marcos Pulido, Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford, and Wood River Police Chief Brad Wells are all equally moved each year when the public takes a chance to salute officers on this special annual day. Chief Ford said he feels extremely fortunate to be a part of the law enforcement community. “I see firsthand how incredibly helpful, brave and dedicated the men and women of law enforcement are. We are human and imperfect but I still believe law enforcement to be the most noble and honorable profession there is. “It is my hope the men and women of the Alton Police Department know just how much I appreciate them and the tough job they do each and every day.” Ford extended a Happy National

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HIGHLAND - “The Voice” Season 24 runner-up Ruby Leigh is back in the Riverbend with a show at the KC Hall in Highland. On Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, you can enjoy dinner, the show and a meet-and-greet with Leigh herself. Dinner starts at 5:30 p.m. and tickets cost $50, or you can come for the show and meet-and-greet at 7 p.m. for $30. “I knew from the very first time I heard her sing that she was going to eventually be pretty big,” said Vicky Tift, owner of Old Time Pub in Highland. Tift met Leigh when Leigh was 13. Tift saw a video of Leigh singing and immediately booked her at Old Time Pub. Over the next two years, Leigh played at the pub every month. During her time on “The Voice,” Tift and her regular customers would gather at the pub every week to watch Leigh, now 16, perform. “It was just such an awesome experience to listen to her grow over those two years’ time,” Tift said. “We had Ruby watch parties all through

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Note: This is a letter to the editor from Madison County Chairman Kurt Prenzler and it includes a submission to Granite City School District 9. He also continues to discuss backdoor referendums later in his letter to the editor. Letter to Granite City School District 9 Dear Superintendent Cann and District 9 board members: Two months ago, Granite City District 9 passed a “backdoor referendum” to issue $20 million of “working cash” bonds and on Nov. 22 put a public notice in the Belleville News-Democrat. This backdoor referendum is a legal loophole to avoid voter approval when issuing bonds that will be repaid with higher property taxes. A better – and the old-fashioned – way is to put it on the ballot for the people to decide. That’s called a “front door referendum.” The public notice stated that the only way for taxpayers inside District 9 to vote on this bond issue was for them to collect 2,653 signatures within 30 days

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HIGH HONOR ROLL 8 TH GRADE HIGH HONOR ROLL LIST FOR QUARTER 2 Chandler Adams, Olivia Alward, Eva Bonnell, Evan Brooks, Kaylin Broyles, Kaley Burns, Baya Faulkner-Fairfax, Brianna Fogle, Emmalyn Funk, Alexis Hart, Rylee Hart, Jacoby Ironwing, Brady Kersey, Lydia Klohr, Allyson Martin, Hannah Mary, Kameron McNeese, Samuel Pulley, Rebecca Raymond, Olivia Tutterow, Shelby Valdes, Grace Williams 7 th GRADE HIGH HONOR ROLL LIST FOR QUARTER 2 Josephine Akers, Lilianna Clendenen, Addilyn Darr, Elliott Guthrie, Landon Hipsher, Jayna Klohr, Justice Pence, Ethan Pitts, Lillian Reynolds, Aiden Roberts, Kerrigan Sanders, Audrey Smith, Catherine Watters, Rylynn Wiles, Mia Wolff HONOR ROLL 8 TH GRADE HONOR ROLL LIST FOR QUARTER 2 Sam Arnold, Carter Bacon, Patrick Buis, Jillian Bunt, Peyton Clothier, Lucas Coggins, Alex Darr, Madilynn Davis, Elaina Devaisher, Chloe Holden, Benjamin Kadell, Tegan Mitchell, Lane Owens, Taytum Porter, Kaidyn Rowe, Ty Shelton,

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ALTON - The City of Alton and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville may be collaborating on an initiative to monitor greenhouse gasses in Alton. The Alton Committee of the Whole moved the process forward at their meeting on Monday. The committee gave their preliminary approval of a resolution authorizing the City of Alton, Illinois to apply for a Madison County Resource Management Environmental Grant. It was previously approved by the Alton Cool Cities Committee and now goes to the City Council for a vote tonight at 6:30 p.m. This grant will allow the city to partner with SIUE on a greenhouse gas inventory for the city so that it can set some benchmark goals. A greenhouse gas inventory essentially offers an overview of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions and their associated sources. According to the resolution, the grant requires a 20% match from the city, which it has agreed to fund from another source. If Alton receives the grant, Alderman Ray Strebel asked

