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GODFREY – Bickle Electric Contracting Co., Inc. has been chosen as the May 2022 RiverBend Growth Association Small Business of the Month award recipient. Located in Edwardsville at 4795 Section Line Road, the family-owned electrical contracting firm is owned by Rob and Erin Bickle. Open since 2012, it has been operating for the past 10 years, providing both commercial and residential services. Rob Bickle is a licensed, IBEW journeyman wireman. He has been working as an electrician for close to 30 years. His wife, Erin, is known to many as the director of Refuge, a Wood River-based non-profit serving children and families throughout Madison County. Residential services range from installing entire electrical systems to running power to a homeowner’s new pool, hot tub, or workshop. They also provide electrical service upgrades, and the installation of smoke detectors, outlets including GFCIs, ceiling fans, home generators, and still more. Commercial services include the

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today questioned David Beasley, Executive Director of the World Food Program; Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, Chief Executive Officer at Mercy Corps; and Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank, at a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs hearing on global food security and the COVID-19 response. Durbin began his questioning asking about nutrition in extreme places of famine. “In areas of famine, I’ve seen the use of food supplements, Plumpy’nut, and also rehydration therapies. When you talk about food aid agencies, does it include these things?” asked Durbin. Beasley confirmed the use of these supplements are utilized, which has shown a substantial improvement in added nutrition. The UN warns that without immediate humanitarian assistance, over 43 million people in 38 countries

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SPRINGFIELD, IL. - Many former school bus drivers may soon be able to get back to work safely transporting students to school, thanks to legislation passed byState Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville) and Steve McClure (R-Springfield). House Bill 4230, filed by Davidsmeyer in the House and sponsored by McClure in the Senate, would help bus drivers who have lost their driver’s license solely due to prior unpaid child support. “This new law will help schools find qualified bus drivers at a time when schools are struggling to find them,” said Senator McClure. “It doesn’t make sense to punish schools for the prior debts of their employees. Especially since this would only apply to drivers who have worked out their child support payments. The legislation will help schools find safe bus drivers, and help those drivers pay their bills.” “This bill is just one step in the right direction to ensure that people who lose their licenses fo

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EAST ALTON — More than 140 women and men came together on Thursday evening to celebrate United Way’s Southwest Illinois Division’s sixth annual Power of the Purse, raising $16,058 to help local people. Since its inception in 2015, the Power of the Purse has raised over $100,000 to support 162 local health and human service agencies serving the St. Louis region. Held at the Lewis and Clark Community College – N.O. Nelson Campus, this year’s Power of the Purse included both silent and live auctions featuring handbags, scarves, jewelry, and accessories. “We were thrilled to once again bring the community together and host the Power of the Purse after having to postpone it the past two years,” said Maura Wuellner, director of United Way of Greater St. Louis – Southwest Illinois Division. “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who participated, purchased a ticket or item, to our sponsors and our volunteer planning committee for their

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ST. LOUIS - The National Museum of Transportation is forming a Young Professionals Board (YoPRO) for those 25-45 years of age. The NMOT Young Professionals Board is an enthusiastic and talented group of diverse young professionals who share a passion for preserving history for the next generations. The purpose of the group is to bring these community leaders together to raise the visibility of the Museum, attract a diverse audience, and assist with fundraising and promotional activities that ensure the continued success of The National Museum of Transportation. Every member of The National Museum of Transportation Young Professionals Board is committed to: Serving as an enthusiastic advocate for the Museum, networking on behalf of the organization, and committing to the mission and goal of the organization, Attending social meetings of the YoPRO Board at least once per quarter, Contributing expertise to the group ensuring the organization's success, Assisting with fundraising

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor yesterday about the future of Roe v. Wade following the leak of a draft majority opinion on the Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. “It appears that in a matter of weeks, we may soon live in a country where women have fewer Constitutional rights than their parents or grandparents,” Durbin said. “In one bold move, the ultra-conservative activist majority on the Supreme Court appears poised to erase the Constitutional right to choose whether or not to carry a pregnancy to term.” While Durbin went on to say the leak was an “unprecedented breach of the Court’s confidential deliberations” which may harm public trust in the Court, he said he wonders why Senate Republicans have focused on the draft rather than the implications of the leaked opinion. “Sadly, many Republicans are desperately trying to deflect from this

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Glen-Ed Food Pantry is eager to invite the community to support their inaugural Appetizer Hop fundraising event this Saturday, May 14, 2022, from 1 PM to 4 PM, with a special happy hour hosted by the event sponsor, 1818 Chophouse, from 4 PM to 5 PM. This unique fundraising opportunity is like nothing the area has hosted before and is located partly in one of the community's hottest new areas, Trace on the Parkway. Top Sponsor, Blue Violet, is the latest restaurant to open its doors in Trace on the Parkway. Doc’s Smokehouse and Goshen Coffee, also located in Trace on the Parkway, will be participating. Across Route 157 at University Pointe II, other restaurants participating in the Appetizer Hop include Wang Gang, Chappy's, Seoiu Sushi, and Bella Milano. Each participating restaurant will have an appetizer/drink special exclusively for ticketed participants. Funds from this event will aid the nonprofit's mission to work with the community to provide food

