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GILLESPIE - On Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, Gillespie will host their second annual Holiday Sparkle event, complete with over 70 vendors, a train through town and a lighted parade. Organizers noted that last year’s first Holiday Sparkle was a huge success, and they hope to recreate that experience on Saturday. The Holiday Sparkle will invite community members to come out for a full day of festivities. “It’s just a downtown Christmas event, kind of like a little Hallmark movie,” said organizer Tammy Beechler. “Everybody’s getting involved and it’s just nice to see these little small towns kind of bringing something back to life a little bit.” Beechler is one of six volunteers who started planning the Holiday Sparkle in August. She explained that businesses along Main Street will remain open all day to host vendors and special events until the lighted parade begins at 4:30 p.m. From 9 a.m. to noon, kids can meet Santa and Mrs. Claus

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Key Takeaways: If you have mild symptoms, take an at-home COVID-19 test Wash your hands Stay at home if you are sick Cover your cough Use over-the-counter medications to treat mild symptoms at home Can’t stop coughing? It’s a common question happening with all of the upper respiratory illness going around including colds, flu and RSV. Maybe two weeks ago you had a virus, you treated the symptoms with antibiotics, you’re feeling much better, but the cough is just lingering. Juanbosco Ayala, MD, is a pulmonologist in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Evergreen Park, Illinois. He provides medical care to patients on a daily basis, especially people who have breathing disorders and lung disease, and explains potential reasons why coughs linger. “A lot of times it’s due to the local inflammation that persists. There’s not much to do for it, we typically recommend antihistamines, and

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WOOD RIVER - East Alton-Wood River High School junior Lily Tretter is everything a coach or classroom instructor could want as an athlete on their squad and is also a straight-A student. During winter months, Lily is a star for the East Alton-Wood River girls basketball team. In the spring she plays third base and center field for the Oilers girls softball squad. Lily is coached by Lyndsey Perez. One of Lily's biggest accomplishments this season she says was "a double-double against Granite City." Lily added, "Also, my first game back after I sprained my ankle this season was against Southwestern and I had a perfect game." "I’ve been playing basketball since third grade," she added. "What I love most about basketball is the adrenaline rush I get every game. No matter if I have a bad game or a good game I always love the sport." The EA-WR junior is a Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athlete Of The Month for the Oilers. Lily also plays year-round softball for Illinois Esprit

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MADISON COUNTY - Illinois State Police Troop issued information late Friday afternoon, Dec. 15, 2023, about a crash at 11:28 a.m. earlier in the day on Interstate 255 southbound, just south of the Roxana exit (milepost 5) in Madison County. ISP had this preliminary synopsis of the crash: "ISP Troop 8 responded to the above location for the report of a single-unit, rollover crash. The driver of a truck-tractor semi-trailer (TTST) swerved to avoid a vehicle that cut them off and lost control, causing the TTST to roll over into the fence line. "The driver was transported to an area hospital with minor injuries." ISP said there is no additional information to share at this time. Photos are by 618 Drone Service.

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GRANITE CITY - The Granite City Police Department's Investigative Division, along with the Madison County Sheriff's Office, executed a search warrant on Dec. 13, 2023, in the 1600 block of Poplar Street in Granite City. Granite City Police said at this time the following individual was taken into custody and is identified as Ron L. Lott, 49, of the 1600 block of Poplar Street, Granite City. Lott’s case was presented to the Madison County State’s Attorney’s office and he was charged with the following charges: CT 1: Unlawful Possession with the Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine (Class 1 felony) CT 2: Unlawful Possession with the Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine (Class 2 felony) CT 3: Unlawful Possession with the Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine (Class 2 felony) CT 4: Unlawful Possession with the Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine (Class 2 felony) CT 5: Unlawful Possession with the Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine (Class 2 felony) Lott was also charged in a

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EAST ALTON - Krissy Teets is on top of the world, literally, after a huge triumph in a World Pro-Am Axe Throwing League Tournament in Appleton, Wisc. Krissy, a local athlete, was drafted on a pro team and her team was undefeated in three out of four skills categories and the team won the overall skills award at the worldwide axe-throwing event. “I went so far in the tournament that I was filmed competing and will appear on ESPN on Sunday, December 17, 2023,” Krissy said. “I am one one the first females to appear on ESPN for the World Axe Throwing League. I will be shattering this gender barrier in the world of axe throwing alongside Tasia Cobbs who also made it to the big stage in November. I am looking forward to the broadcast. Millions are likely to watch it.” This was a statement from the World Axe Throwing League about Krissy and Tasha Cobb, another woman who entered in the competition: “Krissy Teets and Tasia Cobb have demonstrated unparalleled

