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EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville Police Chief Mike Fillback reminded residents today to be aware of their belongings when shopping at retail establishments throughout the region. He said in recent times, there have been more reports of thefts of purses, wallets, etc. while individuals are visiting various area retail shops. The chief said a technique used in some of these cases involved one person communicating with an individual and distracting someone, while another cohort performs the actual theft. The next move often was the use of the individual’s credit card at the register, he said. “The tactic is sometimes two work together and one person randomly comes up and starts talking to distract you,” he said. “The phone scam started out with elderly folks who are more susceptible and worked its way where it hits all groups. This impacts all age groups, not just the elderly. We encourage people to be more vigilant with their belongings at Christmas time, but we are

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EDWARDSVILLE - Illinois State Police and Edwardsville Police and Fire Department are working together on a situation where a trash truck struck a pedestrian at the corner of the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Northern Access Road near Northwest University Drive on Wednesday morning. The pedestrian suffered serious injuries in the accident and will have to be helicoptered out to a St. Louis hospital. Edwardsville Police Chief Mike Fillback confirmed that a person had been struck and the injuries were very serious. “Edwardsville Police are out there with the fire department and state police,” he said. “We are helping with traffic in the area. People are advised to definitely stay away from the area, and we encourage people to allow the first responders to work the area.” Chief Fillback said the Illinois State Police would handle the investigation of the mishap from this point.

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GRANITE CITY - A live cow, Prairie Farms ice cream, and lots of agricultural education will be featured at the National Agriculture Day celebration at Granite Nursing & Rehabilitation Center. The event will be held on Tuesday, March 21 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. just outside the center, located at 3500 Century Drive in Granite City. The event is sponsored by Prarie Farms, who will be there with a live cow, Prairie Farms ice cream, and also to provide education to attendees on why agriculture is so important. Activities Director Kennedy Cherry said Prarie Farms eagerly accepted the opportunity to teach Granite City residents about agriculture. “With it being Granite City and not as rural as some of our surrounding areas, I thought, ‘When’s the last time some of our residents have even seen a cow, if they’ve ever actually got to experience being up close to a cow?’ because a lot of them are more Granite City and St. Louis residents,” she said. “I

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WOOD RIVER - The William M. BeDell Achievement and Resource Center (arc) held its annual meeting today at Julia’s Banquet Center in East Alton. The agency honored numerous employees for their service to the arc mission. Those who were recognized for over 40 years of service included Donna Bailey, Frederic Golden, Ph.D., Barb Hammond, Robert Hunt Jr., and Terri Shulte. Employees with over 35 years of service are Carol Basden, Darlene Cox, Wendy Holliday and Becky Simmons. Those with over 30 years of service are Joe Crawford, Grace Daubman, Jane Hibbs, Theresa Leese and James Neely. Nearly 50 percent of arc employees have been with the agency for over 20 years. Executive Director, Chad Rollins, remarked that is timely that the agency is honoring employees in March which is National Developmental Disability Month. Rollins said, “Our employees assist the developmentally disabled through all stages of life.” He added, “We employ Special Education Teachers, Qualified

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College welcomed new Trustee Donna Ware, a 20-year resident of Alton, to the Board of Trustees during Tuesday’s regular board meeting. Ware, who currently works as an Executive Director of Planning and Design with BJC HealthCare, with more than 30 years in architecture, will serve out the remainder of retired Trustee Charles Hanfelder’s term, to end in April 2025. Description automatically generated" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_9" style="width: 1.7708in; height: 2.2708in;">“I have always had a passion for education in all its forms and how it can truly transform people’s lives personally and professionally, whether through a formal college education, continuing education or trade school,” Ware said. “The mission and vision of Lewis and Clark to empower people and provide relevant and high-quality learning aligns with my own values as I mentor young people in my industry as well as ensure learning opportunities

