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ALTON - Alton Little Theater’s Extra Extra Entertainment Series is kicking off with the sold-out Best of the Best Christmas Concert, the Actor’s Studio Series, a $1,000 grand prize audition competition for their upcoming “Best of the Best Country Love” show, and much more. ALT Executive Director Lee Cox shared more details about the theater’s upcoming events on the most recent “ Theater Thursday ” segment on Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com . One of them, the Actors Studio Series, gives young performers a chance to be noticed by talent scouts. “If you provide a showcase and even support for young performers, they can get to a decent school, they can be scouted by a talent scout,” Cox said. “I also like to showcase playwrights that don’t get that mainstream attention.” One of the upcoming shows in the Actor’s Studio Series is “Two Rooms,” which follows the story of a young newlywe

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EDWARDSVILLE – For the second year in a row, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering (SOE) will host more than a dozen robots and their teen creators, families and spectators for a qualifying meet. Free to the public, the Southern Illinois Robotics League will take over the SOE atrium adhering to strict rules in size and safety to bring loads of ingenuity and fun. The meet will take place on the SIUE campus on Saturday, December 9. “Each robot has a personality,” said Jon Klingensmith, PhD, associate professor and chair of the department of electrical and computer engineering in SOE. “We named ours Dr. Evil.” Klingensmith is an assistant coach of one of the 15 teams in the League. “We started hosting events here and see kids from 7th to 12th grade from East St. Louis and Granite City, to a couple of home-schooled teams in the Mascoutah area. They also come from Centralia High School all the way down to Marion, who will

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EAST ALTON - There are two things to know about Wyatt “Salty” Salters: He comes from a long line of veterans, and he loves hockey. The 15-year-old hockey player decided to skate a 5K to raise money for Disabled American Veterans (DAV) . Salters took to the ice on Nov. 30, 2023, to skate 32 laps around the East Alton Ice Arena, the equivalent of 3.1 miles. In doing so, he fundraised for DAV to help more veterans transition to civilian life, navigate benefits and receive assistance where needed. “I feel very responsible to be a big part of it and very honored to help,” Salters said. He explained that this wasn’t his first year participating in the 5K, but he never considered skating it before. His family thought it would be a unique way to combine his interests and draw some attention to the cause. While most people would be exhausted after 32 laps around the ice rink, Salters said “it was easy” because he is constantly skating during

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Lori Cashdollar is a standout Edwardsville High School graduate and former top-notch student-athlete. She was a state qualifier in both cross country and track and field for the Tigers and a star college athlete in Chicago. This was a viewpoint she shared earlier this week after Taylor Swift's announcement as Person Of The Year. At a time I feel like I’ve needed it the most, I’m seeing so many women on a daily basis coming together and being role models I can look up to. I don’t always remember it being like this. Sometimes it’s hard to recognize history when you’re living through it, but I truly feel the narrative for women is changing right in front of my eyes, especially this year. I’ve never really considered myself a feminist nor do I typically gawk over people in the spotlight, but this particular article was truly incredible. After reading it, I felt so emotionally and physically empowered. In this day and age with violence,

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ALTON - Riverbend residents are invited to tour the Christmas Wonderland display at Rock Spring Park through the end of the holiday season. You can drive through the park to see the lights and decorations every night until Dec. 27, 2023. The display runs from 6–9 p.m. Monday through Friday or 5–9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The Grandpa Gang, a local organization that decorates the park, suggests a donation of $10 per car or $1 per person in cars of ten people or more. All proceeds go to organizations throughout the Riverbend region. “Those people that depend on donations, we try to help out,” said Dick Alford, the “Head Grandpa” of the gang. “It’s gratifying, and I think all the grandpas and everybody involved in it feel the same way. They’re just happy to be able to help out.” Alford estimated that they will welcome approximately 30,000 visitors to the park and donate around $50,000 to local nonprofits. While the

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FLORISSANT, MO. - The Jamestown Mall is almost completely gone following the demolition project that started in September. Jamestown Mall was a staple in Florissant since its opening in 1973. At its peak, it was home to over one hundred stores and services, including a movie theater and four anchor stores. The mall became increasingly vacant throughout the early 2000s until it ultimately closed on July 1, 2014. In April 2022, the St. Louis County Council voted to demolish the mall using funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. They approved $6 million for the mall’s demolition, which began on Sept. 26, 2023. Target Contractors, LLC has overseen the demolition. There are tentative plans to turn the Jamestown Mall site into an open-air shopping center. Photos courtesy of 618 Drone Service .

