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GRANITE CITY – Members of the Granite City High School Band made their mark at the Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA) All-State Band Competition this year by having five musicians selected to perform in the ILMEA All-State Festival. The five students who earned All-State honors include: Karlisa Brent: Flute Bailey Hanks: French Horn Adrianna Ireland: Trumpet Victoria Robinson: Euphonium Alyssa White: Bass Clarinet These rehearsals culminated with the All-State Concert and Honors Concert, held at the Peoria Civic Center Arena on February 1. This is the highest honor a high school musician can receive. The five students will be honored at the Granite City Community School District #9 Board meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. The Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA) is an organization established to provide professional growth opportunities for Illinois music teachers and to provide music making opportunities for the most talented

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JERSEYVILLE – Two Jerseyville residents have been charged with mob action in separate but related Madison County criminal cases. Randall W. Barnes, 35 , and Saranda R. Green, 29 , both of Jerseyville, were each charged with a Class 4 felony count of mob action on Jan. 23, 2025. On Dec. 17, 2024, the two allegedly worked together in approaching someone’s vehicle before attempting to force entry and “threatening to batter the victim,” according to court documents. Both cases were presented by the Alton Police Department, and both Barnes and Green were granted pretrial release from custody. Charges are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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GRANITE CITY – The Granite City Police Department has charged four individuals in two separate cases with pairing up to commit mob action. Charles A. Payne, 61, and B randon M. Payne, 29, both of Granite City, each face Class 3 felony counts of aggravated battery and Class 4 felony counts of mob action. On Jan. 20, 2025, the two allegedly worked together in str iking an individual “about the head and body, causing lacerations” while in a public place at Patrick’s Bar in Granite City, according to court documents. Both individuals were granted pretrial release in the ir cases, which were presented by the Granite City Police Department on Jan. 29, 2025. In two separate cases filed just two days prior, Zachary A. Hildebrand, 36, and Ronald J. Hildebrand, 33, also of Granite City, were also charged with Class 4 felony counts of mob action. The two reportedly acted together and with “another unknown individual” in battering a victim

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ROSEWOOD HEIGHTS – The Rosewood Heights Fire Department responded to a fire in the 100 block of Dell Avenue on Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 4, 2025, where a shed was on fire. Firefighters arrived on the scene and found the shed ablaze in the backyard of a residence. Access to the fire was initially hindered by nearby fences, but crews were able to quickly bring the fire under control before it could spread further. According to neighbors, there was a report of someone burning leaves in the vicinity prior to the fire's outbreak. No injuries have been reported, and the fire department is currently investigating the cause of the incident.

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CHICAGO - Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) are encouraging eligible Illinoisans to take advantage of savings offered by tax credits when filing their 2024 income tax returns this year. “Depending on circumstances, taxpayers may be able to reduce the amount of taxes owed or receive larger refunds through tax credits,” explained Illinois Department of Revenue Director David Harris . “I urge all taxpayers to double-check their eligibility status and take advantage of these benefits when filing their tax returns this year.” The Illinois Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a benefit for working people with low to moderate income. To claim an Illinois EITC for tax year 2024 (tax returns due in 2025), taxpayers must file an Illinois income tax return, even if they do not owe any tax and are not required to file and: have worked and earned income under $66,819 (income amount is dependent upon filing status and number of qualifying

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CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today launched its annual Black History Month campaign, designed to honor and uplift the contributions of Black Illinoisans, business owners and leaders. DCEO, through its Office of Economic Equity & Empowerment (OE3), will host virtual and in-person events throughout February to spotlight long-standing Black businesses across Illinois highlight Black business accomplishments and contributions to the state, and showcase the State of Illinois’ commitment to growing and investing in Black businesses. As part of the month-long celebration, DCEO launched a webpage featuring events and resources, including resources to support Black-owned businesses, a social media toolkit , and more. The 2025 theme, Legacy and Impact, pays homage to Illinois’ rich Black history and celebrates the economic and cultural contributions of Black Illinoisans. “Black-owned businesses are at the heart

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EDWARDSVILLE - EXO Lounge invites the community to come out and enjoy a fun Galentine’s Day evening with specials, champagne, music and more. From 6–10 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, community members can receive plenty of perks at EXO Lounge in Edwardsville to celebrate Galentine’s Day, a holiday modeled after Valentine’s Day that celebrates friendships between women. Lauran Rayner, who organized the party, explained that the goal is to bring friends together and give them a night of affordable luxury. “Basically, we’re just wanting people to grab their girls, their friends, and pamper themselves with a Galentine’s Day event,” Rayner said. “There’s going to be drink specials. They can book their manicure and pedicure during or before the party, and just celebrate that friendship, fun and fabulous vibe.” Attendees can enjoy EXO’s regular nail bar and med spa services in addition to food and drink