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EAST ST. LOUIS – Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) announced the arrest of a 17-year-old male of East St. Louis for First Degree Murder (Class M Felony). On January 14, 2023, the ISP DCI was requested by the East St. Louis Police Department to conduct a death investigation in East St. Louis. A male, later identified as 18-year-old Dejuan J. Tate of East St. Louis, was located with a gunshot wound in the 800 block of North 80th Street. Tate was transported to an area hospital and later pronounced deceased. After a thorough investigation, the case was presented to the St. Clair County State's Attorney's Office. On March 14, 2023, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney charged the 17-year-old with First Degree Murder (Class M Felony). The 17-year-old is currently detained at the St. Clair Juvenile Detention Center with a $1,000,000 bond, 10% to apply. ISP DCI was assisted by the East St. Louis Police Department, St. Clair County Coroner’s

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BUNKER HILL - The “Headstrong Countryboy" fundraiser, a large fundraising event featuring 11 bands, raffles, auctions, and more will be held at the American Legion Partridge Post 578 at 319 Marion Street in Bunker Hill on March 25 from noon to 9 p.m. The proceeds will benefit David Zimmerman, who is battling frontotemporal dementia (FTD), the same type that actor Bruce Willis was diagnosed with. David and Stephanie Zimmerman recently appeared on an episode of Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com to discuss the fundraiser and its purpose. Stephanie said the event not only aims to spread awareness about the disease, but also the ways music can benefit those with FTD and similar brain diseases. “With this disease, it affects his ability to find his words and speak,” Stephanie said. “But with music, it’s not affected that part of his brain with music and dancing … the lyrics, he can sing in full sentences, even having this disease where he normall

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ALTON - Jackson Pranger of Marquette Catholic High School and Summer Collman of Alton High School were honored as Students of the Month of March at a recent meeting of the Rotary Club of Alton-Godfrey held at Gentelin’s on Broadway Restaurant. Jackson Pranger is the son of Rick and Sara Pranger of Jerseyville. He is a senior at Marquette Catholic High School and plans to attend Lewis and Clark Community College and then transfer to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, majoring in Ag Accounting. While attending Marquette, Jackson has been a member of the National Honors Society for two years. He has earned High Honor Roll all four years while taking honors, AP, and dual credit classes and holds a GPA of 4.4. As a part of Jackson’s Infinity Engineering class, he and two of his classmates created a device that helped workers with disabilities at their job. Also, while at Marquette, Jackson played basketball, soccer and tennis. Jackson has accumulated over 175 service

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EDWARDSVILLE - Olivia Baca, a senior striker for the Edwardsville High School girls soccer team who scored 25 goals in 2022, is off to a blazing start in 2023, scoring a hat trick in the Tigers' 6-0 season-opening win over Rochester in the Metro Cup showcase event on a chilly and windy March 13 evening at Tiger Stadium. Baca scored her first two goals within the first five minutes of the match, then climaxed her hat trick with a 52nd-minute golazo, hitting a spectacular, curling shot from distance that found the upper right corner of the net that gave Edwardsville a 5-0 lead at the time. In her postgame interview, Baca felt very happy for her team and for the prospects ahead for the Tigers. "I'm feeling really excited for the season," Baca said, "and I feel like we're really playing together as a team and it's really going to be exciting this year." The preseason practices went well for the Tigers and it helped the optimism that surrounds the team as the regular season starts. "The

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ALTON - Senior Brandon Hayes Jr. is the Art Fahrner-Edward Jones Alton High School Remarkable Redbird Of The Month for March. Hayes has been busy throughout his four-year career at Alton High combining being a stalwart on the football team each season and being an active member of the track team as a thrower, but also adding the arts and also Student Council to his overall Redbird high school experience. Brandon took football seriously during his first two years at Alton High, but he said that since his junior year, "he has fallen in love with the sport." He really enjoys the teamwork and skill development offered by the coaching staff at Alton High. He added that he was encouraged by coach Eric Dickerson to become a thrower on the track team to stay in shape for football. Brandon mentioned that he was not as excited about it at first, but in spending time with his teammates and learning more about throwing, he has really enjoyed it. Brandon joined Student Council this year and

