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ALTON - Challenge Unlimited believes in meaningful employment for everybody, and they’re doing what they can to make it a reality. The Alton-based organization helps disabled job-seekers connect with employers through programs that offer job coaching, interview skills and “job carving” services. October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, but Challenge Unlimited works year-round to advocate for disabled individuals in the workplace. “The way I look at things, everybody has some kind of limitation, disability, some kind of issue. We all carry our own challenge,” said John Becker, who works with the employment programs at Challenge Unlimited. “ have the same desires as everybody else. They want a job, they want to be successful, they want to, like everybody, own their own home, chase the American dream. And when people are unfortunately stereotyped or categorized because of a disability, they’re being held back.”

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EDWARDSVILLE - Bands have been hired, vendor reservations are at capacity, and Friends of Leclaire are ready for Leclaire Parkfest, the organization’s annual party at Leclaire Park where they celebrate the history of their historic neighborhood. This year marks the 31 st year for the festival that is always held on the third Sunday in October. The festival is set for October 15, from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Leclaire Park at 900 Hale Avenue in Edwardsville, Illinois. The festival will kick-off with music by the Gaslight Squares, a St. Louis band with a special blend of ragtime and jazz, followed by the old-time folk music of the Lodge Brothers at the band stand. These groups have become regular favorites of the festival. On the Madison Avenue side of the park, music will be provided by the band Hallquist, followed by Mike Keller and the Greater Good. Sneaky’s Bar and Burger Joint will provide beer, wine and cocktails and food vendors offer many choices for visitors,

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Key takeaways: There are many things to watch for when doing your monthly self-check for breast cancer: lumps, skin changes, nipple changes, changes in breast size, pain or abnormalities under the armpits. Women should do the self-check a week after their menstrual cycle ends and stick to the same time each month. Unless you have an urgent issue, you don't need to go to the emergency department after finding something during a self-check. Instead, make an appointment with a provider and document what's happening. “I found a lump.” It’s the unsettling phrase providers sometimes hear from women when they are performing their monthly breast self-check for cancer signs. But lumps are not the only thing to watch for, says Heather Chambers, an OSF HealthCare breast health navigator who is herself a breast cancer survivor. Signs to know Each month, keep these in mind. Lumps, the most talked about sign. “A lot of women, especially

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ST. LOUIS - Halloween returns to the Gateway Arch! The tallest monument in the U.S. will host its annual Frights & Heights event, presented by Arsenal Credit Union, on Saturday, October 14, 2023. General admission , without a Trick-or-Tram Ride ticket , is FREE to the public , but advance registration is required for free general admission as space is limited. Tickets for the Trick-or-Tram Ride are available for purchase. Event activities include: · Trick or Tram: Experience scary sights and festive decorations on the one-of-a-kind 630-foot ride to the top of the Arch. *Ticket Purchase Required · Freaky Face Painting: Look hauntingly good after a makeover from one of our face painters. · Boo-loon Animals: Your favorite creepy crawlers come to life. · Creepy Crafts & Games : Express yourself on your very own pumpkin craft or create a corner bookmark. Other activities include Halloween rainbow scratchers, skeleto

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EDWARDSVILLE - Muralist Duenne Schlarman has become a fixture for those in the vicinity of the former Goshen Butcher Shop on Main Street in downtown Edwardsville, IL. The building provides Schlarman a 1,000 square foot canvas for the artist. This is her second mural sponsored by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville where Schlarman is a Master of Fine Arts candidate. “I think this mural might be the biggest one I’ve ever done,” said Schlarman who remembers painting murals throughout her childhood. “My mother’s entire house is covered in murals.” Schlarman spends hours on her own at the location with her spray paint, string, tape and cart. She has had the opportunity to enlist the occasional pedestrian, fellow students, and her father who came to town in time to assist. Schlarman says she welcomes the shoutouts from passersby as well as the unpredictability of working outside in the elements. “Prepping was the hardest part. Powe

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CHICAGO — Today, Governor JB Pritzker visited the University of Chicago Library to announce the University’s plan to build a collection of books that have been historically banned, creating an accessible library open to the public. The event takes place during National Banned Books Week, which runs from October 1-7. The governor was joined by Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton and University of Chicago leadership. “When we can engage with ideas that are new to us, challenge and be challenged by different perspectives, learn new things, understand all the amazing miracles and darkest hours of the world around us — we are all better off,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Today’s announcement not only means that any member of the public can come access commonly banned books here in person at UChicago — it also means that residents throughout Illinois can access these texts digitally. Even in the face of rising censorship around the country,

