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ST. LOUIS – Visitation to Gateway Arch National Park jumped by 41% from 2021 to 2022 according to National Park Service visitation figures released this week. The increase is attributed to a continued rebound toward pre-pandemic levels. Visitation at the Arch grew by nearly 475,000 from about 1.15 million to approximately 1.62 million. And attendance in 2023 is off to a strong start. Park staff reported the highest January tram ridership in 17 years. “2022 was a great year for Gateway Arch National Park,” said Jeremy Sweat, superintendent of Gateway Arch National Park. “There is so much to see and do at the park, especially for visitors who haven’t been back to the Arch visitor center and museum since the completion of the CityArchRiver renovations in 2018.” While attendance continues to rise, local officials expect visitation to increase more as conferences and business travel rebound from pandemic effects. “It is exciting to see the continued

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GODFREY - The RiverBend Growth Association has chosen to honor the Alton River Dragons with its March 2023 Small Business of the Month award, as the baseball team gets ready for Season 3 at the ballpark. The Alton River Dragons are a collegiate summer baseball team, founded in 2020 as part of the Prospect League, Western Conference, Prairie Land Division. The team began playing in 2021 at Alton’s Lloyd Hopkins Field, located at Gordon Moore Park and were division champions in 2022. “The idea and mission/concept of the Alton River Dragons Baseball Team started in 2019,” noted Owner Steve Marso. “I began exploring cities for a potential expansion franchise in the Prospect League. I had worked in baseball prior for around 25 years or so but had been out of the business for about four years. I had the idea to get back into the business, and after looking at a couple of other markets, our league commissioner called and said, ‘What about Alton, Illinois?’”

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JERSEY COUNTY - Jersey County Sheriff Nick Manns said a female was airlifted to a hospital from a head-on crash on Illinois Route 109 in front of the Do Drop Inn on Tuesday afternoon. Manns said the exact condition of the person was not yet known, but the injuries appeared serious. Three vehicles were involved in the accident. Two other individuals were taken to a hospital from the crash with injuries. Traffic was diverted from the area for quite some time, but Sheriff Manns said the highway now has been reopened. The Jersey County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate the crash, Manns added.

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WOOD RIVER - Wood River Police Chief Brad Wells said Tuesday night the Wood River Police Department and Illinois Secretary of State Police are investigating an incident with a vehicle that occurred on Carringer Place today. Wood River Police investigated a situation over the weekend that was a domestic call and it was reported by one involved that a vehicle on Carringer should be checked out. Chief Wells said a Wood River Police officer saw something "that looked suspicious" in the vehicle and as a precaution, the packages were analyzed. The packages were then taken out of the vehicle to make sure everything was safe when the vehicle was eventually towed. Chief Wells thanked the Illinois Secretary of State Police for their efforts in assisting and said they do a great job. “We always have good cooperation with all the law enforcement agencies, including the Illinois Secretary of State Police,” Wells said. The vehicle was towed and the road should be reopened by 7 p.m.

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JERSEY COUNTY - The Jersey County Sheriff's Office has warned motorists to avoid the area of Illinois Highway Route 109 just north of Illinois Route 3. The sheriff's office said to avoid the area until further notice. More to come.

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GRAFTON - The Edward Amburg History Museum in Grafton has added a crown jewel with a new display of an old-time buggy once owned by Dr. Frank Baecht. The buggy owned by Dr. Frank Baecht arrived at the Edward Amburg History Museum in Grafton this past Thursday. Dr. Baecht was educated in Chicago public schools before attending St. Louis University in St. Louis. He received his Doctor of Medicine in 1895. Dr. Brecht and his family resided in Brussels and Grafton, Illinois for most of his professional career. Dr. Baecht died in 1942 and is buried in Scenic Hills Cemetery in Grafton. Mary Lillesve, a Grafton alderwoman who is focused on tourism and marketing the museum, said the old buggy is in “pristine condition" and is the nicest buggy she has ever seen on display. Linda and Larry Burton of rural Grafton donated it to the Grafton Historical Society for display at the Museum. “We have space for the buggy right in the middle of the museum,” she said. “The buggy

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GLEN CARBON - State Senator Erica Harriss (56 th -Glen Carbon) is proud to announce The Madison County Mass Transit District will receive a $388,000 grant through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Open Space Land Acquisition Development (OSLAD) program to further invest in the county’s trail system. “Our area has a strong connection to the outdoors and through this program MCT will now have funds available to enhance spaces for outdoor recreation,” said Senator Harriss. “When we can invest in outdoor projects for the people of my district, we are investing in their health, their livelihoods and overall quality of life.” Madison County Mass Transit Managing Director SJ Morrison says the funding will go towards acquiring approximately 11 acres of undeveloped and agricultural land between Old Alton Edwardsville Road in Roxana, and Rock Hill Road in Wood River. The funding is part of a multiphase plan. “The MCT Trails span more than 135

