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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor commemorating and honoring the late Pope Francis. This weekend, Durbin attended the late Pope’s funeral in the Vatican along with U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Ed Markey (D-MA), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Eric Schmitt (R-MO). “Today I join people across the world and mourn the passing of Pope Francis. He was forgiving, hopeful, and committed to the notion of peace. Francis taught us that there is no one ‘right’ way to be a Catholic. That the Church can shape you, and you can shape the Church. And in the process, he made the Church stronger,” said Durbin. During his speech, Durbin also noted he attended the Pope’s Joint Address to Congress in 2015—the first Pope to ever do so. Durbin then praised Pope Francis for using his platform to highlight the plight of immigrants and refugees, to ask compassion for those in the LGBTQ+ community

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April 29 stands as a remarkable date in history, marking moments of profound change and cultural milestones that have resonated across the globe. One of the most transformative events linked to April 29 is the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. While the official date commonly remembered is November 9, the weeks leading up to that historic night were shaped by mounting pressures and protests that culminated in the eventual opening of the border. On April 29, 1989, the East German government made a surprising announcement easing travel restrictions, a crucial step that foreshadowed the Wall's fall. This move sparked waves of hope and unrest throughout East Germany, inspiring citizens to demand freedom and change. The Berlin Wall, a concrete symbol of the Cold War division between East and West, had stood since 1961, physically and ideologically separating families and nations. Its dismantling marked the collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe and paved the way for German reunification.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led a group of 35 Senate Democrats in pressing the Trump Administration to reconsider recent decisions to revoke student visas in a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons. The Senators began by urging the Administration to undo unlawful student visa revocations, citing a recent reversal of some terminations, writing: “We recently learned that your agencies have been revoking student visas and terminating Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records across the country. These actions to end student status reflected an unannounced change in policy and were inconsistent with existing laws, regulations, policies, and agency guidance governing the maintenance and termination of student status—that is why w

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CHATHAM — Four people, including three children, were killed Monday afternoon when a vehicle left the road and crashed into the YNOT After School Camp in Chatham, the Illinois State Police said Tuesday. At approximately 3:20 p.m. on Monday, April 28, 2025, a car traveling through a field struck the east side of the camp at 301 Breckenridge Road, hitting numerous individuals inside the building before exiting the other side, according to ISP. The victims included two 7-year-olds, an 8-year-old, and an 18-year-old. Six additional children were transported to area hospitals, with one remaining in critical condition, officials said. The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle was uninjured and taken to a hospital for evaluation. Toxicology results are pending. The driver of the vehicle involved in the crash has been identified as 44-year-old Marianne Akers of Chatham. Akers is not in custody at this time as the cause of the crash remains under investigation. The cause of the crash

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GRANITE CITY — Three suspects have been charged in connection with the death of a St. Louis man whose body was found in Granite City on April 24, 2025. Kenneth Whitehorn, 58, of St. Louis, was discovered deceased on Alton Street near Pontoon Road in Granite City. DeWayne Franklin, 41, of St. Louis, faces two counts of first-degree murder, one count of felon in possession of a weapon, and one count of aggravated unlawful possession of weapons. Brittany Howard, 37, also from St. Louis, has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of armed robbery. Michael McCollum, 75, of Florissant, is charged with two counts of obstruction of justice and one count of unlawful possession of weapons. Franklin and McCollum are currently being held at the St. Louis County Jail. Howard remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous by authorities.

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ALTON - The Hayner Public Library District has a long list of fun activities coming up this May. Mary Cordes, Hayner’s executive director, shared more about the library’s upcoming events and year-round services. She noted that the library’s events are well-attended, and she looks forward to welcoming more bookworms and novice library users to all three Hayner locations over the next few weeks. “Because so popular and they’re so big, it’s a great problem to have, just trying to make sure we haven’t double-booked our programming rooms and trying to find new places to have programming and that kind of stuff,” she laughed. “It’s a good problem to have.” Throughout the month of May, Hayner has partnered with Madison County Transit to celebrate National Bike Month with a bicycle drive. Community members can drop off their unwanted bicycles at the downtown Hayner library, and MCT will pick them up and donate them to

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GRANITE CITY – An 18-year-old from Granite City faces six felonies after striking a juvenile with a firearm, firing the weapon near an occupied parking lot, and more. Leiland O. Ruckel, 18, of Granite City, was charged on April 25, 2025 with the following offenses: Armed Violence (Class X felony) Aggravated Battery (Class 3 felony) Aggravated Battery (Class 3 felony) Reckless Discharge of a Firearm (Class 4 felony) Aggravated Unlawful Possession of Weapons (Class 4 felony) Mob Action (Class 4 felony) On April 18, 2025, Ruckel and a juvenile allegedly struck a 14-year-old victim about the head and body at a public place in the 4200 block of West Chain of Rocks Road in Chouteau Island, Ill. Ruckel was reportedly armed with a 9mm handgun during the incident, which he is accused of firing recklessly in the vicinity of an occupied parking lot. A petition was filed to deny Ruckel’s pretrial release, adding the situation quickly escalated after Ruckel approached