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GODFREY – Potential students and families interested in learning more about Lewis and Clark Community College’s offerings are invited to immerse themselves in the Trailblazer experience at Discover Day, Monday, Oct. 9. “Tour the Godfrey Campus and speak with program and student support representatives to get firsthand insights into how Lewis and Clark can help you make the most of your college experience,” Recruiter Daniel Nosce said. Discover Lewis and Clark’s options for short-term degrees and certificates as well as transfer programs that help district residents save thousands of dollars on a four-year degree. While exploring, future Trailblazers will have the chance to interact with current students, who can share their personal experiences and give valuable perspectives on campus life. The event, which will be held from 4-6 p.m., in the Hatheway Quad, will also feature academic and financial aid advisors who can provide guidance for finding the right

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WOOD RIVER - Pro Automotive Services is offering free brake inspections and brake pads to raise money for a breast cancer vaccine. The Brakes for Breasts campaign encourages independent auto repair shops to provide free brake pads throughout October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Customers pay for the labor and any other parts that are needed, and the shops donate 10% of profits to the Cleveland Clinic Breast Cancer Vaccine Fund . For Pro Automotive Services in Wood River, the campaign hits close to home. “My mom passed away from breast cancer. She’d been in remission 32 years, and then the cancer came back,” owner Jennifer Baggett said. “She had triple-negative breast cancer, and that’s what the vaccine that they’re working on right now . They’re hoping that once the puzzle is unlocked for this particular cancer, that it’ll be easier to unlock the rest of all the other different types of breast cancer and even

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URBANA — Severe drought and current environmental conditions have the Midwest on alert as fire risks are higher than usual during equipment rollout for corn and soybean harvest. From lack of precipitation to low soil moisture and dry vegetation, these conditions, when paired with hot, running farm equipment, increase fire chances. “Contributing environmental risk factors for fire include a lack of precipitation, low soil moisture, low humidity, high winds, and warm daily temperatures,” says Trent Ford, state climatologist with Illinois State Water Survey at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. When dry fields and environmental risks combine with long work hours, delayed equipment maintenance and cleaning, part failures, and debris-clogged cooling systems — chances of a fire starting are greatly increased, says Ford. Prepare for high fire risk conditions with farm fire safety tips from climate and agricultural safety experts at University of Illinois Extension,

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JERSEYVILLE/WHITE HALL - Community members lined State Street in Jerseyville on Friday evening, Oct. 6, 2023, to pay their respects to the late Airman First Class Joshua M. Hopper. Hopper, 23, was from White Hall and graduated from North Greene High School. He joined the U.S. Air Force two years ago and died on Sept. 25, 2023, at Misawa Air Force Base in Misawa, Japan. At 5:45 p.m. on Friday, a police escort organized by the Jersey County Sheriff's Office took Hopper from Jerseyville to White Hall, where services will be held at Calvary Baptist Church. The visitation is planned for 4–7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023, followed by a funeral service at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023. He will be buried with full military honors at White Hall Cemetery. Hopper was a star athlete in high school, and he played basketball for MacMurray College and the Air Force. His family asks for memorials to be made to the North Greene High School basketball team or Greene County Veterans Assistanc

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ALTON - The Alton Police Department was called to the 2200 block of Edwards Street on Friday afternoon, Oct. 6, 2023, to conduct a death investigation. APD responded around 2 p.m. and conducted a preliminary investigation. While the investigation is still ongoing, the department said they didn’t immediately discover anything to suggest foul play. “The preliminary investigation did not reveal any obvious evidence of foul play or criminal activity,” Police Chief Jarrett Ford said. APD and the Madison County Coroner will handle the investigation.

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MOUNT OLIVE - A gun battle between union miners and armed train guards that left 13 dead was fought 125 years ago on Oct. 12, 1898, in Virden, Ill. This year, on Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023, in Union Miners Cemetery in Mount Olive, a commemoration of the battle will be held at noon. According to the Sangamon County Historical Society , “The dispute began when owners of the Chicago-Virden Coal Co. refused to honor a nationwide agreement between bituminous coal operators and the United Mine Workers.” Workers demanded a pay increase, an eight-hour workday, and a six-day work week, but company executives argued meeting those demands would price them out of the Chicago coal market. After the workers went on strike, the mine company then recruited non-union Black miners from Alabama, reportedly without telling them about the strike, in an alleged attempt to sow division between the union and non-union miners. The company also hired 50 armed guards to protect a train carrying

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CHICAGO – On October 5, 2023, at approximately 10:02 p.m., Illinois State Police (ISP) officials investigated a two-vehicle traffic crash involving an ISP officer’s squad car that was hit by a motorist who failed to move over on Interstate 94 southbound at King Drive in Cook County. On the above date and time, an ISP Troop 3 trooper was attempting to make a traffic stop on a stolen black Dodge Charger. The Charger recklessly fled onto the right shoulder and struck the rear of a different ISP officer’s squad car that was stationary with emergency lights activated while on a separate traffic stop. As a result of the crash, the Charger then overturned and three occupants fled on foot, none of which were apprehended. The officer was inside of the squad car at the time of the crash, but refused medical attention. So far this year, ISP has had 16 Move Over Law-related crashes. In 2022, ISP had 23 Move Over Law-related crashes where eight Troopers sustained injuries.