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CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that with the holidays approaching, data indicate that the impact of respiratory viruses is being felt across the state with 44 counties now at an elevated level for COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to the CDC’s national COVID Data Tracker , as of the week ending November 25. COVID-19 hospitalization data indicate that 39 counties are at medium level and five are at high level, while statewide, there were 1,039 new hospitalizations reported, an increase of 20% over the previous week. Data also show that broad acute respiratory hospitalizations are increasing across Illinois including COVID-19, flu and RSV. IDPH officials are especially concerned about pediatric ICU (PICU) capacity which is limited in many areas of the state. Additionally, IDPH announced today that it is launching a new, weekly Infectious Respiratory Disease Surveillance Dashboard that will be updated weekly on Fridays after

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ALTON: State's Attorney Tom Haine has filed for re-election in 2024, and will be running unopposed in the Republican primary. “Thank you to all those who have supported our efforts to strengthen our justice system these past few years,” said Haine. “We are proud of what we have accomplished in the fight against crime, but there is so much more we want to do. Our positive momentum needs to continue so our businesses, families, and neighborhoods can truly flourish in a safe environment. That is why I'm running for re-election: to keep justice working." Here are a few highlights of Haine’s administration since taking office in 2020: We defended the rule of law by rejecting prosecutions in Madison County based on the Governor’s COVID executive orders, which contained no legal basis to criminalize the free and lawful daily actions of our citizens. We restarted prosecutions after the COVID shutdown, secured convictions in major murder cases

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EDWARDSVILLE — A jury in federal court returned a verdict Thursday in favor of Madison County in a civil lawsuit stemming from the 2018 arrest of an armed and suicidal motorist. The traffic stop happened on Sept. 11, 2018. The Plaintiff filed a lawsuit in 2019. On Thursday, the jury seated in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois deliberated less than two hours before returning a unanimous verdict in favor of Madison County and two sheriff’s deputies. The plaintiff had alleged that his rights were violated by the deputies’ actions. The following facts were revealed at trial: Police received a report that the plaintiff (who was a concealed-carry card holder known to have many firearms and a trained fighter in mixed martial arts) was in a mental-health crisis, was suicidal, likely armed with a firearm, and mobile in a vehicle. The plaintiff was located by sheriff’s deputies after statewide alerts were issued with this information. After stopping

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GRAFTON - A roundtable discussion between business and community leaders in Jersey and Calhoun Counties is coming up at Aerie's Winery in Grafton on Monday, Dec. 11, 2023, starting at 11 a.m. The event will feature several local government and business representatives in a discussion about how to strengthen businesses in the region. The roundtable is being hosted by Greater St. Louis, Inc., which represents the St. Louis region’s civic-minded business community, as part of its effort to develop an initiative to support the St. Louis region’s local small businesses and local business districts. “The STL 2030 Jobs Plan calls for the development of an initiative to strengthen and grow small businesses and local centers of business across the metro,” said Greater St. Louis, Inc. CEO Jason Hall. “Revitalizing and supporting these local business districts will help stabilize communities, revive small businesses, and create new jobs. “As the voice

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ALTON/GRANITE CITY - Granite City Community Unit School District #9 elementary school students were outfitted with new shoes through the organization All God’s Children Shall Have Shoes. On Friday, Dec. 8, 2023, 135 K-6 students journeyed to Alton Square Mall to choose a new pair of shoes at Famous Footwear. Volunteers, including a few Granite City and Madison County officials, were present to help the kids pick shoes and socks that fit them. “This is honestly one of the biggest days of the year for our school district,” said Chris Mitchell, a representative for the district. “This is a great opportunity for us to make a difference in these children’s lives. Especially around the holidays, to get each of these students a new pair of shoes puts a smile on their face.” Mitchell explained that the district’s social workers chose which students would benefit the most from a new pair of shoes. The kids always enjoy choosing a new pair of shoe

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EDWARDSVILLE - For the 14th year, the members of Edwardsville’s Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 244, will be spreading some holiday joy to area families through its “Christmas with a Cop” program. This fun tradition will take place on Saturday, December 16. Through the program, Edwardsville Police Department officers will enjoy breakfast and holiday shopping with 30 area children in need. The participating families are preselected in coordination with the Edwardsville School District. It’s a welcome opportunity for the officers to spend time with the participating children and allow them the chance to select their own gifts, all at no cost to their families. This year’s event will begin at 8 a.m. with the children and officers enjoying breakfast at the Chick-fil-A on Troy Road. That will be followed by a police vehicle escort, complete with sirens and flashing lights, to Target, where the children will pair up with officers to shop. The gifts then will

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ST. LOUIS - Metro Transit will host a hiring event on Saturday, December 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the North County Transit Center facility located at 3140 Pershall Road in Ferguson off of Interstate 270 in North St. Louis County. On-site interviews will be conducted for mechanics, Metro Call-A-Ride Van Operators, MetroBus Operators, and MetroLink operators. All of these essential positions are eligible for Metro Transit’s 5,000 signing bonus, which is available through the end of the year. Candidates are encouraged to learn more about these positions and to apply online in advance of the hiring event by visiting WorkAtMetroSTL.com , and to bring their resumes with them on Saturday to make the on-site application process quicker and easier. Qualified applicants may receive instant job offers on Saturday following their on-site interviews. Metro Transit has extended nearly 200 same-day job offers to qualified applicants during the hiring events in October and November alone.