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ALTON - Kathryn Saenz, daughter of Kristen and Brian Saenz, is February’s Alton-Godrey Rotary Club Student of the Month. Jenna Dean of Marquette Catholic High School is the other Student of the Month. Saenz was selected because of her hard work and a lot of late nights studying, plus her commitment to clubs and organizations. She is an honors student, an Illinois State Scholar and a Platinum Alpha recipient. Saenz’s GPA is currently at 4.667 and she is ranked 6th in the senior class. With these grades, she has earned membership in the National Honor Society and in Mu Alpha Theta. Kathryn enjoyed the clubs and organizations that she had joined at Alton High. This list includes the Physics team, Redbird Nest, the Math team, Multi-Media Club, FCA, and the tennis team. Through these groups, as well as her 4-H group, she learned that she loves teaching, as well as learning from her peers. Volunteering opportunities are one of the advantages that these clubs provide. With Mu

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ALTON - Jenna Dean of Marquette Catholic High School was honored as one of Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club's Students of the Month of February at a recent meeting of the Rotary Club of Alton-Godfrey held at Gentelin’s on Broadway Restaurant. Kathryn Saenz of Alton High School was the other Student of the Month. Jenna Dean is the daughter of Tim and Jessica Dean of Jerseyville. She is a senior at Marquette Catholic High School and plans to continue her education at Lindenwood University, studying Business with a focus on Entrepreneurial Studies. Jenna has been on the Marquette girls' golf team for four years and her team won their regional championship this year. Jenna is a member of the National Honor Society, Campus Ministry, Breast Cancer Awareness Club, Yearbook and she is the Student Council Treasurer. She is in the Riverbend CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) program this year and she is currently working on creating her personal business which she plans to continue

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I am deeply concerned with the city’s lack of transparency with Wood River voters about the downtown marijuana dispensary. The temptation to rush this through must be enticing, given the tax revenue it would generate. Backroom deals once again define city behavior. They ignore voters and hand-pick winners and losers. What will the cost be for our families? Downtown businesses deserve to know. Did they inform residents that this was being placed four blocks from Lewis and Clark Elementary? No. Did they survey business neighbors? No. Why did they rush this through? Our families and businesses deserve to have input. Wood River deserves better. Dr. David Ayres Candidate for Wood River City Council

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GLEN CARBON - Tuesday night’s Glen Carbon Village Board meeting contained an updated report on the village’s Strategic Plan for 2023, as well as a few announcements and the passage of several agenda items. Mayor Robert Marcus began the meeting with a few announcements. He said registration is still open for the Village Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday, April 2 at 1 p.m. at Schon Park. In the event of rain, the event will be held Saturday, April 8 at 4 p.m. at the Village Hall front lawn. Visit this link to register online. The theme for this year’s Glen Carbon Homecoming will be “There’s No Place Like Homecoming,” Marcus announced. The event will take place on Father’s Day Weekend, June 16 and 17. He added that there are a limited number of vendor and sponsorship opportunities still available. More info and sponsorship forms can be found at glencarbonil.gov . Finally, Marcus invited all Glen Carbon residents to the Annual Kiwanis Pancak

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JERSEY COUNTY - Two individuals were airlifted by helicopter to St. Louis hospitals in a serious crash Tuesday afternoon on Highway 67 near Delhi Road in Jersey County. Jersey County Sheriff Nick Manns provided the following report about the accident: "One vehicle crossing Highway 67 heading eastbound across the four lanes of traffic was struck by another vehicle, traveling northbound on Highway 67," he said. "A 63-year-old woman and a 51-year-old woman were flown to St. Louis area hospitals. A 59-year-old man was taken by ambulance to an area hospital. "Two helicopters and three ambulances were called to the scene. Betsy Anne Fire Department and Jersey Community Hospital - Ambulance were first on the scene with Jersey County Sheriff’s Deputies. The Jerseyville Police Department also assisted. The crash is still under investigation by the Jersey County Sheriff’s office." Sheriff Manns also remarked this marked the fourth time that helicopters have been summoned to a major

