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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police and law enforcement agencies throughout the state are reminding the public to buckle up and drive sober this Thanksgiving. Motorists will see hundreds of additional seat belt enforcement zones and other enforcement patrols looking for seat belt law violators and drug- and alcohol-impaired drivers through Nov. 28. “Unfortunately, some drivers and their passengers will travel without ever buckling their seat belts. Seat belts save lives. It really is that simple,” said IDOT’s Director of Highways Project Implementation Steve Travia . “Driving distracted or impaired significantly increases the likelihood of a crash and not wearing your seat belt increases your risk of serious injury or death even more.” During the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in Illinois last year, 10 people were killed in crashes. “Each year in Illinois, lives are needlessly lost simply because

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The Madison County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Marcos Pulido announced on Tuesday morning, Nov. 21, 2023, that Amanda Cunningham, 36, who had been reported missing had been located and was safe and sound. Cunningham was determined missing on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, and has not been heard from since, her family said this morning, Monday, Nov. 20, 2023. Pulido thanked everyone for their assistance in the matter. The family and sheriff's office had been searching for the woman who had been missing since last Friday.

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ELSAH - Take a step back in time this holiday season while strolling the historic streets of Elsah, IL, often called the town that time forgot, during Elsah’s annual Home for the Holidays House Tour from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, December 2. A total of 18 historic buildings will be open for the event, including eight private homes, the two-room school house, Farley Music Hall, the Elsah Museum, the bed and breakfast inns, churches and villages shops. Tickets for the annual Holiday House Tour are $20 in advance or $25 on the day of the tour. Ticket prices include a tour booklet with a photo and description of each building, musical performances, and a self-guided walk thru the historic village filled with sounds of the season from local caroling groups. “Since the 1970’s, the Village of Elsah has offered house tours for visitors who can’t wait to get a look inside some of its beautiful historic homes and buildings,” said Blair Smith, one of the organizers

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ALTON - An updated version of the Alton public camping ban was given preliminary approval at Monday’s Committee of the Whole meeting . After being laid over for months of discussion and debate from community members, the item now goes to the City Council for full approval on Tuesday night. The latest version of the ordinance, which would ban “unauthorized encampments” in Alton and the storage of personal property on public property, features notable changes from the first draft introduced in September . The previous version’s fines of $75 to $750 for first-time violations have been changed to a maximum of $100. Fines for subsequent violations went from $500 to $750 for each offense to a max of $500 each. All fines issued under the ordinance can now be satisfied by either cash payment or community service. The old ordinance gave “the court” the sole power to determine whether or not community service was an acceptable means of deterrence

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ALTON - Art Williams is a special man and has an equally special group of friends - The Big Dogs - who honored him before his 100th birthday on Dec. 3, 2023. Godfrey Mayor Mike Mike McCormick read a proclamation that makes this Dec. 3, 2023, “Art Williams Day” in the village. “We are excited about Art’s birthday,” McCormick said. “He is one heck of a guy and one of my better friends. He is one of the smartest people I have ever met.” Art said he was very thankful for the club honoring him and is looking forward to his family marking his actual birthday with him. "These are a great bunch of guys," he said. "I am part of the group. I am thankful they did this today." In 2022, Art was the parade marshal of the Alton Memorial Day Parade. Art served in World War II and is a veteran who was in the service from 1942 to 1945. He served in the Pacific for a period during World War II. He also is a former plant manager at the old Shell Refinery

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GLEN CARBON – Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSofSI) has wrapped up the annual Fall Product Program for 2023. Girls in Southern Illinois crushed it this fall, selling over $525,000 in tasty treats, magazines, and other fun products. Let’s give a shout out to the following girls for being Fall Product Top Sellers for their respective areas: Alvina Farley from the Alton/Godfrey/Wood River/Roxana Service Unit sold $1,415 in product Riley Isaak from the Granite City/Madison/Venice Service Unit sold $1,409 in product Katelynn Norman from the Bethalto Service Unit sold $2,230 in product Kinsley Godier from the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Service Unit sold $1,293 in product Allison Malter from the Troy/St. Jacob Service Unit sold $1,234 in product Layla Basso from the Highland Service Unit sold $1,370 in product Margeaux Williams from the Collinsville Service Unit sold $701 in product “Our Girl Scouts continue to amaze me with their entrepreneurial spirit

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HARTFORD – The 220 th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Expedition’s arrival at their Illinois winter encampment will be commemorated with “Arrival at Camp River Dubois” Dec. 9-10 at the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site in Madison County. Activities will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. inside the site’s interpretive center. The event is free and open to the public. Reenactors and demonstrators will interpret life for the Lewis and Clark Expedition soldiers while wintering at Camp River Dubois from December 1803 to May 1804. Visitors will see how the training and preparation at Camp River Dubois forged the Corps of Discovery and prepared it for a strenuous journey. Soldiers in period uniform will be on site. Lewis and Clark Expedition uniforms can be seen on demonstrators of the White Pirogue boat. The War of 1812 artillery unit will display and interpret their cannon and equipment. Some of the Expedition soldiers went on to serve during this

