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ALTON - Believe it or not, for professionals like Thomas Nealeigh, fire-eating is easier than it looks. “Fire eating, in a way, is one of the easiest acts to learn. But it is the most difficult one to master,” the performer said. “And you continually work with it and you have to keep in mind that at some point you’re going to catch on fire.” Nealeigh would know. He tells the story of a bad performance where the wind changed and the fire singed off his eyebrow and burned his chin. Ever the professional, he slathered on some burn ointment and lit up to perform the trick again — and quickly realized that burn ointment is flammable. This is part of the job for FreakShow Deluxe, the production company that Nealeigh helped start in 2001. The show travels all over the country, but Nealeigh and his family live in Alton, where he recently performed at Alton Little Theater before a production of “Elephant’s Graveyard.” He has a

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WORDEN - Worden once again is waiting in anticipation of the Wordi Gras Celebration. The parade begins at 3 p.m., followed by an abundance of festivities with bands and more around the community. The event has grown from 2006 to about 5,000 people, much bigger than the Worden population of 1,096 in the 2020 census. "It is just great for our small town," said one of the coordinators - Rick Landreth - who works with his wife Nikki to organize the event. The couple also puts on one of the bigger shows and displays of the event at the Yellow Dog Bar and Grill in Worden. The Baywolfe Band will perform from 1 to 5 p.m. and the Cheers band from 6 to 10 p.m. There will be several food trucks there also on the day and plenty of hurricane drinks, Nikki said. The Yellow Dog and other establishments in Worden order a significant amount of food and drinks for the affair. Any float or vehicle can enter the parade - all an entry has to do is just get in line, and entry is free. Each year

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EFFINGHAM - U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (IL-12) today announced that he has nominated 18 local young men and women for admittance to the U.S. Service Academies. Nominations were made following the recommendations of an independent panel that reviewed applications and conducted formal interviews. Final determination on admission is made by the individual academies. "Southern Illinois is fortunate to have some of the brightest and most patriotic students in the country," said Bost. "With Scott Air Force Base in our backyard, it's easy to see why service to our nation is an important value within Illinois's 12 th District. These students are an exceptional part of our community and set a fine example for others both inside and outside the classroom. As our next generation of leaders, these nominees have incredibly bright futures ahead." ACADEMY NOMINATIONS Gregory Adams - Attends Mascoutah High School and was nominated to the Air Force Academy. Elijah Bishop - Attends Herrin High

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EDWARDSVILLE - Madison County Treasurer Chris Slusser has proposed a plan that will allow senior citizens in Madison County an automatic extension for their senior citizen homestead exemption. This new proposal to be voted on at the Madison County Board finance committee meeting next week. “We should be reducing pointless red tape whenever we can,” said Slusser. “We recently found a clause in the state statute governing the senior citizen exemptions that allowed for automatic renewal if passed by the County Board. Once someone turns 65 and they’re given the exemption, automatic renewal only makes sense. It’s not like they’re getting any younger,” Slusser said. “In Illinois, we have the second highest property taxes in the country,” said Slusser. “Senior citizens are often the hardest hit by this property tax burden. This is the least we can do to make things easier for them to receive the savings they’re eligible for.

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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with a bipartisan coalition of 18 attorneys general, filed comments with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) expressing support for a recently proposed rule to crack down on deceptive and unfair fees faced by consumers. The recently proposed rule by the FTC – called the Trade Regulation Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees – is intended to deter deceptive and unfair acts or practices involving fees. The rule seeks to promote a level playing field that enables comparison shopping and allows honest businesses to compete. “Hidden and junk fees drive up the price of goods and frustrate consumers to no end, decreasing trust in the marketplace and putting honest businesses at a disadvantage,” Raoul said. “My office’s Consumer Protection Division will continue to go after bad actors who exploit consumers for their financial gain.” In the comment letter , Raoul and the coalition detail the widespread

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ALTON - Sacred Spaces of CARE will host a trivia fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, to raise money for the organization’s programs to support mental health in the community. Megan Tyler, the executive director, explained that the organization just celebrated its first anniversary and has stayed busy connecting people with resources and working with the Alton Police Department to promote officer wellness and crisis intervention. The trivia night, scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Alton-Wood River Sportsmen’s Club, will fund these initiatives for another year. “I think this next year is going to be phenomenal. Everybody’s passionate, everybody’s eager to just dive in,” Tyler said. “Now we have that traction and we see fruit and we see the change, the difference it’s making, and so I think it just fires everybody up and we want to really go through ’24 with a lot of great projects, great plans moving forward.” The

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EDWARDSVILLE - The theft of an iPad from Alton City Hall resulted in felony charges filed against a homeless man who also reportedly damaged the iPad late last year. This case joins a long list of other thefts reported in Madison County court documents. Terrell E. Porter, 45, homeless, was charged by the Alton Police Department with one count of theft and one count of criminal damage to government-supported property. Porter allegedly stole a 5th generation Apple iPad valued at over $500 from Alton City Hall at 101 E 3rd St. in Alton on Dec. 26, 2023, according to court documents. Porter was additionally charged with criminal damage to government-supported property after reportedly causing damage to the same city-owned iPad he stole from the City of Alton. Porter faces a Class 2 felony for theft and a Class 4 felony for damaging government-supported property. Court documents indicate he was released upon his signature of a Conditions of Pretrial Release Order. Deana M. Kirkwood,

