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As the year comes to a close, the excitement of New Year’s Eve fills the air. Hosting a New Year’s Eve party at home can be a fantastic way to celebrate the past year while ushering in the new one with friends and family. Whether you’re planning an intimate gathering or a large bash, creating a memorable experience requires thoughtful planning and organization. This article outlines key steps to ensure your New Year’s Eve party is a success. Setting the Date and Time While New Year’s Eve is traditionally celebrated on December 31, the time you choose to start the festivities can impact the overall vibe of your party. Many hosts opt for an early evening start time, allowing guests to arrive, enjoy food and drinks, and engage in activities before the countdown to midnight. A typical schedule might involve guests arriving around 7 PM with dinner served by 8 PM, leaving ample time for games, conversations, and the all-important countdown. Choosing a Theme

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As we stand at the cusp of a new year, December 31st has been a day of both reflection and transformation throughout history. One of the most significant events that took place on December 31st occurred in 1907 when the first New Year's Eve ball drop took place in Times Square, New York City. This iconic tradition began as a way to celebrate the opening of One Times Square and has since evolved into a global symbol of New Year's celebrations. As the clock strikes midnight, millions gather in the heart of Manhattan to witness the spectacular descent of the illuminated ball, marking the transition into a new year with hope and anticipation. Fast forward to 1946, December 31st marked a pivotal moment in the realm of international relations. The United Nations General Assembly held its first meeting in London. This was a significant step towards fostering global cooperation and peace following the tumultuous events of World War II. The UN was created to prevent future conflicts and

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COLLINSVILLE - Antonio Dean III, who's a junior forward for the boys basketball team at Granite City High School, is emerging as one of the leaders on a young Warriors' team that recently played four games at the 40th Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic tournament. He is showing strong leadership skills and savvy for the Warriors. Antonio is a Stillwater Senior Living Male Athlete of the Month for the Warriors. In Granite's only win of the tournament, a 52-47 triumph over Mundelein in the consolation quarterfinals, Dean scored 12 points, and helped the Warriors come back from numerous deficits to take the win. For the season, Dean is averaging 6.1 points and 0.9 rebounds-per-game, and also has eight assists and 13 steals as the Warriors are currently 5-10 after the tournament. In a postgame interview that followed the win over the Mustangs, Dean felt solid about his effort and was happy to help the team out in any way he could. "I'm feeling good," Dean said. "We started

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GRANITE CITY – Granite City High School Principal Tim McChristian announced that 586 students earned Honor Roll accolades for the first semester of the 2024-25 school year. Students who obtained a grade point average of 5.0 or higher during the first semester earned high honors, while students with a 4.2-4.999 GPA with no D earned was named to the honor roll. All GPAs are based on the current semester GPA (not cumulative). To view the complete list of honorees, click below: HIGH HONOR ROLL - 256 honorees HONOR ROLL - 330 honorees For more information about Granite City School District #9, visit www.gcsd9.net . TO READ ONLINE: https://www.gcsd9.net/default-board-post-page/~board/gcsd9/post/gchs-announces-2024-fall-semester-honor-roll

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SPRINGFIELD – Under the leadership of Gov. JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Transportation continued to revitalize and modernize transportation and mobility across the state in 2024. Made possible by the governor’s historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program, projects transformed highways, transit, railroads, airports, waterways and active transportation everywhere Illinois residents call home, creating safer and more reliable travel options while boosting economic opportunity for generations to come. Passed in 2019, Rebuild Illinois is investing $45 billion in the state's aging infrastructure, creating jobs and promoting economic growth. Through Sept. 30, approximately $17.2 billion in improvements were made statewide on 6,791 miles of highway, 711 bridges and 1,031 additional safety improvements, ranging from routine maintenance projects and minor resurfacings to extensive interstate and bridge reconstructions. “Our state's infrastructure ha

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SPRINGFIELD - Lose 10 pounds? Eat healthier? Exercise more? All great New Year’s resolutions – but how about resolving to get control of your finances? “Starting the new year with a fresh commitment to review and better manage your money is a great way to kick off 2025,” says Comptroller Mendoza. “It might be scary to take a hard look at your financial situation, but it’s the only way to get a handle on debt, save for future needs and make the most of your hard-earned dollars.” Here are some tips to get started: Lay it all out there: Be honest about your money habits and get real about what you need to do to meet goals like saving for retirement, college tuition or a big vacation. Review debt and make a plan to pay off things like credit cards and cars. Tackle that debt: This can be as simple as paying a little extra each month, which will help save on interest charges in the long run. Think about what will motivate you…paying

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ALTON — A 58-year-old man from Alton, was killed Sunday evening, Dec. 29, 2024, after being struck by a vehicle while riding his motorized bicycle on Humbert Road. The Madison County Coroner's Office identified the victim as Steven J. Coryell. The incident occurred at approximately 6:26 p.m. on Dec. 29, 2024, when Coryell was riding northbound on Humbert Road, just north of Randolph Street in unincorporated Alton. He was struck from behind by a vehicle. Coroner’s Office Investigator Shelbi Frakes pronounced him dead at the scene at 7:05 p.m. The coroner's office said preliminary findings indicate that Coryell died from blunt head and chest trauma. A final cause of death will be determined following a forensic autopsy examination and routine toxicology tests. The crash is currently under investigation by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and the Madison County Coroner’s Office. Funeral arrangements for Coryell are pending and are being handled by Paynic Funeral