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ALTON - Community members gathered at Freer Auto Body to enjoy Cookies and Cocoa for Community Christmas, a United Way initiative that provides toys and essentials for families during the holiday season. Freer Auto Body is a major contributor to the United Way mission with its annual Christmas in July fundraiser. The Cookies and Cocoa event celebrates the success of the summer fundraiser and raises more money to go toward Community Christmas. “It’s our mission to make sure that kids have a nice Christmas and families that are experiencing rough times,” explained Margaret Freer, owner of Freer Auto Body. “It’s just very heartwarming to know that we are able to help. God has blessed us very much, so we try to pay it forward.” Karen Lintz, Director of the Illinois Region for the United Way of Greater St. Louis, explained that there are 116 boxes in businesses throughout the Riverbend area. Community members have been donating toys, clothing,

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GODFREY - Short-term rental properties within the Village of Godfrey are now subject to new rules and regulations following the Village Board's approval of amendments to the Godfrey zoning code. An ordinance passed on Tuesday by the Village Board of Trustees amends zoning definitions relating to residential districts for short-term rentals. The Village Code already contained language pertaining to short-term rental units, but this ordinance makes certain changes and additions. One of the most notable differences concerns permits. The village code already requires short term rental owners to obtain a permit each year from the Building and Zoning department and pay a yearly fee of $250. The new ordinance adds language requiring additional permits for any applicable special uses and mandates permit numbers issued by the village to be featured in any advertisement for the short-term rental, online or otherwise. Short term rental occupants were originally never allowed to occupy

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ALTON – One year ago today, Dec. 7, 2022, AltonWorks began construction on the Wedge Innovation Center, AltonWorks’ signature catalytic project. The project brings together two historic buildings and revitalizing them into one modern collaborative space designed to serve as a social impact incubator, accelerator, and coworking space. The Wedge will also serve as a workforce training center, digital hub for the $20 million fiber network and will help move Alton into the digital economy. The Wedge is scheduled to open in the fall of 2024 and will support early-stage, growth-driven companies through education, mentorship, and financing. It will house startups, space for individuals or teams, and more established companies that want to accelerate their businesses or develop new technologies, products, or systems. Approximately 170,000 hours of labor will be spent on the renovation of the Wedge over about 18 months of construction. Labor will account for about 65% of the

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JERSEYVILLE - Jersey Community High School announced on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, that it is excited to announce this year's Illinois State Scholars. The students are Elena Benner, Ryan Bolds, Ella Bradshaw, Connor Chin, Anna Dial, Kathleen Dougherty, Reese Eschbach, Maddilyn Harp, Sofia Hernandez-Lamer, Evan Lacy, Zoey Little, Lauren Lyons, Merris McDuffie, Elise Noble, Cora Schroeder, Grace Shalley, Jonathan Wells, and Aiden Talley (not pictured). "We are very proud of the hard work and dedication of these students and are excited to see their future success," the Jersey Community School District said in a statement. "This honor is very special and on behalf of our entire staff, we want to congratulate our students for this well-deserved award."

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You’ve likely heard of bronchitis, an illness that impacts the larger lung airways and leaves you feeling short of breath and just generally yucky. This winter, here’s another respiratory illness with “bronch” in the name to be aware of, especially if you have young kids: bronchiolitis. It’s an ailment that Awad Alyami, MD , an OSF HealthCare pediatrician, sees often this time of year. The basics Dr. Alyami says bronchiolitis is an infection of the bronchioles, or the small airways that branch out in the lungs. “When they become infected, there is a lot of mucus. It makes it harder to breathe,” Dr. Alyami explains. Other symptoms include fever, runny nose, cough and dehydration. Bronchiolitis is “easily spread,” Dr. Alyami says, through respiratory droplets, like when you cough. The illness is most common in children, especially kids under two. Other high-risk groups include babies born prematurely, with chronic lung disease,

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced Thursday that a jury has convicted a 27-year-old Collinsville man of home invasion for twice breaking into the home of a military veteran and robbing him. The jury returned the verdict on Wednesday afternoon against Jaleen Gladney, finding him guilty of one count of home invasion causing injury, one count of home invasion while armed with a firearm, one count of attempted residential burglary and one count of possession of weapon by a felon. Haine said: “I thank the jury for seeing this case for what it was: brazen crimes committed by a violent criminal against a member of our community who deserves to be honored, not victimized.” According to testimony and evidence presented by Assistant State’s Attorney Katie Warren and Assistant State’s Attorney Morgan Hudson, Gladney twice forced his way into a home on 24th Street in Granite City, on July 8 and July 9 of 2023. Gladney attacked

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EAST ST. LOUIS - Illinois State Police provided a statement and information on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, after two recent homicides on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023, in the city. The two homicides are being investigated by ISP Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG). The report came in of a shooting at 2:04 p.m. on Dec. 5, in the 500 block of South 14th Street and 600 block of South 15 Street in East St. Louis in St. Clair County. Preliminary information indicates the following occurred: ISP DCI PSEG agents responded to the 500 block of South 14th Street to assist the East St. Louis Police Department with a shooting investigation. A female victim was shot numerous times and was declared deceased. A short time later, PSEG agents were notified of a deceased male with a fatal gunshot wound in the 600 block of South 15th Street. Preliminary information indicates these two shootings to possibly be related. "ISP is aware of video footage and still images recently released by a citizen to media

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