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) School of Business recently announced the winners of the 12th annual TheOther40 business competition. Eight students developed business plans and pitched their ideas to compete for $10,000 in prize money. Adam Morris, a senior in the School of Engineering, won the $5,000 first-place prize for Power Frisbees, a first-of-its-kind automatic frisbee launcher intended for ultimate frisbee practice. “The winning pitch from Power Frisbees combined an innovative idea with true market potential,” School of Business Dean Tim Schoenecker said. “We expect the prize money will help that team move its prototype closer to market. I’ll be excited to see where Power Frisbees goes in the future.” Brayton Larson and Benjamin Kaschke won the $3,000 second-place prize for Future3D, a company that plans to offer an affordable desktop 3D printer filament extruder - a device that processes plastic pellets

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MARYVILLE - The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses has been adopted by healthcare facilities around the world to celebrate nurses for their extraordinary care and compassion. Anderson Hospital is proud to now offer this outstanding program! We thought it fitting to launch our program on the first day of National Nurses Week – a celebration that recognizes the extraordinary, compassionate care nurses provide patients and families every day. Patients, families and colleagues may nominate nurses by sharing stories and submitting examples of how they were so special. Awards are presented throughout the year at celebrations attended by the Honoree’s colleagues, patients, and visitors. Each Honoree receives a certificate commending her/him as an "Extraordinary Nurse." The certificate reads: "In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people." Honorees also receive a DAISY Award pin and a beautiful

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Granite City – Granite City Rotary Club hosted a ceremony on Tuesday morning at Calvary Life Church to recognize 18 juniors from Granite City High School as part of its 2021-22 Student of the Month program. September - Catelynn Liniger, Alex Weaver October - Gwyn Hale, Christopher Taylor November - Peyton Hatfield, Maddox Kennedy December – Alivia Vaughn, Brady Smallie January – Aleah Crenshaw, Clara Nipper February – Caylie McElroy, Lauren Wilson March – Sydney Choat, Carlee Wright April – Karen Willaredt, Mara Withers May – Rowan Wallace, Chloe Widel Honorees were presented a framed certificate from GC Rotary Club President Bobbie Smith and GCSD9 Superintendent Stephanie M. Cann, in addition to a $50 amazon gift card. Students were nominated by teachers and were chosen on the basis of academics, as well as scholastic, extracurricular, and civic honors and awards, and organization membership and leadership. For

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Edwardsville – The Edwardsville Police Department today announced it is stepping up enforcement for the Memorial Day “Click It or Ticket” campaign on May 13 – 31 and reminds motorists to buckle up. “Click It or Ticket” focuses on safety education and law enforcement support to save lives. “Seat belts have proven to be one of the best ways to save your life in a crash,” said Lt. Barry Jones. “Unfortunately, many still don’t buckle up. Worse yet, not wearing a seat belt is a habit that can be passed on to younger generations who follow the example set by their elders.” Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, a popular time for traveling to visit family and friends. Whether you are traveling down the block or across the country, make sure you buckle up every time. Wearing a seat belt can reduce the risk of fatal injury by 45%. Seat belts save lives every day, but they’re only effective if they’re

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MADISON COUNTY – Recently, Riverbend Head Start & Family Services (RHSFS) hired Precious Frazier as the new Staffing and Training Manager. She comes to the Agency with over 10 years of combined experience in Management and Human Resources. After earning her Bachelor’s in Organizational Leadership from Greenville University, Precious’ career quickly transitioned from Retail to Human Resources. Within the first few months, she became interim Human Resources Manager. Since then, Precious has developed a specialty in recruitment and retention and employee relations, also earning her MBA from Greenville University. In Precious’ current role as Staffing and Training Manager, she works closely with the hiring Supervisors and the Human Resources Director, managing full cycle employee recruitment and overseeing onboarding and orientation, ensuring compliance, monitoring credentials, and developing and implementing training strategies. Upon employment, Frazier expressed,

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ST. LOUIS - The Smashing Pumpkins today announced their North American arena tour with special guests Jane’s Addiction. Produced by Live Nation, the 32-date SPIRITS ON FIRE TOUR will commence on October 2 in Dallas, TX, and will conclude on November 19 in Los Angeles, CA at the Hollywood Bowl. Both bands revealed the exciting news live this morning exclusively on SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show. Pre-sales begin on Thursday, May 12 from 10 am local. General on-sale begins Friday, May 13 at 10 am local. For tickets and more details, go to https://smashingpumpkins.com/tour Tomorrow night, in support of The Smashing Pumpkins tour announcement, the GRAMMY® Award-winning, critically acclaimed band will be performing and talking on CBS’ The Late Late Show with James Corden. Later today, The Smashing Pumpkins will appear at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood for a commemorative ceremony in celebration of their tour announcement. Each band member will add their