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EDWARDSVILLE - Several people have been charged with various forms of theft across Madison County, including one man from Kentucky and another charged with theft of labor, services, or use of property, according to county court documents. Thomas P. Healy, 60, of Arnold, Mo. was charged with theft of labor or services or use of property on Jan. 11, 2024. Healy reportedly failed to return a power washer valued at over $500 which he had rented from Lowe’s in Alton, according to court documents. Healy’s case was presented by the Alton Police Department, and he faces a Class 4 felony. Court documents indicate he was released upon his signature of a Conditions of Pretrial Release Order. Rory C. Waddell, 37, of Springfield, Mo., was charged with one count of retail theft over $300 on Jan. 7, 2024. Waddell allegedly stole “multiple packs of Pokémon trading cards” with a total value in excess of $300 from the Walmart located at 1040 Collinsville Crossing

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WOOD RIVER - Junior Jordan Ealey has been one of the catalysts of a successful East Alton-Wood River High girls basketball team this season. She is an exceptionally hard worker and so important to the offensive and defensive schemes of the Oilers girls squad. Ealey is an outstanding student with a 4.433 grade point average. "I've continued to keep all A's in my classes throughout each year and I am proud of that," she said. Ealey is a Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for the Oilers. She said she has scored more this season for the Oilers and put in a lot of effort to improve her game. Jordan is averaging 5.8 points a game and 1.8 rebounds per game for her team. She said she has played basketball since middle school and loves it. "What I like most about basketball is the energy and rush on the court," she added. She also plays select softball for the Black Widows team. "I’m hoping to go to college to play softball," she said. "I’m still looking

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GRANITE CITY - Granite City will host their third annual Mardi Gras celebration with a parade, block party and bar crawl on this Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. The parade starts at 1 p.m. at 29th and State Street in Granite City. It will end at Civic Park. The block party is scheduled for 2–5 p.m. at Civic Park, followed by a local bar crawl until 10 p.m. Over 25 floats will participate in the parade. The block party will include several local food and drink vendors. Kids can check out crafts and snacks at Alligator Alley, a free attraction sponsored by Granite City Township. There will also be a live DJ and an ax-throwing booth for community members to enjoy. “The block party is fun for the whole family and we cannot wait to celebrate with everyone,” the City of Granite City said in a Facebook post. The bar crawl includes 17 bars in the area. Buses will be available to take participants to bars throughout the city, departing from City Hall at 5 p.m. and running until

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GRANITE CITY - Granite City School District continues to expand horizons for students in the arts field with some dynamic performers for their children in multiple grade levels this past week. Students and staff enjoyed a pair of performances by Beyond Measure Dance, LLC called "Africa to America" on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, as part of a celebration of #BlackHistoryMonth at Prather Pre-K/Kindergraten Center . The Dancers delivered a dynamic performance involving the history, culture, language and creation of three dance styles: West African, Jazz Swing and Hip Hop. Through the use of song, dance, and poetry written by the creator, Alicia “Sunshine” Gbaho, students participated in an educational and interactive celebration. Memorable Day At Coolidge Junior High With National Jazz Artists It was a memorable day for Granite City School and Coolidge Junior High band students at Coolidge Junior High School who joined national jazz artists Michael Dease a

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Citizens Utility Board (CUB) Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz released a statement today about Illinois American Water’s $152 million rate-hike request before the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC): Illinois American’s $152 million rate-hike request is severe and greedy—the company is pushing for an excessive profit rate for its shareholders—and CUB will do everything it can to reduce it. We often hear complaints from Illinois American customers about painfully high bills, fueled by the utility’s aggressive strategy of buying up municipal systems across Illinois, along with winning legislative approval to add a "Qualifying Infrastructure Plant" surcharge to bills. While water customers struggle, Illinois American’s parent company has pulled in about $1.6 billion in profits over the last two years. This punishing rate hike will be a hardship to consumers who depend on the utility for a vital service–and that’s why we’re challenging

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Kennedy (R-LA), and Thom Tillis (R-NC), also members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to reintroduce the bipartisan Violent Incident Clearance and Technological Investigative Methods Act ( VICTIM Act ), a bill to help improve the clearance rate for murders and violent gun crimes. The legislation would establish a grant program at the Department of Justice (DOJ) to provide funding to State, Tribal, and local law enforcement agencies to hire, retain, and train detectives and victim services personnel to investigate unsolved homicides and support victims. The national clearance rate for murders – or the percentage of murder cases solved by law enforcement agencies— has been in continual decline for decades and, in recent years, has reached its lowest point. Between 2019 and 2022, murder clearance rates fell from