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ALTON — A 28-year-old man from Alton died after being struck by a train on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, in Godfrey. Madison County Coroner Nicholas P. Novacich identified the victim as David A. Sproull, who was pronounced dead at 9 a.m. that day on the scene. According to the Madison County Coroner's Office, Sproull was walking along the railroad tracks in the 500 block of Big Arch Road when he was hit by the train. The incident was reported to 911 at 8:30 a.m. "Preliminary investigations indicate that the cause of death was blunt head trauma, with a final determination pending the results of routine toxicology tests," the Madison County Coroner's Office said. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office and the Madison County Coroner’s Office are conducting an ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. Funeral arrangements for Sproull are being handled by Gent Funeral Home in Alton, Illinois.

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GLEN CARBON — Father McGivney Catholic High School's girls cross country team has made a significant mark in the sport, with seniors Elena Rybak, Jane Cummins, and Isabella Harris contributing to the program's success. The team has qualified for the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) 1A Cross Country State Championships in Peoria for four consecutive years, a feat that head coach Jim Helton attributes to their dedication and talent. In a recent statement, Helton praised the seniors, saying, "Our seniors Elena Rybak, Jane Cummins, and Isabella Harris were part of 4-straight IHSA 1A Cross Country State Championship qualifications; excellence in the making." Cummins, who has been recognized as a Byron, Carlson, Petri & Kalb Female Athlete of the Month for the Griffins, expressed her enthusiasm for the sport in an interview earlier this season. "I always looking forward to running in Peoria," she said, highlighting the excitement surrounding the upcoming competitions. As one

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WOOD RIVER — Isaiah Kolmer recently wrapped up a noteworthy cross-country career with the East Alton-Wood River Oilers, demonstrating resilience and determination following the death of his mother last year. Kolmer achieved a personal record time of 17:36.2 on October 26, 2024, at the IHSA Class 1A Regional Meet held at Trenton Wesclin. His performance in the meet marked a significant highlight in a season that also included a fifth-place finish with a time of 17:46.4 at the East Alton-Wood River Invite and a 21st-place finish at the Cahokia Conference Meet, where he clocked in at 17:42.0. Kolmer is a Midwest Members Credit Union Male Athlete Of the Month for the Oilers. He was also the Alton Road Runners' Club Male Runner of the Year for East Alton-Wood River. Russ Colona, the head boys cross-country coach for the Oilers, praised Kolmer's tenacity. "He overcame a lot. It is very tough for a kid to lose their mother when they are so young," Colona said. Although Kolmer narrowly

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ALTON - Alton Little Theater has rescheduled their “Sing in the New Year” concert, and they can’t wait to welcome audiences to the performance in February. At 2 p.m. on Feb. 15, 2025, at ALT, community members can enjoy Broadway hits, from the Golden Age to the contemporary stage. The show will feature local singer Thomas M. Taylor IV. Lee Cox, the theater’s business manager, expressed her excitement to host the concert and share Taylor’s voice with the Riverbend region. “We decided we wanted to ‘Sing in the New Year’ and just really start it out with a bang,” she said. “Of course, the theater has some plumbing issues right now, so we need to sell a lot more tickets.” ALT recently announced that they will be closed for four to six weeks as they work to completely replace their sewer system. They are trying to raise $50,000 to replace the sewer system and make up for lost revenue; you can donate here

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ALTON - Alton Little Theater needs $50,000 to repair a major plumbing issue. The theater, located at 2450 Henry Street in Alton, has an aging sewer system that has "completely failed,” according to Eric Sykes, the new executive director. ALT has rescheduled several performances, and they’re asking for the community’s help to replace the sewer system. “We have the components to survive and make it, if we could just get this repair done,” said Lee Cox, business manager. “We have a beautiful building. It’s nicer than a lot of community theaters. We have costumes and we have props and we have the things that we need, except now we need 200 feet of water pipe.” According to the theater’s GoFundMe , ALT needs to replace the 70-year-old 150-foot sewer line that runs under the parking lot. The repairs will cost $30,000, and ALT anticipates they will lose $20,000 in revenue for the four to six weeks that they will be closed. Sy

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ALTON - Alton Little Theater is facing a temporary closure of four to six weeks to address a serious facility repair involving 70 year old pipes (some 200 feet of them) breaking down and rendering restrooms unusable. Of course, this came about during the very successful run of "A Christmas Carol" and the theater rented mobile bathrooms at an exorbitant price to finish the run of shows to full houses, but now the serious business of obtaining bids and funding repairs as soon as possible is taking place. Eric Sykes, new Executive Director and Lee Cox (currently serving as Business Manager) are working with the entire Board of Directors and have rescheduled every single show and concert for the 91st season to start up again on Feb. 14, 2025 and run through May 31, 2025. Hopefully, repairs can be made in January, while casts rehearse around town and await the joyful time when we can all be back in the Showplace, which has been home to thousands of performers and patrons for 91 years.