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ALTON - State Senator Erica Harriss partnered with Meridian Health and Alton’s Crisis Food Center to hand out 150 turkeys and hams to Riverbend residents. From 1–3 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, cars lined the block around Crisis Food Center, located at 21 East 6th Street in Alton, to receive 75 hams and 75 turkeys in honor of Thanksgiving. Harriss noted that she enjoys days like this when she can work directly with constituents in her district. “Springfield is a big place,” Harriss said. “There’s only so much control you can have, whereas here back in the district, we have a whole lot more control over how much we can be helping people in the community. That was one of the things when I came in in January, I said, ‘Okay, as much as we can do locally and have an impact on, we’re going to go for and make that a big effort.’” Crisis Food Center chose people in the community to receive the food. Volunteers from Crisis and

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ALTON - There are many examples of a giving spirit in the area but one of the best each year is the Alton Turkey Giveaway sponsored by TorHoerman Law Firm for the past 10 years. This past Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, they once again distributed 500 turkeys along with sides that will make this Thanksgiving Day much more meaningful and festive to families. The coordinators of the event said the event upholds a decade-long tradition of giving and spreading joy and support to the local community. This year, the event was held at the Alton Amphitheater at 1 Riverfront Drive and several volunteered to direct traffic along with the Alton Police and even Alton Mayor David Goins. Kristie Stephens, executive legal assistant and event coordinator of the Turkey Giveaway for TorHoerman, said: “The Turkey Giveaway is such a blessing to the community and it blesses our firm to see all the love being shown during this grand event. We look forward to this event every year because we know how muc

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HIGHLAND - A nationwide Make-A-Wish fundraiser is making its way to Highland this December, and bringing with it hot chocolate, beautiful holiday lights, and family fun - all to support a great cause and see more wishes granted this holiday season. A Hot Chocolate ‘Walk For Wishes” fundraiser will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023, at Highland Town Square. Registration fees are $25 for adults, $15 for youths age 5-17, and free for children age 4 & under. Visit this link to register online. Walk For Wishes participants will kick off the holiday season with a cup of hot chocolate and a stroll through a holiday lights display adorning Highland Town Square. The event will also feature a meet-and-greet and photo opportunity with Santa, as well as a scavenger hunt activity for children ages 5 and under. The full schedule of activities is as follows: 11 a.m. - Check-in (at the north side of the gazebo) 11 a.m. - Check-in for Scavenger Hunt for

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CARLINVILLE - Carlinville Police Chief Derek Graham on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, released additional information about the shooting on Sunday . This is his release: "At 5:44 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023, the Carlinville Police Department received a notification on the license plate reading system, indicating that a suspect, entering Carlinville may be armed and dangerous in a stolen vehicle. The suspect was stopped at the Carlinville Area Hospital parking lot. "While initiating contact, the suspect is alleged to have pointed a gun at a Carlinville Police officer. The officer fired his gun, striking the suspect. The suspect was taken to a regional hospital with life-threatening injuries. The officer was not injured, and the investigation is ongoing and being conducted by the Illinois State Police."

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How do I find myself in these situations? I once watched a TED Talk by Shonda Rhimes about her “Year of Yes” — that is, the year she spent saying “yes” to every opportunity that came her way. It’s an inspiring speech and one I have taken to heart, and while my new “yes” motto has led to great experiences, it has also opened the door to some of the weirdest things I’ve ever done. Case in point: Here I was, house-sitting, in charge of five dogs, two cows and a beautiful garden. I am not a farmer. I am not even a gardener. My plants, which sit on the windowsill in my office, are currently holding on for dear life. But suddenly, I had a whole mini farm relying on me. My biggest concern (literally) was the cows. Baby Cow had been orphaned. Big Cow was a very patient honey-colored heifer who Baby Cow had imprinted on. Baby Cow had to be bottle-fed and was so excited when he saw me coming that he would headbutt the wooden fence

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EDWARDSVILLE/GLEN CARBON - Over 1,500 community members gathered at The Gingham Buffalo for a night of free holiday spirit during the second annual Miracle on Main Street event on Nov. 10, 2023. Boheme Boutique , Seams For The Soul Boutique and The Gingham Buffalo teamed up to organize Miracle on Main Street with the help of other local businesses, who sponsored free carriage rides, pictures with Santa, face painting, a hot chocolate bar and more. Cara Miller, owner of Seams For The Soul Boutique, said the businesses “made a really good team” and the event itself was “definitely a festive evening.” “Everyone seemed really happy. It was very magical,” she added. “Luckily, our community is just so supportive of small business.” Attendees could start their holiday shopping or enjoy a snack from Earth Candy, Dippidy Donuts and Simpson House Bake Shop. Everything else at the event was completely free, which was a change from

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GODFREY - The Village of Godfrey will host their 18th annual completely free Snowflake Festival for community members to get into the holiday spirit. From 6–8:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, families can enjoy horse-drawn carriage rides, crafts, s’mores, Santa and more at Robert E. Glazebrook Community Park in Godfrey. The event is free and open to the public. The Godfrey Parks and Recreation Department will also be collecting donations for Toys for Tots . “It’s just a good time to kind of spread the holiday cheer and get the residents and the surrounding areas involved in our community around Glazebrook,” explained Jordan Gintz, Godfrey’s Recreation Supervisor. “We have Santa come out, we have horse-drawn carriage rides, hot chocolate and cookies, s’mores that you can roast on a fire, all kinds of stuff for the kids to do. We have the Optimist Club come out, and they do a craft with the kids, help them make reindeer food.”