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ALTON - The Alton Dispensary has plans to reopen as soon as Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, after terminating its contract with the management company Subsero Alton Ops, LLC. Dispensary owners allege misappropriations and diversions of hundreds of thousands of dollars of cash and marijuana products by Subsero. The re-opening date was changed by The Alton Dispensary in an information release late Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. Subsero Alton Ops, LLC, was contracted by the holder of the state’s cannabis license, The Alton Dispensary, to assist the dispensary’s owners in managing the business at 1400 E. Broadway in Alton. Subsero was never an owner of the Alton dispensary. The Alton Dispensary said in a press release released on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023, that the contract with Subsero was terminated as of Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, when Subsero representatives were escorted from the premises with the assistance of the Alton Police Department. A complaint sent to the Illinois Department of Financial

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CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker announced today a $16,063,450 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grant Program to help the state’s small municipal and co-op utilities improve power grid reliability and help mitigate the impacts of extreme weather on Illinois families. Illinois is among the 11 states, two territories, and 20 Tribal nations that were selected for the program’s eighth round of funding last week. “As we face extreme weather and natural disasters with increasing frequency, it is crucial that we modernize and fortify our power grid to withstand the climate change crisis,” said Governor JB Pritzker . “This investment in our state’s power grid will propel our clean energy objectives, uplift our most disadvantaged communities, and support our clean energy workforce to build a more sustainable Illinois for generations to come.” “Strengthening our power grid

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STAUNTON - Staunton High School will be one of several high schools around the country and beyond participating in this year’s “Fields of Faith,” a student-led event where students gather at football fields to pray, share their faith, challenge peers to read the Bible, and more. Staunton High School will observe the day on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023 starting at 6:30 p.m. A free dinner from Jo Danni’s Amore will be available from 6:30 to 7 p.m., followed by games, fellowship, worship, and word from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Each student who attends will also be offered a chance to win a brand new PlayStation 5 console. The event is organized by United to Revive Ministries and FCA South Central Illinois - West . “This will be a jam packed night of food, fun & fellowship - We will have games, prizes, and live music performed by students,” event organizers said on Facebook. “What is most exciting about this night is that students from the Macoupin

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GRAFTON - On Oct. 11, 2023, the City of Grafton will unveil plans for their veterans memorial and museum, which Mayor Michael Morrow said will result in major growth for the region. The memorial will be located near the current Grafton Visitor Center at 950 E. Main Street, and the center itself will “be transformed into something wonderful,” Morrow explained. At 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, community members are invited to a ceremony at the Visitor Center to learn about the project and view the designs. “They’re very excited and they’re also very humbled, because this will quickly take on not only national but international ,” Morrow said. “They’re also realizing that it’s going to mean growth for the region. Grafton is going to change. I briefed the Jersey County Board in Jerseyville about three weeks ago, and at the end of the briefing they said, ‘Oh my gosh, we’re going to have to build new hotels.’ Ther

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GODFREY - Approximately 350 customers are out of power as of about 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 6, 2023, after a vehicle struck three power poles in the 7600 block of Humbert Road in Godfrey. The accident caused significant damage. Ameren Illinois workers are at the scene working on the poles and will be out there throughout most of the day. Customers should have power back by mid-afternoon. The power lines initially blocked the road in the Humbert area.

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EDWARDSVILLE – Mayor Art Risavy announced the City has received a generous donation for the expansion of Edwardsville’s Plummer Family Park from Robert and Donna Plummer. “This substantial donation will allow the city to continue building out our 83-acre sports park,” Mayor Risavy said. “We are excited this additional funding will kick-start phase 2 of the park that will include four full-size baseball fields and other potential additions, such as more pickleball courts, sand volleyball courts, an expanded parking area and other features. “This next phase will be a literal game-changer for families seeking top-level sports options so close to Edwardsville’s restaurants, hotels, stores and attractions,” Mayor Risavy said. Plummer Family Park already boasts four turf youth baseball/softball fields, 12 pickleball courts and six multipurpose fields that regularly accommodate soccer, field hockey, flag football and other games and tournaments.

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ROXANA - Roxana’s football team is red hot with six consecutive wins and on Friday night at home may have its biggest test to date against Breese Central in a 7 p.m. start. Breese Central enters Friday’s game 5-1 overall. The game will be live on Riverbender.com . Four keys to Roxana’s success this season have been its stellar Fearsome Foursome linebacker crew of Evan Wells, James Herring, Braden Johnson and Nick Newton. Roxana Head Football Coach Wade DeVries said sometimes the defense doesn’t get the attention it should, but this group of boys has been phenomenal throughout the 2023 football campaign. The linebacker crew are Midwest Members Credit Union Male Athletes of the Month for Roxana. Wells is a four-year starter on offense, who is starting his first year on defense as well and has been outstanding in both his roles on defense and offense, the coach said. “Herring had a tremendous off-season,” Coach DeVries added. “He is a three-year

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