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WASHGINTON, D.C. – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of both the U.S. Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees—issued the following statement after the Senate voted to proceed on the package to bolster U.S. national security that will provide additional support for our partners and allies: “With our nation confronting increasingly complex and escalating threats to global security, I’m relieved that Senate Republicans have finally joined Democrats to enable us to strengthen our own national security—including by investing in our military industrial base, replenishing critical U.S. military equipment and creating good-paying jobs here at home—while helping Ukraine defend themselves from Putin’s forces, expanding life-saving humanitarian assistance to the innocent civilians suffering in Gaza, supporting our Indo-Pacific partners as we work together to counter China and helping Israel eliminate

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WASHINGTON – During today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Amir Ali, nominated to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia; Judge Sunil Harjani, nominated to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois; and Jasmine Yoon, nominated to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Virginia. Durbin began his questions by asking Mr. Ali about his work that bridges organizations with opposing ideologies. “You submitted numerous amicus briefs over the course of your career as a litigator. In some of those briefs, you’ve been joined by organizations across the political spectrum, including the Cato Institute. Speak about some of the issues that you worked on, bringing together unusual political allies, as well as why you think these issues are so important,”Durbin said. Mr. Ali first noted that the work Durbin referred t

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ALTON - It was an emotional night on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, for the friends, family and community members who gathered for a candlelight vigil in honor of a 13-year-old girl who was shot in Alton. Organized by Fourth Ward Alderwoman Rosetta Brown and concerned citizen Missy Johnson, the vigil invited community members to speak against gun violence and pray for the 13-year-old who was shot on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. Mayor David Goins, Police Chief Jarrett Ford and others offered prayers for the child and her family. “This senseless incident, this senseless act of violence has brought us all together to unify us and to cause us to come together, hold up one another and be there for one another and support one another as we deal with this tragic, tragic incident and continue to pray for this young lady and the family and everybody who’s been affected,” Goins said. “Lord, even though we don't understand why, we trust You…We look to You for strength.

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GODFREY - While salt may do wonders for food, it is definitely not something you want on your vehicle. With that in mind, how fortunate to have Gorilla Car Wash here in Godfrey. They are a business built from a passion for friendly customer service, where team members and manager Mike Kiffmeyer work hard to make sure customers have a great experience and a clean car. Gary and Susan Chappel got into the car wash business in 2011. Gary owned an auto glass business when developing health issues made it impossible to continue working in that industry. Looking for an income opportunity that would accommodate Gary’s health condition, they decided to purchase a self-service car wash facility in Greenville. In 2013, they bought their second unit in Collinsville. In 2014, they purchased (what is now) the Gorilla Car Wash in Cottage Hills. At the time the “automated” car wash facility was closed. When the facility was purchased, they had to renovate the washing mechanisms

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SPRINGFIELD - At the Illinois Gaming Board’s (the “IGB” or “Board”) first meeting of the year, it reported that the State and local governments earned more than $1.5 billion in tax revenue from Illinois’ 15 licensed casinos, more than 46,000 video gaming terminals and 13 sports wagering operators statewide in 2023. Total revenue from January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023: State taxes - $1,307,113,715 Local taxes - $243,253,726 Total taxes - $1,550,367,441 “None of the tax revenue and other economic benefits from legal casino gambling, video gaming and sports wagering would have been possible without the IGB’s tireless work to protect the integrity and public confidence in Illinois gaming,” said IGB Administrator Marcus D. Fruchter. “The IGB looks forward to continued cooperation and partnership with our licensees and stakeholders to ensure continued success, revenue generation, accountability, compliance, and the

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COLLINSVILLE - A man from Collinsville has been banned from all Walmart locations after allegedly stealing multiple bottles of Fireball whiskey from the Glen Carbon Walmart, his second or subsequent offense of retail theft. James J. Willie, 40, of Collinsville, was charged on Jan. 28, 2024, with retail theft under $300, his second or subsequent offense, after stealing said Fireball from the Walmart at 400 Junction Dr. in Glen Carbon. According to Madison County court documents, the value of the stolen merchandise was less than $300 in total. Willie had previously been convicted of retail theft under $300 on Nov. 16, 2023 in Madison County. Willie faces a Class 4 felony in this latest case, which was presented by the Glen Carbon Police Department. Court documents indicate he was remanded to jail to be held until his initial appearance in court, but a Release Order was later filed with additional conditions listed for his release. As part of his release conditions, Willie

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Three, two, one. Jack Sandford is 14, and his world is about to turn upside down as the gate flings open on his first bull ride. “I’m an adrenaline junkie. I like to push stuff to the limit,” Sandford says with a smile. Fast forward to June of 2023, and Sandford’s world is about to change again. Three, two, one. The door at OSF Moeller Cancer Center in Alton, Illinois, opens, and Dr. Manpreet Sandhu walks in. She tells Sanford he has cancer in his upper intestine, liver and lymph nodes. It’s in an advanced state and not curable. Devastating news for anyone. But cancer wasn’t about to slow down the 67-year-old from Brighton, Illinois. He’s still bull riding on a senior tour during chemotherapy, making him a prime example of why staying active during cancer can help in the fight. Jack’s journey A Virginia native and Army veteran, Sandford came to southern Illinois around a decade ago to take a manufacturing job. He rode bulls

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