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EAST ST. LOUIS - Before leaving for their holiday break on Friday, Nov. 17, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS) students sat down to a school tradition – a meal of turkey, dressing, and all the fixings. “We are grateful for every one of you. You are valued, and we see each of you,” said CHS Director Gina Jeffries, EdD, to the scholars who had assembled in the Multipurpose Room on the Wyvetter H. Younge Higher Education Campus. “I’m extremely grateful to be here at Charter High School. You scholars make me proud every day, and I am also grateful for the Charter High School staff.” Prior to the meal, Jeffries led off the customary expressions of thankfulness, offered by selected CHS staff and students. “As a scholar, I’m grateful to wake up and be able to be around teachers who care for me, and who I know will help me out,” said CHS senior Theodric Belt Jr. “I’m thankfu

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced that subpoenas have been issued to the CEOs of Discord, Snap, and X (formerly known as Twitter) to testify at the December 6 full committee hearing on online child sexual exploitation. The Committee remains in discussion with Meta and TikTok and expects their CEOs—Mark Zuckerberg and Shou Zi Chew—will agree to testify voluntarily. The hearing will allow Committee members to press CEOs from some of the world’s largest social media companies on their failures to protect children online. “Since the beginning of this Congress, our Committee has rallied around a key bipartisan issue: protecting children from the dangers of the online world. It’s at the top of every parent’s mind, and Big Tech’s failure to police itself at the expense of our kids cannot go unanswered,”

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ALTON - The 34th Annual Olde Alton Arts and Craft Fair will invite almost 200 crafters to sell their wares on Dec. 2–3, 2023. Community members are encouraged to stop by Alton High School throughout the weekend to start their Christmas shopping and support local artisans and the Alton Band and Orchestra Builders (ABOB). ABOB is a nonprofit that promotes the music program at Alton Community Unit School District #11 (ACUSD11). “Alton is known for its musical program in the area, and ABOB is happy to support that,” said ABOB member and fair organizer Dave Fritz. “This is truly a craft fair. We do ask that our crafters — and I’m very conscious about using that word: our crafters, not vendors, but our crafters — their products are at least 51% handmade. So it’s truly a craft fair, and we try to maintain that.” Fritz said there’s a “wide variety” of crafts, many of which are Christmas-themed. Jewelry, wood art,

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EAST ST. LOUIS – Applications for Back to Business grants through the NewBiz program open Nov. 30, and State Senator Christopher Belt is encouraging newer local businesses to apply for the funding. “When the pandemic surfaced in 2020, many new small businesses all over the state were hit hard,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “Through B2B NewBiz, we are finally giving these small business owners a chance to receive the help they have long deserved.” Businesses that launched in 2020 or 2021 and remain in operation faced significant impacts during the pandemic, but they have not been eligible for other federal or state relief programming since they were not operational prior to the pandemic. To qualify for the B2B NewBiz program, businesses must have launched between Jan. 2020 and Dec. 2021 and be in an industry that was particularly impacted by the pandemic (outlined here ), or a business that was started by an individual or individuals who became unemployed durin

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EDWARDSVILLE - COUNTRY Financial Representatives Duane Jones and Carol Stolze are proud the work with the Madison County Child Advocacy Center to conduct their Second Annual PJ & Book Drive. The drive kicked off mid-November and will run through Wednesday, December 6 th . Items can be purchased and delivered to the COUNTRY Financial office located at 105 Southpointe Dr., Edwardsville, IL. Donors also can shop online through the drive’s Amazon wish list: PJ & Book Drive . “The Madison County CAC is an amazing resource in our community for children who have suffered abuse. Many in our community are not aware of the great work they do to provide a safe, comfortable environment for young people to share their traumatic experiences with trained professionals. To create a more supportive environment, we want to make sure they all have a warm, comfortable set of PJs and a good book to read,” said COUNTRY Financial representative Duane Jones. “When we delivered

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GODFREY - Amanda Cunningham, 36, has been reported missing and it is being investigated by the Madison County Sheriff's Office. Cunningham was determined missing on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, and has not been heard from since, her family said this morning, Monday, Nov. 20, 2023. Mary Delp said the family searched around East Alton, Alton, Godfrey and Wood River and the area at hotels, convenience stores and more and did not find any clues on her whereabouts. She said it is not a common behavior for Amanda to be gone for this long of a period. Madison County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Marcos Pulido said the sheriff's office has been investigating the case and deputies spent time in a search for her over the weekend, but nothing has been discovered yet. Delp added the following: "She moves around a lot, I'd say Godfrey, Meadowbrook, Alton and Collinsville areas in the last year. She also wears wigs and changes her look often. She has a very recognizable rosary tattoo covering one

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