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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today led 13 of his colleagues in sending a letter to the Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack and Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Shalanda Young urging the agency leaders to increase the Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) research budget by at least five percent, plus inflation, for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25). In their letter, the Senators emphasized the importance of public funding for food and agriculture research as it ensures that the U.S. remains competitive in the global market. The U.S. share of public agriculture research investments globally among high-income countries as a group has declined from 35 percent in 1960 to less than 25 percent by 2013. By comparison, in the past 30 years, China’s investments in public agriculture research has risen eight-fold, with China now the world’s largest public funder of agriculture

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GRANITE CITY – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that repairs on eastbound Interstate 270 between Illinois 3 and Riverview Drive in Missouri will require lane closures starting, weather permitting, at 9 p.m., Friday, Dec. 15. One lane will always remain open. All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, Dec. 18. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this closure. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all construction signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling through the work zone. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.

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JERSEYVILLE - A splash pad is officially coming to Lions Club Park in Jerseyville following unanimous City Council approval of a proposal from Water Odyssey for splash pad features/controllers/equipment. This is the latest in a series of improvements planned for Phase 2 of the Lions Club Park Improvements Project. Tyler Hermens, director of the Jerseyville Parks and Recreation Department, said at the meeting that “there’s a lot of moving parts with this project,” including several grants that have made it possible. “We have a $600,000 grant from the state of Illinois to potentially bid out the entire project and the construction,” Hermens said. “What this allows us to do, with the American Water $250,000 grant we received, this gives us the opportunity to pre-purchase the equipment and have that fabricated behind the scenes while we’re working on a final design and Department of Public Health permit. “With our Parks and Rec staff,

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CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined mHUB leadership, local elected officials, business leaders, and members of Illinois’ entrepreneurial community to celebrate the ribbon cutting and grand opening of mHUB’s new headquarters. The new innovation center is receiving $9.6 million in funding from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to continue advancing technology solutions for a clean tech economy through energy infrastructure, grid modernization, and long-energy storage. “To make Illinois a leader in clean energy innovation, we need institutions like mHUB that convene public and private sector interests towards a common goal, such as protecting the future health and economy of our state by developing new solutions to our climate crisis,” said Governor JB Pritzker . “The State is proud to recognize mHUB for the work it’s doing to scale the early-stage technologies needed to modernize, decarbonize, and incentivize

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PIASA - Southwestern High School on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023, announced its list of Illinois State Scholar students. The group, shown above from left to right, are: Colin LeMarr, Parker LeMarr, Carson Burns, Matthew Arendell and Wyatt Akers. To be considered for Illinois State Scholar eligibility, a student must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen. The State Scholar program recognizes students attending approved Illinois high schools, typically public schools. Eligibility for the State Scholar program is based in part on a student's highest qualifying ACT or SAT score.

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GRANITE CITY - Granite City had a long list of high school students who auditioned and were selected for the Eastern Illinois University Honor Band Festival. A total of 25 Granite City students were picked of the 103 students across the state to participate. The students rehearsed and attended masterclasses and faculty recitals before performing a concert conducted by Dr. Alicia Neal and Professor David Boggs. The Granite City administration said the students represented Granite City well and "we are proud of their hard work and accomplishments." The list of students is as follows: Makayla Bird Karlisa Brent Aaron Brinker Arianna Collins Abigail Dickerman Brennen Foote Bailey Hanks Adrianna Ireland Colin Lakatos Holly LePeire Teresa Maldonado Lilly Martin Kaylah Meyerhoff Gabrielle Mitchell Alexander Peralez Victor Peralez Issac Robinson Victoria Robinson Xavier Russell Fred SanSoucie Neva Schwartz Faith Teets Sunny Valle Jenna Watkins Alyssa White

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ALTON – The anonymous gold coin donor has struck again. Over the weekend, a gold coin was placed in The Salvation Army’s red kettle in Wood River. This has happened for many years in Alton and has become an annual tradition. “We are so excited to share that we have been blessed again this year with the gift of a gold coin at the Wood River Walmart,” Captain Cassy Grey announced today. “We are truly grateful for the generosity of this anonymous donor and send you our heartfelt thanks!” Bell ringers are still needed to help The Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign reach its goal of $217,000 to help people in Madison County. As of Dec. 11, 2023, approximately $66,000 has been raised with just 11 ringing days remaining. Alton Salvation Army Captain Sean Grey would like to make a special plea for bell ringers through Dec. 23, 2023. “The holidays are a busy time for everyone, so please know how much we need and value your help.” If you can hel