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BELLVILLE - The American Water Charitable Foundation , a philanthropic non-profit organization established by American Water (NYSE: AWK), the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the U.S., recently announced 11 organizations were awarded a 2025 Water and Environment grant, supporting communities served by Illinois American Water. "We are thankful to the American Water Charitable Foundation for this funding opportunity,” said Kristie Baumgartner, Executive Director, Alton Educational Foundation. “The Alton Summer Watershed Academy will provide our high school students with hands-on experiences in studying regional watersheds and ecosystems." The Water and Environment grant is part of the American Water Charitable Foundation’s Keep Communities Flowing Grant Program, focusing on three pillars of giving: Water, People and Communities. Due to the volume of grant applications received, each application was evaluated on a competitive basis. The Foundatio

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ALTON - You can join a free conversation about spirituality and developing your relationship with God. At 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 1, 2025, community members are invited to River Bend Yoga in Alton for “Soul Travel Explorations,” the final installment of the three-part “Raise Your Spiritual IQ!” series. This final conversation will talk about who you are as Soul, an “eternal, creative spark of God,” and how to grow closer to God on your spiritual journey. “ our true identity,” explained organizer Flora Van Koten. “We’re all individual sparks of God, on our own divine journey back to the heart of God. So Soul Travel, in its simplest terms, is an individual moving closer to the heart of God.” The May 1 conversation invites attendees to “discover the wonder of you” by discussing the meaning of Soul and how you can develop your relationship with the Holy Spirit. Van Koten and organizer Sheila

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GRANITE CITY – Granite City Community Unit School District #9 is collaborating with the Granite City Tree Advisory Board to celebrate Arbor Day on Friday, May 2, 2025. The celebration and tree planting at Maryville 1-2 Education Center begins at 9:30 a.m., followed by a luncheon. Activities will continue at Wilson 1-2 Education Center at 1 p.m. "We are excited to partner with GCSD9 to celebrate Arbor Day by planting native trees at Maryville and Wilson School," said Carole Valencia, Granite City Tree Advisory Board Committee member. "The trees that we plant at these schools will bring beauty, shade, and happiness to children for years to come." Nine trees will be planted at each school for a total of 18, and a proclamation will be read by the City of Granite City Mayor Mike Parkinson. "We are thrilled to partner with the Granite City Tree Advisory Board for this year’s Arbor Day celebration," said GCSD9 Superintendent Dr. Don J. Harris. "Collaborating to plant trees

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CHICAGO - Today, Governor JB Pritzker and Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton joined students, University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) leadership, the Project on Predatory Student Lending, and the non-profit Young Invincibles for a rally in support of students and student loan borrowers across Illinois. Continuing the ‘Standing Up for Illinois’ tour, the Governor joined education leaders and students in calling attention to the harmful impact of Trump’s dangerous education agenda while pledging support for the Illinoisans and Illinois institutions that are under attack. “The dream of an affordable, accessible education as a pathway to a better life – one that was already out of reach for too many – is under attack by the Trump administration,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Student borrowers were made promises that are being rescinded. Education cannot just be a privilege reserved for those who can afford it. When we open up pathways to education

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RIVERBEND - The sun is out and gardens are planted, which means it’s time for farmers markets in the Riverbend region! We have a list of farmers markets starting in the next few weeks. This list will grow as we learn of more markets in the area. Check back often for updates! ALTON What: Alton Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market Where: The parking lot at the corner of Landmarks Boulevard and Henry Street in Alton When: Saturday mornings, May 10 through Oct. 18 Time: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. BETHALTO What: B ethalto Farmers Market Where: Central Park in Bethalto When: Sundays from June 8 to Sept. 28 Time: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. BRIGHTON What: Village of Brighton Farmers Market Where: 414 N. Maple Street in Brighton When: Thursdays from June 19 to Sept. 11 Time: 4–7 p.m. CARLINVILLE What: Carlinville Market Days Where: 112 N. Side Square in Carlinville When: First Saturday of each month,

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WOOD RIVER – State Representative Amy Elik (R-Alton) is joining an expert from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and the Illinois Department on Aging to host a Free Senior Fraud Protection and Advocacy Seminar at the Wood River City Hall this Friday. They will give a presentation and take questions from seniors on how to better protect themselves from fraud. This event is free and open to seniors. The event details are: Friday, May 2, 2025 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. (noon) Wood River City Hall 111 N. Wood River Avenue, Wood River This seminar will help seniors understand how to recognize potential fraud attempts, learn how to be ready and stop them, and how to use the Attorney General’s Senior Help Line. The Department on Aging will give an overview of some of the services they provide to seniors. “It’s important that we empower our seniors to recognize and defend against the increasingly sophisticated scams that target them,” said