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GRAFTON - Two new playground areas in Grafton are now open and ready for children. Last fall, in Mason Hollow Park, DeSherlia Mechanical donated their time and labor to the first installation of swings and an all-accessible merry-go-round; recently, they added a safe play surface. Last week, Durbin’s Overhead Door and Construction, Inc., installed all-accessible multi-level playground sets and swings at both The Grove Memorial Park and Mason Hollow Park. The sets were purchased from Gina Wilch, owner of Play Design Scapes, Inc., of Elk Grove Village, IL, who had the equipment in stock and was willing to deliver it quickly at a very good price. A pickleball court, as well as possible improved parking and lighting, is planned for Red Hawk Park and was included in the FY 23 budget using a DCEO grant. “We are getting our parks ready for spring,” said Mayor Morrow. “We have an active Parks Committee led by our new chairwoman, Cheryl Rawe, from First Ward.”

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GLEN CARBON – The Village of Glen Carbon will be celebrating its 131 st Homecoming celebration over Father’s Day weekend on Fri., June 16 and Sat., June 17, 2023. Main Street will be filled with great music, a wide variety of food and drink options, carnival rides, entertainment and more. The celebration will begin at 5 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday nights. Sponsorship opportunities are available for local businesses that would like to promote brand awareness while also supporting a popular community event. For generations, this free-to-attend festival has entertained guests of all ages with the help of its generous sponsors. Various levels of Homecoming Sponsorships and more information about the event can be found by visiting the Village of Glen Carbon’s website at www.glencarbonil.gov and select “Village Events” under the Your Community tab. In addition to rides, games, food and refreshments, entertainment includes the well-known

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COLUMBIA, Ill. – A devastating overnight fire destroyed the home at Charlotte Avenue in the Stonegate Estates subdivision of a well-known local car dealer George "Skip" Weber IV, and his wife, Lori. Columbia Fire Protection District Chief Mike Roediger said Tuesday morning the fire began around 2:15 a.m. Monday. When firefighters arrived the structure was fully event, the Columbia Fire Protection District Chief Roediger reported. Neighboring fire agencies were also called to assist the Columbia Fire team. Prairie Du Pont, Mehlville, Dupo, and Waterloo Fire Departments assisted Columbia, the chief said. It took a few hours to extinguish the blaze with the group battling the fire together. George and Lori were able to get out of the home safely and their children were also not present, but reportedly came to the scene to console their parents. Roedgier said the Illinois State Fire Marshal is investigating the blaze, but Chief Roediger said there was no reason to believe anything

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EAST ST. LOUIS – A federal jury convicted four leaders of the Gangster Disciples on Tuesday for their participation in a years-long interstate racketeering conspiracy involving drug trafficking, witness tampering, and multiple murders. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the four defendants were members of the Gangster Disciples, a gang with a decades-long history of lawlessness and violence. The Gangster Disciples have a presence throughout the United States, including in state and federal prisons. The gang employs a structured hierarchy, with leadership positions such as national “Board Members” and state “Governors.” As part of their efforts to maintain control of the gang, the defendants murdered two other members who opposed their regime. On May 18, 2018, Warren Griffin, aka GG, aka Big Head, 53, of Glenwood, Illinois, drove to the south side of Chicago with fellow Gangster Disciples Board Member Anthony Dobbins to murder

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ROXANA - Abbrey DeWerffs was a state qualifier this past wrestling season, capturing third place at sectionals. She made history as the Shells’ first female state qualifier in girls wrestling. Abbrey qualified in the 190-pound weight category, although she weighs 170 pounds. For her wrestling accomplishments, Abbrey is a Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for the Shells. This is a recap of her record with significant wins on Trackwrestling.com in her career: She won IKWF Girls State in 2015, 2016, 2017, and placed fifth in 2018 after some tough weight changes, and won again in 2019. She made it to state in 2020 but it was canceled due to COVID. She was also a boys state qualifier in 2020 as well but it was canceled for COVID. In 2019, Abbey was also the Girls Freestyle State Champ as well. So in 2019, she won Girls Folkstyle and Freestyle Girls State Championships. In 2018 she won fifth at U.S. Marine Corps Girls Nationals. Most of these tournaments

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PIASA - Sophomore Gracie Darr played a big role for Southwestern's girls' basketball team this season and has a bright future ahead. She is the point guard and handles the ball a considerable amount for the Piasa Birds. Gracie is an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for the Piasa Birds. Southwestern head girls basketball coach Darren Mosley said Gracie has "a great attitude and works very hard." "Gracie is good at involving her teammates in the offense," Coach Mosley said. "Gracie always does whatever is best for the team with a very good attitude." Gracie is also a good volleyball player for the Piasa Birds and was a starter on the varsity team for the last two years as a setter. Gracie also helps coach her sister's fourth-grade basketball team in her spare time. Coach Mosley said Gracie is the definition of a point guard. "She is always trying to set up her teammates for success and is extremely unselfish," he said. "She is the daughter of