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ALTON - Makenzie Jones of Alton High School and Drew Gaworski of Mississippi Valley Christian School were honored as Students of the Month for January at a regular meeting of the Rotary Club of Alton-Godfrey at Gentelin’s on Broadway Restaurant. Drew Gaworski is a senior at Mississippi Valley Christian School. During Drew's four years of high school at MVCS he has enjoyed playing soccer and basketball. He was the team captain and chosen for the IACS (Illinois Association of Christian Schools) all-tournament team his junior year in soccer; and in basketball, he was the MAC all­ conference team his junior year and the current team captain. Drew enjoys basketball the most, and recently reached the one-thousand-point milestone. Along with basketball and soccer, he is involved in the National Christian Honor Society, the student council, and the drama club. He is the senior Chaplain and Chaplain of our branch of the National Christian Honor Society. Drew has also achieved the

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Makenzie Jones of Alton High School and Drew Gaworski of Mississippi Valley Christian School were honored as Students of the Month for January at a regular meeting of the Rotary Club of Alton-Godfrey at Gentelin’s on Broadway Restaurant. ALTON - Makenzie Jones is a senior at Alton High School. She expresses her gratitude to the Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club for selecting her as Alton High School's January Rotary Student of the Month. Makenzie acknowledges her parents and grandmother for their unwavering support throughout her academic journey. She recognizes that her family's support has been instrumental in her accomplishments, from performances to academic awards. Throughout elementary and middle school, Makenzie participated in Honors, Dual Credit, and AP-like programs. She excelled in the gifted program and achieved an SAT score over 200 points above average. Makenzie remains committed to her studies and maintains a strong desire to learn. Makenzie has a significant involvement

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ALTON - The Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club presented Alton Community Unit School District #11 (ACUSD11) kindergarten classrooms with new manipulatives and games to promote literacy. On Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, Rotary Club members met at Gilson Brown and Lovejoy Elementary Schools to present the kindergarten teachers with the new literacy materials. They will do the same on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024, at Eunice Smith and Lewis & Clark Elementary Schools. Club Directors Ron Mayhew and Damian Jones explained that this project is an important part of what the Rotary Club does in the Riverbend community. “This is a literacy project we do every year,” Mayhew said. “We tried to , ‘Okay, what are we going to do differently to help kids become better readers?’ That’s what it’s all about.” Lovejoy Principal John Ducey introduced the Rotary Club members and explained to students what the Rotary Club does in the community. Mayhew and Young asked th

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is accepting applications now for instructors for 2024 summer fishing clinics through the department’s Urban Fishing Program. Fishing instructors are the department’s boots on the ground at free clinics hosted in communities throughout Illinois. These are temporary positions not to exceed six months, making them perfect for teachers, retirees, students, and others who are eager to help people learn about fishing skills and ecology. Available spots are based in Boone, Champaign, Jackson, Jefferson, Macon, Madison, McLean, Peoria, Rock Island, Sangamon, and St. Clair counties. Numerous spots are also available for Chicago, Cook County, and the northeastern part of Illinois. The deadline to apply is approaching quickly. To learn more about the positions, qualifications and how to apply, visit https://bit.ly/IDNRjobs . Look for positions titled “conservation education representative.” The

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, to announce that they intend to file an amendment to maintain the congressional notification requirement for all U.S. assistance to foreign militaries. Specifically, the amendment would strike a provision in the proposed national security supplemental funding bill that waives oversight requirements for U.S. funding for Israel under the Foreign Military Financing Program. If passed, the amendment would preserve the congressional notification process for Israel, just as congressional notifications are required for all other nations. “The U.S. is an indispensable country in helping allied nations in times of conflict,” said Durbin. “The October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel was reprehensible, and I will continue to support security aid for Israel’s defense. We also have a responsibility

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ALTON - A local photographer is working on a project that aims to destigmatize cannabis use by highlighting prominent cannabis users in the Riverbend community. By taking photos of business owners, volunteers and other big names in the area while they use cannabis, Taralei Griffin hopes to break the stereotype behind marijuana. Her work will also promote the Last Prisoner Project, an initiative that pushes for criminal justice reform so no one is imprisoned for possessing or using cannabis. “People should not be having their lives ruined over this healing plant,” Griffin said. “So that’s kind of my goal. I’m going to be starting this photography project because I feel like there’s such a strange dissonance with the sheer amount of people in this area who do rely on it to get through their day, whether it’s medically or just to unwind in the evenings, but then there’s still so many people who are scared of it and don’t understand.