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WOOD RIVER - What began six months ago as an electronic repair service offered out of Blake Brown’s home has found a new home in a storefront at 305 S. 6th St. in Wood River. BB Electronic Repair & Recycling has been open at the new location for about a month now offering everything its name implies and more. Brown spoke more about the business and its new storefront on a recent episode of Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com . “I have been messing with electronics since I was a kid. It has been something that has been a passion of mine,” Brown said. “During COVID, I was let go of my job and decided it was time to go ahead and pursue stuff of my own.” When he was first getting started, he described it more as a “side hustle” to make extra money while he tried and struggled to find a job in the industry. Eventually, he decided he was passionate enough about electronic repair to stop the job search and employ himself instead. “I

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Kimmel Belonging and Engagement Hub at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville hosted five special celebrations to recognize graduates representing diverse populations during the week of Dec. 4-8, ahead of the University’s fall 2023 commencement exercises being held Friday-Saturday, Dec. 15-16. Students were honored during the following special observances: Hispanic/Latinx, Black, Lavendar (formerly Rainbow), Asian-Asian American-Pacific Islander-Desi American, and Non-Traditional. “The purpose of these Affinity Celebrations is to ensure that the students from historically marginalized populations are seen, acknowledged and honored for their achievements,” said Ashley Jones, Kimmel Belonging and Engagement Hub office administrator. “The Celebrations are important because these students, in a lot of cases, have overcome great obstacles, systemic racism, inequitable circumstances, and personal difficulties to get to this place in their

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ALTON - Alton’s first-ever free Riverbend Wellness Festival is set for next month and hundreds of people are already interested in the event, which will include ten keynote speakers, four “wellness workshops” and over 30 vendors. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, community members will fill Milton Schoolhouse for a day of “Whole Wellness.” Organizers Beth Ahlin and Stella Webb hope to see a big crowd, and they’re asking local businesses to consider donating to the raffle, with all proceeds going to Amare, NFP. The goal, they said, is to promote community wellness. “We’ll have opportunities for individuals and families to seek wellness,” Ahlin said. “I always tell people, somebody’s way to wellness is their own way. So to have opportunities for anybody, families, individuals, to seek out wellness and to be able to talk to the people who can get them there, it’s super cool. And the huge overarching

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GRAFTON - Pere Marquette State Park has renewed their outreach efforts with the help of Lev Smolianski, the new natural resource coordinator. Smolianski explained that there are several programs in the works for anyone who is interested in learning about Pere Marquette and the ecosystem it supports. Whether he teaches at schools or at the park, he loves watching people become more passionate about the environment as they learn about it. “When you bring these kinds of programs and lessons to folks, people become connected to their land. It changes the way they view the world,” Smolianski said. “I believe through this kind of work, people become better stewards of their environment. My ultimate goal is to create an ideal of conservation in the folks that I interact with, to preserve for future generations and to create sustainable, long term management of our natural resources.” To do this, Smolianski is upping Pere Marquette’s programming and amplifying

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ALTON - Alton Ward 7 Alderman Nate Keener announced last night that he will be stepping down from his posts on the Alton Committee of the Whole and City Council at the end of this year to relocate for a new job in Springfield. “Today, I’m publicly announcing my resignation as Ward 7 Alderman effective Dec. 31, 2023,” Keener said at Monday’s committee meeting. “Earlier this year, I accepted a new job based in Springfield and due to this career change, my family and I will be relocating to central Illinois sometime after the first of the year.” Once Keener officially steps down, there will be an open vacancy for a new Ward 7 Alderperson yet to be appointed. Keener said he is “committed to helping make that transition as smooth as possible.” “It has been an honor to serve,” he added. “I’ve enjoyed meeting so many of you and hearing your ideas about how to make the city of Alton a better place to live, and

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WASHINGTON – Following a continuous stretch of severe weather events in Illinois, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today reintroduced the Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act. The bill would reform the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) disaster declaration process to make it more transparent and equitable to small and rural communities in larger states like Illinois. Due to FEMA’s disaster declaration process, states like Illinois face difficulties qualifying for federal aid to repair damage caused by natural disasters. Durbin first introduced the bill in 2012 afterFEMA denied federal assistance to Harrisburg, Illinois, and Ridgway, Illinois, following a devastating outbreak of storms and tornadoes. “Illinois often struggles to receive adequate aid from the federal government after severe weather strikes a community, causing serious damage. We must fix the broken metrics FEMA uses to determine

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today released the following statement after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the United States Senate: “I’m angry that we would consider walking away from Ukraine in this moment in history. For almost two years, they have fought off one of the most powerful militaries in the world—and given their lives to do it. And we said that we will stand by their side. Now, some members of Congress have grown impatient—they want it over with and they don’t want to talk about it anymore. Ukrainians are continuing to give their lives every day and we are ‘impatient?’ “What does it mean in the future when the United States says ‘we are on your side?’ Does it mean anything if we walk away from Ukraine? I don’t think so. “What we do has consequences—global and historic consequences. Vladimir