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ALTON - The Alton Committee of the Whole approved several items at their brief meeting on Monday, March 6, many of which were laid over from the last City Council meeting - including a lease and scheduling agreement with Viking USA, American Rescue Plan Act fund spending on priority projects, several property bids/demolitions and more. A resolution authorizing the City of Alton to enter into a Lease Agreement and Scheduling Agreement with Viking USA, LLC was unanimously approved by the Committee after being laid over at the last City Council meeting. At that previous meeting, Alderman Ray Strebel indicated he had been in talks with Viking and they agreed to concede certain terms of the original agreement before the Committee voted on it again at this most recent meeting. The Committee also voted to approve two resolutions regarding the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) spending for priority projects within the City of Alton. The first resolution was to approve reimbursing the company

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Graduate School has recognized Cedric Harville, II, PhD, MPH, with the 2022-23 Vaughnie Lindsay New Investigator Award for his exemplary scholarship and commitment to conducting outstanding and timely research. Harville is an assistant professor in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior’s (SEHHB) Department of Applied Health. His research interests include men’s health, weight management, health disparities and food insecurity. "I am humbled to receive such a prestigious award,” said Harville. “My proposed project aims to address obesity-related health disparities among African Americans by addressing food access and understanding food choices in East St. Louis.” Harville will receive a combined $12,500 from the SIUE Graduate School and SEHHB to be used in a one-year period. The funding will support his research project entitled, “Understanding Grocery Shopping Habits

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GODFREY - Two documentaries produced for and in conjunction with the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC sm ) are hitting the national stage this month at the Inaugural World Water Film Festival in New York City. “Mussel Grubbing: A Citizen Science Treasure Hunt,” focusing on the Illinois RiverWatch program’s citizen science work, will kick off the festival. The film’s star, Nina Carmichael, a volunteer and citizen scientist, will be a keynote speaker for the event. “When we began planning ‘Mussel Grubbing,’ we were hoping to demystify the process of scientific research and to empower members of the local community to know that they can make a real contribution to science and environmental quality in their own neighborhoods,” said RiverWatch Director and Stream Ecologist Danelle Haake, who is also featured in the film. “The completed film has surpassed our expectations and is helping us grow our RiverWatch

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JERSEYVILLE - Jersey State Bank continued its long-standing tradition of the Scholarship Essay Contest and recently announced the winners. The 2023 winner was Jack Dohrn of Jersey Community High School, son of Chris and Heather Dohrn, and he received $1,000. Morgan Klaas from Brussels High School, daughter of Timothy and Angela Klaas, received $750 for second place and Drake Goetten from Jersey Community High School, son of Aaron and Kelly, received $500 for third place. The topic for this year’s essay was “How are fintechs impacting the banking industry?” Check presentations to the winners and their parents were held at the bank on February 23. Mark Schaefer, President and CEO, and Anna Fessler, Trust Administrator congratulated the students on a job well done and wished them every success for a bright future as they pursue their educational goals at the college level. The top three essays have been sent on to the Community Bankers Association of Illinois Foundation

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GODFREY - One lucky person won $350,000 Sunday evening from a Lucky Day Lotto ticket sold at a Godfrey gas station. Godfrey MotoMart, located at 5311 Godfrey Rd. sold the winning ticket. The lucky winner hit all five numbers in the evening draw: 7-18-20-26-34 to win the $350,000 cash prize. Winners have one year from the date of the winning draw in which to claim their prize. The Illinois Lottery encourages all lucky winners to write their name on the back of their ticket and keep it in a safe place until they’re ready to claim their prize. Lucky Day Lotto is played twice a day, seven days a week. For more information or to buy tickets online, please visit IllinoisLottery.com .

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CHICAGO - In recognition of National Consumer Protection Week, Attorney General Kwame Raoul today shared the Top 10 consumer complaints his office received last year and highlighted his office’s work to protect consumers’ personal data online. “During National Consumer Protection Week, I encourage Illinois residents to visit my office’s website and social media channels to learn more about common consumer complaints and how to protect themselves,” Raoul said. “Identity theft was among our top three consumer complaints last year. As we increasingly shop online and use apps that collect personal data, my office is working to help consumers protect their information by educating them about best practices and holding accountable those who violate their privacy or do not reasonably protect their personal information.” The Attorney General’s office took several actions last year to safeguard digital privacy. Raoul announced a more than $391

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced today the Attorney General’s office obtained a guilty plea in a case against a Williamson County woman who unlawfully possessed fentanyl. In a case Raoul’s office prosecuted in Williamson County Circuit Court, Linnea O’Neal, 46, of Norris City, Illinois pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony. As a first time offender, O’Neal will serve two years of probation in which she must perform 30 hours of community service, submit to drug treatment and testing, and pay $3,500 for fines and fees. Additionally, O’Neal can no longer have employment with access to controlled substances. “The opioid epidemic has tragically affected too many people in Illinois, and we must take a comprehensive approach to addressing it,” Raoul said. “I am committed to holding accountable individuals who distribute fentanyl in our communities. Health care professionals who have

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