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ROXANA - Roxana junior Daisy Daugherty has made headlines with her exceptional performance on the basketball court, establishing a new school record for three-pointers in a single game. Daugherty’s sixth three-pointer marked a career-best, while her eighth set a new benchmark for the Roxana Shells, previously held by Taylor Vorhees. Athletic Director Mark Briggs confirmed the record, noting that Daugherty's performance has been a significant highlight for the team this season. "Daisy epitomizes the definition of a student-athlete," he said. "She’s solid both inside and outside of the lines, maintaining high standards on the court and in the classroom." Daisy is a Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for the Shells. Daugherty's achievements extend beyond individual accolades. In the recent Waterloo Holiday Tournament, she led the Shells with 19 points in a game against Red Bud and followed that with a 17-point performance in another contest. She scored

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ST. LOUIS - The following statement can be attributed to me as a spokesperson for the City of St. Louis: "Earlier today, a sensor was activated on the second floor of City Hall, followed by the accidental activation of the active shooter alarm button. As a precautionary measure, first responders quickly arrived on the scene to ensure the safety of all individuals in the building. After a thorough assessment, it was confirmed that there was no active shooter or threat to public safety. City Hall operations have since resumed as normal. We commend the swift response of our first responders and appreciate the cooperation of staff and visitors during this time. Public safety remains our top priority, and we are reviewing protocols to prevent accidental alarms in the future." --

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Former President Jimmy Carter, who served from 1977 to 1981 and became a prominent humanitarian after leaving office, passed away recently, prompting an outpouring of tributes from political leaders across the nation. President-Elect Donald Trump issued comments on the passing of the country's 39th president in two Truth Social posts. Carter, 100, died Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, at his home in Plains, Ga. "I just heard of the news about the passing of President Jimmy Carter. Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History," Trump said on Truth Social. "The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude." Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker expressed his condolences, stating, “President

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SHILOH — A 22-year-old woman has been charged with attempted first-degree murder following a stabbing incident that left her male partner in critical condition. The incident occurred early Saturday morning, Dec. 28, 2024, in the 2600 block of Sierra Drive in Shiloh. According to the Shiloh Police Department, officers were dispatched to the scene at approximately 1:04 a.m. in response to reports of a man who had been stabbed in the chest. Upon arrival, officers from both Shiloh and O’Fallon provided life-saving measures to the victim until emergency medical services arrived. The victim was subsequently transported to a local hospital, where he remains in critical condition. The suspect, identified as Marnequa T. Allen, was taken into custody at the scene. On Dec. 29, 2024, the St. Clair County Assistant State's Attorney Derek Smith issued a two-count warrant against Allen, charging her with attempted first-degree murder, classified as a Class X felony, and aggravated domestic

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As the calendar year draws to a close, many individuals and organizations begin to reflect on the past and look forward to what the New Year will bring. Preparing for the New Year isn't just about setting resolutions; it's an opportunity to evaluate where you stand, to plan for future goals, and to create a framework for success. In this article, we will explore effective strategies for preparing for the New Year, from personal reflections and goal setting to practical organizational steps. Reflect on the Past Year Before you can effectively plan for the New Year, it's essential to take stock of the year that has just passed. Reflecting on your experiences can provide valuable insights into your strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. Journaling : Take some time to write about your experiences over the past year. What were your biggest achievements? What challenges did you face? Journaling can help you identify patterns in your behavior and decision-making processes.

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As the winter months roll in, the air becomes crisp, and the days grow shorter, there's nothing quite like indulging in a warm, comforting dessert. Winter desserts not only cater to our sweet cravings but also evoke feelings of nostalgia and warmth, making them a perfect treat for gatherings, holidays, or cozy nights in. This year, let’s explore some of the best winter desserts that are sure to delight your taste buds and bring joy to your palate. Classic Winter Favorites 1. Gingerbread Cookies Gingerbread cookies are a quintessential winter delight. Infused with spices like ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, these cookies embody the essence of the season. They are not only delicious but also versatile; you can decorate them with royal icing, create festive shapes, or even make a gingerbread house for a fun family activity. Tip: For extra flavor, consider adding a touch of molasses to your dough. It enhances the depth of flavor and gives the cookies a beautiful color. 2. Chocola

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December 30th has witnessed a plethora of significant events throughout history, shaping the world in various ways. One of the most impactful events in history occurred on December 30, 1922, when the Soviet Union was officially established. This marked the beginning of a new political era in Russia and had far-reaching consequences for the global landscape. Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, sought to create a socialist state. The formation of the Soviet Union united several republics under a single government, fundamentally altering the geopolitical dynamics of the 20th century. Over the next several decades, the Soviet Union would become a superpower, influencing global politics, economics, and culture. In 1953, on December 30th, another historical milestone occurred with the discovery of the structure of DNA by James Watson and Francis Crick. Their groundbreaking work unveiled the double helix structure of DNA, laying the foundation

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