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O’FALLON – The National Safety Council (NSC) reports more that than 90% of all poisonings happen at home. Cosmetics and personal care products lead the list of the most common substances implicated in pediatric poison exposures. According to the most recent data from the NSC, one poison exposure was reported to U.S. poison control centers every 15 seconds in 2020. As part of National Poison Prevention Week, March 19-25, HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital reminds you about the dangers of potentially poisonous medicines and chemicals and shares tips on how to keep your loved ones safe. “In the emergency department, we treat accidental poison consumptions that can range from children swallowing soap or cleaning products to adults taking an unadvised dosage of certain medicines,” said Dr. Michel Adonis, interim medical director of SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Pediatrics. “It’s important to keep any potentially harmful products out of the reach of children

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WASHINGTON PARK – The Illinois State Police announced they are requesting the public’s assistance in locating 40-year-old Sherkia E. Jointer of East St. Louis, who is a person of interest in relation to a shooting that occurred on March 2, 2023, in the 1200 block of North 49th Street in Washington Park. An adult male victim was found deceased with an apparent gunshot wound outside a residence. Anyone with knowledge of the incident or her whereabouts is asked to contact Zone 6 Special Agent Miller at 618-402-5979, CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-8477 (TIPS), or visit https://www.stlrcs.org/ . Witnesses can remain anonymous. The public is reminded that all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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JERSEYVILLE - A new cocktail bar and gaming lounge is coming to Jerseyville this summer, bringing affordable drinks and a comfortable atmosphere along with it. The Reserve Spirits & Gaming , which also has a location in Belleville, is planning to open its new Jerseyville location on May 3. The Jerseyville location will be at 1600 S. State Street, Suite J, the former location of Uncorked Spirit. The Reserve Owner and Manager Patrick Goeke said they have quality cocktails at reasonable prices and an inviting atmosphere with a private gaming room. “I think every town and every city deserves a place to have a nice cocktail at a reasonably fair price,” Goeke said. “We’re able to provide nicer cocktails at a price you wouldn’t normally see, and we try our best to have a really nice selection of bourbon and whiskey. We like to say there’s nothing in-house that we wouldn’t serve or drink ourselves.” He said the business is currently

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GRANITE CITY - The Granite City Alumni Association is announcing a scholarship for graduating students of Granite City High School entering into the healthcare professions. This scholarship will as- sist students starting their fields of study in a healthcare-related field and is being sponsored by 1967 GCHS graduate Dr. Barbara Fifield Brandt. “Today, hospitals and clinics are experiencing growing shortages of health professionals, especially nurses as well as primary care and mental health clinicians. To meet the growing workforce challenges in caring for our citizens, it is imperative that we spark and nurture an interest in healthcare careers when students are in high school or earlier by providing opportunities and removing obstacles,” stated Dr. Brandt. Barbara Fifield Brandt, PhD, EdM, FNAP is the Founding Director of the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education at the University of Minnesota (UMN). Dr. Brandt is a tenured professor in th

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WACO, Texas - More than 5,100 Baylor University students have been named to the Fall 2022 Dean’s Academic Honor List, which recognizes Baylor undergraduates for their outstanding academic work during each semester. Students honored on the Dean’s List earned a minimum semester grade-point average of 3.70 with no grade lower than a "C" while enrolled in at least 12 graded semester hours. Alton, IL Taylor Freer, College of Arts & Sciences Edwardsville, IL Logan Rigdon, School of Engineering & Computer Science ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University is a private Christian university and a Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating

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