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ALTON - 2024 brought another year of excellence in a variety of ways to OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center that encompassed, among other things, clinical operations, service offerings, community outreach, and the introduction of a new – and unique – Mission Partner. First, and most importantly, in terms of clinical excellence, OSF Saint Anthony’s received a total of seven (7) awards/certifications/accreditations in recognition of its diligent dedication to providing and sustaining a patient-centered focus in its health care Ministry. Last year, OSF Saint Anthony’s was the only hospital in the St. Louis metro east region to receive two (2) consecutive “A” grades from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit watchdog. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections

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EDWARDSVILLE - SIUE Emeritus Professor Stephen Hansen will explore the myths and legends of Abraham Lincoln at the inaugural event of the 2025 MCHS Speakers Series at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, at the Main Street Community Center in Edwardsville. Hansen isn’t going up against the Super Bowl since his presentation will be completed long before the big game begins. The program is “A Superhero from Another Age: The Legend and Mythology of Abraham Lincoln.” Hansen will explore why we are still fascinated with Abraham Lincoln. At different times, Lincoln has been seen as the Savior of the Union, the Great Emancipator, the Self-Made Man, and the Man of the People. These images and legends are so powerful that nearly every segment of American society has claimed Lincoln to represent them from the American Vegetarian Society to the American Communist Party! Hansen will explore how the Lincoln legend grew and changed over time and why it is important for us today.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today announced the establishment, leadership, and membership of Senate Judiciary Subcommittees for the 119th Congress. “The Senate Judiciary Committee is arguably the workhorse of Senate committees. The list of historic hearings held before it is long and filled with memorable testimony,” Durbin said. “These are consequential times, but we have a talented group of Democratic members and I look forward to them leading the national debate on the critical issues we face.” “The Senate Judiciary Committee’s broad jurisdiction tasks us with important responsibilities, such as safeguarding Americans and our border, empowering consumers, pursuing justice against criminal offenders, vetting nominees to the federal judiciary and upholding the founding principles of our Constitution,”

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS) is encouraging everyone in Illinois to practice how to Drop, Cover, and Hold On! during Earthquake Awareness Month. “A strong earthquake won’t just affect southern Illinois, but the entire state given its proximity to two major seismic zones—the New Madrid Seismic Zone on the border with Missouri and the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone on the border with Indiana,” said Director Alicia Tate Nadeau. “The best way to stay safe during an earthquake is to Drop, Cover, and Hold On! If you practice this regularly, you’ll know exactly what to do during an earthquake because a strong earthquake could easily affect homes and infrastructure throughout Illinois.” Whether you are in your home, a school classroom, a high-rise or other type of building, it is important to know how to protect yourself during an earthquake. Practice what to do during an earthquake

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MACOUPIN COUNTY — Spectrum, the #1 rural internet provider in the nation*, today announced the launch of Spectrum Internet, Mobile, TV and Voice services to more than 315 homes and small businesses in rural areas of Macoupin County. Spectrum’s multi-year Rural Construction Initiative is driven by an approximately $7 billion private investment from Charter and will ultimately connect approximately 1.75 million new homes and small businesses across the country. “Spectrum is bringing gigabit broadband to unserved communities in Illinois and across America,” said Aaron Detwiler, Area Vice President for Spectrum’s Missouri Management Area. “Our investment is making it possible to deliver the high-value broadband, mobile, TV and voice services now available in Macoupin County. We are providing residents and small businesses superior connectivity at highly competitive prices, backed by a team of skilled local technicians and 100% U.S.-based customer

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EDWARDSVILLE - The SIU System is pleased to announce that Moayad "Mo" Abuzaneh, a junior at SIU Edwardsville (SIUE), is the newest member of the SIU Board of Trustees. Abuzaneh was elected by the students of SIUE to serve on the board from January 27 – June 30, 2025. A special election was recently held after the previous SIUE student trustee resigned. “As a board trustee, my main goal is to advocate for SIUE students and ensure their voices are heard at the system level,” said Abuzaneh. “I want to push for initiatives that enhance student life, academic resources and financial accessibility while fostering greater engagement between students and administration.” Abuzaneh was born in Jordan and moved to the United States in 2021. He calls Springfield, Illinois home and is a 2022 graduate of Glenwood High School in Chatham, Illinois. Abuzaneh is majoring in biology at SIUE with a minor in chemistry. He plans to graduate from SIUE in 2026 and go to medical

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CHICAGO - The State of Illinois announced today it has executed a contract for a new seed-to-sale system for Illinois’ growing medical and adult use cannabis programs. Metrc is a highly-configurable, secure, and scalable system that will modernize Illinois’ evolving cannabis industry and regulatory systems. This includes utilizing RFID tags, computerized tags that allow for easier, more accurate entry of information into the system by operators. Through State funding, cannabis business establishments will not be charged for Metrc’s RFID tags, subject to certain restrictions. These new identification tags will reduce manual auditing and increase time for health-related inspections. The State of Illinois’ contract with Metrc also includes additional services, including new reporting tools to help study trends in the industry. “We look forward to this new partnership with Metrc to ensure Illinois continues advancing the safest and most secure cannabis market,&rdquo