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GLEN CARBON — Elena Rybak of Father McGivney Catholic High School is setting records and establishing times in middle and long-distance running that are expected to stand for years in the region. The standout athlete has already secured multiple state championships and is poised for continued success in 2025. On Friday, Rybak dominated the Edwardsville Invite 800-meter race, finishing with a time of 2:13.06, well ahead of her competitors. Earlier this season, on April 21, 2025, at McGivney’s inaugural home track meet, she recorded a 4:57.11 in the 1,600 meters, a mark that may remain unbreakable on the new track for years to come. Rybak, recognized as the Byron, Carlson, Petri & Kalb Female Athlete of the Month for the Griffins, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to compete on her school’s new track this season. “It was so awesome we could pull the new track together for my last season and all the parents did such an amazing job, my parents included, to

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EDWARDSVILLE — Sophie Shapiro, a sophomore at Edwardsville High School, has emerged as one of the area's premier athletes in track and field in 2025, capturing first place in both the 100- and 300-meter hurdles at the Edwardsville Invite held recently. Shapiro posted a personal record of 14.10 seconds in the 100 hurdles in the event, one of the best in Illinois and the country. She also won the 300 hurdles last Friday at Edwardsville with a time of 44.45 seconds. Shapiro had an outstanding indoor season for the Tigers. She is a Spencer Homes Female Athlete of the Month for the Tigers. Shapiro’s performance at the Edwardsville Invite follows a recent 57.40-second run in the 400 meters at the O’Fallon Invite. In addition to her individual events, she plays a key role on several of the Tigers’ relay teams, contributing to the success of the Edwardsville girls' track and field program this season. Reflecting on her achievements, Shapiro said, “It felt

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ALTON - Alton's boys tennis team continues to improve under Coach Jesse Macias and this past weekend, they achieved the biggest accomplishment of the season. Alton High School captured the championship in the Nadal division at the JD Sinnock Springfield Invitational on Saturday, April 26, 2025, highlighted by strong singles and doubles performances from its tennis team. The Alton tennis boys are Auto Butler Male Athletes of Month. The Redbirds' Alex Tuetken secured the championship in the number one singles bracket, while his brother, Nick Tuetken, finished as runner-up in the number two singles for the Redbirds. Freshman Carter Hanebutt and sophomore Erick Humphrey also earned second place in the number two doubles competition, narrowly losing in a third-set tiebreak to Peoria Richwoods. Alton coach Jesse Macias praised the contributions of the Tuetken brothers, saying, "Alex has been the constant all year. He battles every night and puts in the work as a captain in practice. He'

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NORMAL - Illinois State University Police Department (ISUPD) asks for the public’s assistance identifying a person of interest in the shots fired incident that occurred on Sunday, April 27, 2025, at approximately 7:40 p.m., in the Bone Student Center. In an isolated incident, a fight started between two groups of people that ended with a non-life threatening gunshot wound to a non-student. The victim was transported to an area hospital. The person of interest, seen in the attached pictures, fled the scene. ISUPD responded with all available resources, and we are grateful for the assistance of Normal Police, Bloomington Police, McLean County Sheriff, Illinois State Police, and Normal Fire Department who rapidly responded to support our community. Dozens of officers worked through the night processing evidence, responding to calls and tips, and providing an extra presence on campus. We ask the public to review two photos of a person of interest. Information can be provided by

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Granite City Girls Soccer Goalie Katie Gartner Is Key Part Of Warriors, Makes Tremendous Saves To Preserve Draw Against Edwardsville Bu COLIN FEENEY EDWARDSVILLE - Katie Gartner is a sophomore goalkeeper for the girls soccer team at Granite City High School, and her solid work in the net for the Warriors has helped the team achieve a good season thus far - with the potential for more good things ahead. She is a Stillwater Senior Living Female Athlete of the Month for the Warriors. Gartner made some astonishing saves for Granite during a 1-1 draw against Edwardsville at Tiger Stadium on Apr. 24, including a pair of big saves against Gabby Thompson, one of the area's most exciting and dangerous players. Her saves in goal helped the Warriors gain a vital point on the road. For the season, she's played 1,000 minutes in goal, conceding 15 goals for a 1.20 goals-against-average and an .870 save percentage in helping Granite go to a 4-4-5 record so far this season. With the crucial

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EDWARDSVILLE A woman was airlifted to a St. Louis-area hospital after her vehicle flipped down a steep embankment near a bike trail on Illinois Route 157 on Monday afternoon, April 28, 2025, just north of Gephardt Lane in Edwardsville. Edwardsville Fire Chief Brendan McKee said the woman’s injuries were serious and required air transportation. McKee added that the rescue operation involved cutting the roof off the vehicle and using a utility terrain vehicle to transport her to the helicopter. The Edwardsville Police Department is investigating the crash and responded quickly to the scene. Chief McKee did not provide additional details about the cause of the crash or the woman’s condition. No further information has been released at this time. More to come.

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ALTON — The Alton Fire Department and Alton Police Department responded to a traffic crash at the intersection of East Broadway and Homer Adams Parkway Monday afternoon, April 28, 2025. Upon arrival, first responders found two SUVs that had collided in the intersection. Traffic was disrupted as emergency personnel managed the scene. No injuries were reported in the incident.

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