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ALTON - A new organization has opened in the Riverbend community, and for founders Kristine and Mark Ressler, it couldn’t be more purr-fect. MeowTown is a cat cafe where customers can enjoy cookies, coffee and cuddles with cats. The organization partners with Metro East Humane Society , and all of the cats are available for adoption. Kristine explained that MeowTown is a passion project that has brought her whole family together, starting when she and her 9-year-old daughter Lily went to a cat cafe in St. Louis and realized they needed to open something similar in the Riverbend. “We were there, and I thought, ‘This is so amazing. I have goosebumps. Alton needs one of these so bad,’” Kristine remembered. “Alton’s amazing. I love this area. Anytime I leave it and come back, it’s like, I love Alton so much. And the community rallies around things like this. So I think, not only the cats, but it’s really about the community too

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WOOD RIVER - The Wood River Police Department utilized an ILEAS Tactical Response Team to execute a search warrant in the 500 block of North Wood River Avenue at 8:30 a.m. on December 15, 2023. The search warrant was executed on the address due to an undercover drug investigation conducted by the Wood River Police Department Street Crimes Unit. "Four people were removed from the home during the search warrant," Wood River Police Chief Brad Wells said. "All were taken into custody and transported to the Wood River City Jail. As a result of the search warrant, the investigation is in the preliminary stage. Any criminal charges sought against those present will be presented to the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office." Chief Wells continued: "The illegal use of drugs and sale of illegal drugs are problems every community will face, endangering the health and safety of abusers and those who live around them. The Wood River Police Department is committed to protecting

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation—issued the following statement after the Biden Administration’s Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service announced a notice regarding the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) tax credit requirements created in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 : “After months of pushing the Biden Administration to adopt Argonne National Lab’s GREET model—the gold standard for analyzing the lifecycle greenhouse gases impacts of renewable fuels—in their SAF tax credit guidance, I appreciate the Biden Administration taking our concerns into account as we work to reduce our nation’s carbon footprint and transition to a greener economy. We are making progress toward this goal, but we must ensure that American SAF continues to lead the

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), with U.S. Representatives Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) and Bill Foster (D-IL-11) today called for more involvement from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to assist in the completion of the nationally-important O’Hare Terminal Area Program (TAP). In a letter to DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the members are requesting DOT help facilitate a path forward between and convene all O’Hare stakeholders to reaffirm a shared commitment to increase gate capacity by at least 25 percent, reduce projected costs and secure additional federal investment, working together to complete this project like 2018’s O’Hare Modernization Program. “To maximize the return on investment from ORD runway modernization,

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GLEN CARBON - Best Buy, located at 6670 Edwardsville Crossing Drive in Edwardsville, had a robbery around 9 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, Glen Carbon Police Department reported on Friday morning, Dec. 15, 2023. Edwardsville Police Department was involved in the situation, but Chief Mike Fillback said Glen Carbon Police was the main investigator of the crime at this point. Glen Carbon Police said more information will be released on the robbery later Friday afternoon and that at this point confirmed there was a robbery around 9 p.m. at the Best Buy store. The Glen Carbon Police said four people were apprehended and in custody. Edwardsville Police, Madison County Sheriff's Office and Illinois State Police were all involved in the apprehension of the suspects with Glen Carbon Police. The Madison County State's Attorney's Office has been presented with case information and is reviewing information. Charges could come later today, the police said.

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BELLEVILLE - The 2024 Home Expo is inching closer as new details emerge about the event, which is slated to be the biggest Home Expo event on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. Shannon Stelling with the Home Builders & Remodelers Metro East Association (HBRMEA) appeared on a recent episode of Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com to share more details about the event, local trade programs and facilities, and more. “It’s not just a home show,” Stelling said. “It is a way to feature some of our different organizations schools on the Illinois side of the river.” Stelling said the 2024 Home Expo will offer free admission, free parking, and about 140-150 vendor booths, in addition to $22,000 worth of giveaway prizes over the course of the event - including a hot tub. The expo will also feature performances from local high school bands, choirs, competitive dance and cheer teams, performing groups from the Special Olympics, and more. T

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SPRINGFIELD – As the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) approaches the halfway point in resuming customer Medicaid redeterminations following the end of the pandemic-era continuous Medicaid coverage requirement, Illinois has the highest renewal rate among states, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Medicaid Enrollment and Unwinding Tracker . The tracker relies on renewal data that the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) collects from states. Following the end of the continuous coverage requirement earlier this year, states resumed Medicaid renewals, or redeterminations, which are regular customer eligibility verifications. According to the data tracker, at this stage of the unwinding process, Illinois and Maine have the highest renewal rates among all states, at 90%. HFS credits robust preparations and ongoing process improvements to being able to preserve health care coverage for Medicaid-eligible individuals across the state.