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EAST ST. LOUIS – State Senator Christopher Belt’s office is collecting store-bought or handmade cards for residents in long-term care facilities for Valentine’s Day. “Let’s show our support for our senior community and let them know we are thinking about them on Valentine’s Day,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “This is a really simple way to brighten someone’s day.” Individuals are encouraged to write kind notes and drop them off or mail them to Belt’s district offices, located at the Kenneth Hall Regional Office Building, 10 Collinsville Ave., Suite 201A, East St. Louis, IL 62201 or 7 Park Place, Suite C, Swansea, IL 62226. Belt is collecting cards until Monday, Feb. 10 and will deliver them to local long-term care facilities. People with questions can reach out to Belt’s East St. Louis office at (618) 875-1212 or Swansea office at (618) 746-8126.

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WOOD RIVER – At Monday’s City Council meeting, Wood River Mayor Tom Stalcup and Police Chief Brad Wells honored Brendan Lenhardt with the Telecommunicator of the Year award for 2024. Wells spoke highly of Lenhardt as a skilled communicator and multi-tasker, citing him as one of the department’s “success stories.” “Telecommunicator Lenhardt is an outstanding professional and highly dedicated employee,” Wells said. “He consistently demonstrates key qualities such as leadership, resourcefulness, compassion, professionalism, and the ability to multitask – traits that define an exemplary telecommunicator. “Over the past year, Telecommunicator Lenhardt has gone above and beyond, offering to assist in various areas to cover vacant positions in dispatch. He successfully completed the state-approved communications training officer program.” The chief then outlined two occasions on which Lenhardt’s decisive communication

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WOOD RIVER – Wood River Mayor Tom Stalcup and Police Chief Brad Wells presented the 2024 Officer of the Year award to Geoffrey Fester at Monday’s City Council meeting. Wells said this marks the Officer of the Year award’s seventh year running, commending Fester as a worthy recipient. “This year, Jeff is very deserving of that,” Wells said of the award. “It’s with great pleasure to present officer Jeff Fester as the 2024 Officer of the Year for the Wood River Police Department.” He added Fester was formerly an East Alton Police officer who was an “obvious choice” for the Wood River Police Department given his work ethic, compassion for victims, and more. He’s been with the department for four years now, accumulating “extensive experience” on the job. “Officer Fester consistently ranks among the top in documented activity in the department,” Wells said. “He was selected to be part of

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MURPHYSBORO – The Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigations Zone 7 was requested by the Murphysboro Police Department (MPD) to investigate an officer involved death. On February 4, 2025, at approximately 1:30 a.m., an officer from the MPD attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle that had previously fled from other police agencies. The vehicle failed to stop and the MPD officer lost sight of the vehicle. The vehicle that failed to stop was located crashed near south 14th Street and Spruce Street in Murphysboro. The driver was pronounced deceased on scene. The passenger was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. ISP is leading the open and ongoing investigation. No additional information will be released at this time.

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ALTON - Alton City Clerk Cheryl Ingle is running for reelection, and she believes her 29 years of experience in City Hall will guide her through the next four years in the City Clerk’s position. Ingle shared that she has worked hard to digitize documents and processes in the City Clerk’s office. As “keeper of the building,” she helps maintain City Hall, and she serves as a “liaison” between department heads and City Council. She said she has a lot more she hopes to accomplish, and she can’t wait for the consolidated election on April 1, 2025, so she can get to work. “I’m very proud of what I’ve accomplished,” Ingle said. “And I’ve got several new ideas that I want to start working on.” Since entering the Clerk’s office as a typist 29 years ago, Ingle has worked in almost every department at City Hall. She worked in Planning and Development, then helped with Building and Zoning. She collaborate

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SPRINGFIELD/CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that after a one-week dip, the state’s overall respiratory illness level has ticked up again from Moderate to High, driven by a notable increase in emergency department (ED) visits and hospital admissions for flu. While data for ED visits and hospital admissions for the week ending January 25 show that COVID-19 and RSV are declining, it indicates the flu is circulating more widely. There are three times as many hospital admissions for flu as there are for COVID-19, with 4.6% of admissions attributed to flu, with 1.6% to COVID-19 and 0.7% for RSV. Almost 20% percent of ED visits were for acute respiratory illness, a catchall category that includes flu, COVID-19 and RSV plus other respiratory conditions. Of those, 7.8% were attributed to flu, 1.6% to COVID-19 and 0.7% to RSV. “IDPH continues to closely monitor data on seasonal viruses during this respiratory season,” said IDPH

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