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GLEN CARBON - The Glen Carbon Village Board unanimously denied a special use permit for a short-term rental property on Madison Avenue after neighbors had voiced their disapproval and the owner allegedly already listed it on Airbnb, among other ordinance violations. A similar permit for a different short-term rental located on Edwards Street was unanimously approved after passing the Planning Commission with no complaints from the public. Director of Community Development Erika Heil presented both ordinances regarding the special use permits to the board for a vote on Tuesday. While she said the first short-term rental didn’t draw any criticism or public comments and passed along a 3-2 vote from the Planning Commission, the second short-term rental was unanimously voted down following a series of problems. “We’ve had some issues with this property regarding them putting it out on Airbnb ahead of time, those types of things,” Heil said. “Since

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ALTON/GODFREY - The North Alton-Godfrey Business Council (NAGBC) held its monthly meeting with guest speaker Cory Jobe on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. Business owners and community members gathered at the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center in East Alton to listen to Jobe speak. He discussed the Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau , of which he is the president, and the organization’s goals for the community. The Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau represents Madison, Macoupin, Montgomery, Jersey, Calhoun and Green Counties in Illinois where the Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois Rivers intersect. The Great Rivers and Routes region is the only place where Route 66 meets the Great River Road. Jobe’s presentation focused on the region’s unique assets, including the rivers, the Great River Road, Route 66 and Pere Marquette State Park. He noted that the annual visitors to Pere Marquette rival that of the largest state park in Illinois,

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JERSEY - Sophomore Meredith Gray is a key component of this year's Jersey Community High School basketball team. She towers above many of her foes at 6-foot-1 and is the tallest girl on the Panthers' squad. Gray is one of the team's leading scorers, averaging 12.7 points a game and 8.8 rebounds. She also has recorded 1.6 steals per game, 2.5 assists and 1.1 blocks per contest. Gray is a Sparklight Internet Female Athlete of the Month for the Panthers. She is also a varsity middle hitter in volleyball. "Meredith is a sophomore forward and she returns to her starting role this season and has built on what she did last season," Jersey head girls basketball coach Caleb Williams said. "She can play inside if we need her, but she shoots well from the outside." Williams said Meredith also drives the ball well to the basket and is a force for other teams to contend with every game. Again congrats to Meredith Gray on her recognition as a Sparklight Internet Female Athlete of the Month fo

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COLUMBIA, Mo. - Columbia College recently announced its dean's list for the Fall 2023 Semester (August-December 2023). To be named to the dean's list, a student must have completed 12 credit hours in a 16-week period and achieved a minimum GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0-point scale. Founded in 1851 in Columbia, Missouri, Columbia College has been helping students advance their lives through higher education for more than 170 years. As a private, nonprofit institution, the college takes pride in its small classes, experienced faculty and quality educational programs. With 25 locations across the country, about half of which are on military installations, students may enroll in Day, Evening or Online classes. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Columbia College has more than 97,000 alumni worldwide. For more information, visit ccis.edu. Students from the area who received this honor include: HOMETOWN; NAME, LOCATION ATTENDED Alton Cierra Johnson,

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ALAMOSA, CO. - Andrew O'Keefe, Granite City, Ill., graduated Cum Laude from Adams State University, located in Alamosa, Colo, during the Fall 2023 Commencement Ceremony on December 16, 2023. O'Keefe earned a Bachelor of Science in geoscience: physical geography and conservation; and a minor in history. "Living in Alamosa and all the people I have met as well as the things I have learned in the classroom have made life-changing impacts. I am inspired to be a lifelong learner and to hopefully share knowledge I have gained at Adams State by being a teacher someday." O'Keefe is planning on pursuing a master's degree in education at Adams State and eventually teaching high school science and coaching cross country and/or track and field. "My professors pushed me to complete quality work in the classroom. They also pushed me to apply for scholarships and get involved in work outside of the classroom that related to my degree." O'Keefe received athletic scholarships for track and field

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