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EDWARDSVILLE – Edwardsville High School Principal Dr. Steve Stuart is pleased to announce that 102 students from the EHS graduating class of 2024 have been designated as Illinois State Scholars. This prestigious award is based on the combination of the students’ exemplary college entrance exam scores (ACT/SAT) and their sixth-semester class rank and GPA. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), the state’s college access and financial aid agency, presents this important recognition of academic achievement to exceptional Illinois high school students annually. This year, nearly 16,700 honorees join the other outstanding students who have been honored since the designation was first introduced in 1958. The award is non-monetary; each student receives a congratulatory letter and a certificate of achievement from the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, the state's college access and financial aid agency. The following seniors earned the

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WOOD RIVER - Sun Catchers Tanning is celebrating 30 years, and if you ask owner Robert Jones, tanning is the secret to both his and the business’s longevity. “My old sunbed that I have at home, I go three times a week in it,” Jones said. “I’m 83, and I’ll probably go until the end of life because it keeps you that healthy.” Jones and his wife never expected to own a tanning salon when they got married 60 years ago. They opened a video store — one of the first in the area — but quickly realized that video was “a wintertime business.” By the time spring came around, people wanted to take trips and spend time outside. Jones and his wife installed a few tanning beds in the video store, and they were surprised by how popular they were. As the video business faded, they opened a full tanning salon and have stayed busy ever since. How did Jones and his wife become tanning experts? Jones attributes it to the two years

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ALTON - The Marquette Catholic High School girls basketball team is young. Part of that young core is sophomore Allie Weiner. The team's leading scorer had a big game Monday night against the Christ Our Rock Lutheran Silver Stallions. After scoring just two points in the first half, Allie went off to finish the game with 23 points, a career high. For her effort Allie Weiner is a Tucker's Automotive Repair & Tire Athlete of the Month for Marquette Catholic High School. The Explorers went on to beat Christ Our Rock 37-25 and move to 3-2 in the Gateway Metro Conference. The game was tied 10-10 at halftime before Allie had something to say about it. She scored nine straight points in the fourth quarter to put the game away. "She turned it on," Marquette head coach Whitney Sykes-Rogers said. "We have to have her score. She's a scorer and that's her big job. If she doesn't score, we kind of struggle. She had a great night and I'm happy for her." Along with her 23 points she had six

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ALTON - If you would like to find one of the best combinations of perseverance and self-awareness in a high school student, look no further than our most recent recipient of the Remarkable Redbird Senior Rhyann Reed. Rhyann is a four-year cadet for the ROTC at Alton High School. Rhyann was nominated by her ROTC leader, Master Sgt Katie Rosenbeck. Master Sgt Rosenbeck adds that Rhyann stands out because she has been spending her advisory hour tutoring another student to ensure that they pass a necessary class to graduate in the spring. She is also a student assistant in another class and has been mentoring a second-year ROTC cadet on how to teach drill. As a cadet in the program, she takes the initiative and always goes above and beyond. Rhyann enjoys mentoring of younger cadets as well. She is happy to help her fellow cadet gain confidence in themselves and other ROTC processes as well as general knowledge of ROTC itself. Ryann has also taken on responsibility for all fundraising

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BETHALTO - Civic Memorial junior Meredith Brueckner has been overcoming a familiar injury over the past year. Unfamiliar to her personally, but very much familiar to the Lady Eagles' basketball program. Brueckner was the sixth girl in six years to tear her ACL on the hard court. During her time as an Eagle she's seen the injury happen twice. Brueckner was a freshman when Claire Christeson tore hers in June 2021, then came Aubree Wallace in March 2022. "They were definitely there for me every step of the way," Brueckner said of her former teammates. "I'll always text them and ask 'is this normal?' They're always there for me." Brueckner tore her ACL in February of this year, and after months of hard work and physical therapy, made her return to the basketball court. For her resilience, Meredith Brueckner is a Tom Lane State Farm Athlete of the Month for Civic Memorial High School. Brueckner played the first two days of the season-opening tournament in Taylorville, playing limited

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I have to admit something embarrassing: I recently went to Starbucks. Okay, that in and of itself isn’t embarrassing. But when you think about all the great coffee shops we have in the Riverbend community — places that are sure to appreciate my purchase way more than Starbucks, a multibillion-dollar corporation — you have to wonder why I would spend my money at a place like that when I could have stopped by Germania, Maeva’s or Post Commons instead. My point is, as much as I try to shop local, I often mess up. Sometimes it’s just easier to buy something at the last minute from Amazon. I drive by Walmart every day, and every now and then it’s more convenient to pull in and grab a Christmas gift or a treat or whatever I need from there. I value local businesses over big companies, but my consumerism is far from perfect. But I’m making a commitment this holiday season to buy all my gifts from small or locally-owned businesses. So I set off to

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