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ALTON - The National Great Rivers Museum (NGRM), in partnership with Meeting of the Rivers Foundation (MTRF), is extending the deadline for entries for their third annual “Winter on the River” Photography Contest. “We’re still getting a lot of questions from the public regarding the contest, so we’ve decided to extend the deadline through January 2 nd ,” said Elise Ratcliff, Natural Resources Specialist and Photography Contest Coordinator. “That will give everyone through the holidays to get their submissions together.” The exhibit, featuring community photography, is still planned to open on January 6 th , in conjunction with the region’s Eagle Ice Festival. As part of the Festival, the NGRM will have eagle spotting scopes, eagle crafts, eagle films, and eagle-watching tours on top of Melvin Price Locks and Dam every 30 minutes between 10am – 2pm. “This free event is a great way to kick off Eagle Season, with several

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GODFREY - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Upper Mississippi River Restoration (UMRR) Program continues to make progress on the Piasa and Eagles Nest Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Project, which has been taking place 8 miles upstream of Alton, IL since 2021. The focus of this project is to deepen both side channel and backwater habitats as well as create three new islands, all of which will benefit a multitude of fish and wildlife species. The project will also enhance boating access from Piasa Creek to the Mississippi River. Currently, construction has been put on a fall work stoppage due to waterfowl hunting season, but work is scheduled to resume on December 27 th . Once resumed, the work will focus on dredging the side channel between IL Rt. 100 and Piasa Island. The dredged material is being used to fill rock rings to create the three new island habitats. Completed construction of this project is scheduled to conclude in 2025. During construction, the river will

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College’s Video Game Club is the largest club on campus, with over 200 members. The club meets weekly to celebrate the love of video games and the community. The club’s mission is to bring students together as a family and provide them with an outlet to share their interests in video games, board games and more. The club meets at 5 p.m. on Tuesdays in the Commons Café, Math & Science Complex, on the college’s Godfrey Campus. L&C Recruiter and Club Advisor Daniel Nosce says the Video Game Club believes in welcoming students, no matter their background. “Diversity, equity, inclusion and academic excellence are the club’s focus points,” Nosce said. “The club is a safe and comfortable place where students can have fun without judgment, bullying, or peer pressure.” The Video Game Club prides itself on being a resource for students, a family to lean on when times get tough, and an example o

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GLEN CARBON - After tabling the item at their last meeting, the Glen Carbon Village Board voted earlier this week to exempt village employees from the Illinois Paid Leave For All Workers Act, which takes effect on Jan. 1, 2024. Trustees unanimously voted to pass an ordinance clarifying the village already has a paid leave policy in place for its employees. Employment Attorney Tom Berry said there is also new language adding paid leave for part-time village employees. “The first item is to amend the handbook so that all employees moving forward will have some form of paid personal leave,” Berry said at the meeting. “We can then exercise our right to exempt .” New amendments were made to the Village Personnel Handbook regarding personal days. Since the Illinois Paid Leave For All Workers Act requires that all workers, including part-time, receive paid leave, the amendment provides part-time village employees with eight hours of leave per year. Glen

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ALTON - Sierra Club Illinois is celebrating the success of its Wednesday Invasive Species Management Training and Work Day, thanks in large part to our partnership with the Village of Godfrey Parks and Recreation Department and the hard work of local municipal leaders and community volunteers. The workshop, made possible through an Illinois Forestry Development Commission grant, attracted 25 participants from across the Riverbend and as far as Maroa, Illinois, to learn how to identify and remove invasive species. “Sierra Club appreciates the efforts of the Village of Godfrey and Parks and Recreation Director Chris Logan in securing the Illinois Forestry Development Commission grant that made this workshop possible,” said Three Rivers Project co-Coordinator Virginia Woulfe-Beile. “The workshop gave our community the opportunity to learn and feel empowered to take action in their backyards to remove invasive species. We’re grateful for the efforts of local

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) spoke at the opening ceremony of the U.S.-ASEAN Center, an initiative dedicated to building deeper habits of cooperation between the full range of U.S. departments and agencies and the countries that make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In her remarks, Duckworth emphasized that shoring up this partnership involves more than just providing security support—it also means working together to take on the other unique challenges of the 21 st century that don’t recognize national borders, including climate change, artificial intelligence, international economic instability and global health crises. “For more than half a century now, the United States and ASEAN have learned from and leaned on each other—helping one another adapt to an era in which technology allows allies half a world away to be there for each other in half an instant,” Duckworth said. “Now, in

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SPRINGFIELD - Secretary of State and State Librarian Alexi Giannoulias is awarding more than $1.4 million to qualifying public school districts to the benefit of 2,713 school libraries throughout Illinois. The grants, awarded once every fiscal year, will support school library services for 1.2 million students enrolled in kindergarten through 12 th grade. Resources and services provided through the grant include library books, e-books, audiobooks, periodicals, multilingual materials, technology and programs. “It’s imperative that all Illinois students have access to necessary resources including reading materials and learning services at our public school libraries,” Giannoulias said. “School libraries serve as places of learning and discovery. These funds will ensure that our libraries are well-equipped to educate and inspire our future generations.” Based on a statutory formula, school districts receive $0.885 per student for their enrollment at eac

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