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA) is reminding residents about the upcoming deadline to submit nominations for the Senior Illinoisan Hall of Fame, open to adults aged 65 and older who excel in the categories of community service, education, performance and/or graphic arts, and the labor force. “The deadline is quickly approaching to nominate an older friend, family member, or neighbor for this special recognition,” said IDoA Director Paula Basta. “Particularly as we celebrate Older Americans Month and honor the older people in our lives, the Department on Aging wants to hear from you about the ways older adults have contributed to the communities they call home.” The Senior Illinoisan Hall of Fame was established by the General Assembly in 1994 to honor older adults’ accomplishments and contributions. Each year, four Illinoisans aged 65 or older are inducted into the Hall of Fame for their work in community service, education,

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Edwardsville – David Smith, Executive Director of Illinois Family Action, is calling on pro-life voters in the 112 th District to join him in supporting the only 100 percent pro-family candidate in the race – Republican Jennifer Korte. “We look at a variety of issues when we decide to make an endorsement,” Smith said. “We are looking for candidates who will stand up for the lives of unborn children, but we also are looking for candidates who will stand up for families. The name of our organization is Illinois Family Action. Candidates who support tax increases on families or are weak on parental rights or are weak in their opposition to woke ideology being taught in schools are disqualified from consideration. We are supporting Jennifer Korte because she will be a strong advocate for Illinois families. She is a mom and someone families in the 112 th District will be proud to have as their voice in Springfield. I urge families across the 112 th District

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GODFREY – With projected job market growth in the double-digits over the next decade, students entering Lewis and Clark Community College’s Paralegal program often have job offers before completing their Paralegal Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree. Students who enroll this summer and qualify for L&C’s 30 and Out option, which is designed for students who have already earned an associate or bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, can earn their paralegal degree entirely online and complete the program requirements by December 2022. Students who do not already have a degree can take all of the major courses on the front end of the program in order to develop their paralegal skills as early as possible and save the general education requirements for the end. “The demand for paralegals is so high that employers are hiring students prior to graduation,” Program Coordinator Becky Gockel said. “Employers are hosting

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GODFREY – Rather than viewing his education as simply a means to an end, Jerseyville scholar Andrew Beck uses his time at Lewis and Clark Community College as an opportunity to mold himself into the sort of employee he wishes to be. According to Busey Bank Senior Vice President Rob Schwartz, Beck made quite an impression. “Andrew is an impressive young man,” Schwartz said. “He is respectful, confident, and eager to learn. He takes advantage of opportunities to better himself and he will, undoubtedly, achieve success in his continued education and career.” With such a strong academic record, Beck could have chosen to attend a number of schools but decided on L&C. “There were so many good reasons to choose Lewis and Clark,” he said. “It has a great reputation and it’s affordable. It’s close to me and gave me the option to attend classes remotely, which allows me to work more.” Beck is quick to credit several teachers

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ALTON – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rivers Project Office, is celebrating the beginning of the outdoor recreation season with its new, free spring festival R.E.C. Fest on Saturday, May 21st at the National Great Rivers Museum. “The entire premise of R.E.C. Fest is to kick off the recreation season by giving our community an opportunity to learn about the many ways in which someone can recreate outdoors in our region, both on public lands and off,” said Museum Director Allison Rhanor. “We’ll have over 20 booths and activity stations on-site to showcase the where and how for sports like hiking, fishing, and hunting, as well as to teach safety techniques like what to do when you’re caught outdoors in bad weather and how to properly fit a helmet or life jacket.” R.E.C. (Recreation, Education, and Conservation) Fest, which runs from 10 am – 4 pm, will host organizations such as the Illinois Department of National Resources, Alton Parks

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SPRINGFIELD, IL. - Today, Sierra Club Illinois and Prairie Rivers Network announced they are appealing the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA)’s decision to grant a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to Williamson Energy LLC, the owner of the Pond Creek coal mine. The NPDES permit, which was granted by the IEPA on April 15 , does not remedy major flaws in the 2019 draft permit, does not protect the environment, and does not adhere to Illinois or federal law. In the appeal, Sierra Club Illinois and Prairie Rivers Network, who is represented by Albert Ettinger and Great Rivers Environmental Law Center, ask the Illinois Pollution Control Board to order the IEPA to reconsider the permit in order to establish conditions necessary to protect the Big Muddy River and other Illinois waters. The IEPA granted this new NPDES permit to Williamson Energy LLC, which is a subsidiary of companies that emerged from the Murray Energy bankruptcy, despite

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EAST ST. LOUIS – The East St. Louis Police Department will have a pilot program to provide essential resources and assistance to victims thanks to a measure supported by State Senator Christopher Belt that was signed into law Tuesday. “Crime victims need to have sufficient resources to recover after a traumatic event,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “Bringing a pilot program to East St. Louis gives Metro East residents affected by crime access to vital resources.” The new law creates the Co-Responder Pilot Program in the East St. Louis Police Department in the 57 th Senate District. The unit’s primary focus will be providing crisis intervention, case management, advocacy, and ongoing emotional support to victims of all crimes, particularly to victims of crimes that cause a high level of trauma. “Every crime victim deserves respect and support,” Belt said. “This program will improve the quality of life for crime victims who are in nee

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