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EDWARDSVILLE - As the festivities of the holiday season begin, Home Instead® encourages Edwardsville residents to participate in the Be a Santa to a Senior ® program and share joy by giving a gift to older adults in the community who may not have anyone to celebrate with. “The holidays can be hard for many older adults, especially those who may not have a companion to share them with,” said Nikki Bishop, owner of the Edwardsville Home Instead office. “Through Be a Santa to a Senior , we can help these seniors experience the happiness and togetherness the season can bring.” This year program coordinators hope to collect 400 gifts for local older adults. This is the program’s 3 rd year in the area. To participate, shoppers can look for Be a Santa to a Senior trees or displays at locations around the area. Ornaments featuring the name and desired gift of an older adult will be on display, and shoppers can buy the requested gift and return

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), today reintroduced the Lincoln Home National Historic Site Boundary Modification Act , legislation that would expand the boundary of the Lincoln Home National Historic site to include a replica 1844 Lincoln cottage and the Elijah Iles home. The bill would also require the National Park Service to increase the height of the road in front of the Lincoln home and at the intersection of 8th and Jackson to provide greater accessibility within the existing Lincoln Home site. “Abraham Lincoln is a central figure in Springfield’s rich history. We should preserve the Lincoln Home National Historic site to ensure that future generations can learn about his presidential legacy. With this legislation, Illinoisans and tourists can appreciate our state’s history while visiting the Elijah Iles House and the replica Lincoln cottage,” said Durbin. The Abraham

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CHICAGO - The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) announced an arrest and charges against a 23-year-old man for his part in an armed robbery of more than $14,000 worth of casino chips from Rivers Casino in Des Plaines. On October 31, Ismail Ahmed Ateyat is suspected of entering Rivers Casino wearing a black face mask, pulling out a handgun, pointing it at casino employees, stealing $14,100 in casino chips, and fleeing the casino. Ateyat, of Chicago Ridge, was charged by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office with three counts of armed robbery on November 1. He is currently being held without bond. Gaming Board Agents were able to track Ateyat to his Chicago Ridge home, where they discovered the handgun, the mask and the stolen chips. “Because of the swift and diligent work by our Gaming Agents and our local law enforcement partners, we were able to arrest this individual and recover the stolen casino chips,” said IGB Administrator Marcus D. Fruchter. “I

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Name: Matthew Garland Hometown: Jerseyville Years of Service: 6 years Branch: Navy Rank: Petty officer 2nd class Message: Proud of this Navy nuke! Love mom and dad Submitter's Name: Joseph Garland

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Name: Elmer D. Haines Hometown: Bethalto Years of Service: 1950-1953 KIA: No DOD: January 28, 2006 Branch: Army Rank: 187 Airborne Wars: Korea Submitter's Name: Patricia Lowrance

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JERSEY COUNTY - Jersey County Sheriff Nick Manns reported that a vehicle crash occurred on Route 3 on Wednesday night where one vehicle struck another and one of the drivers ran away from the accident. Another passenger, who suffered an arm injury, followed after the driver. Eventually the sheriff's deputies arrived and arrested the woman. Manns said it was an apparent crash that involved a drunk driver. A name has not been released in the situation. The incident occurred in the Route 3 and White Pine Lane area.

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Name: Donald Elledge Hometown: Wood River Years of Service: 1970-1974 Branch: U.S. Navy Rank: Seaman Wars: Vietnam War Medals Earned: National Defense Service Medal Vietnam Service Medal Vietnam Campaign Medal Meritorious Unit Commendation Navy Unit Commendation Submitter's Name: Jenny Johnson

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Name: Gregory Bock Hometown: Alton Years of Service: 22 years Branch: Navy/Air Force Rank: E7 Submitter's Name: Laura Bock

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GRAFTON - Stop by the Grafton Winery on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, for a three-hour performance by 2022 Atlanta Blues Festival winner Drew Ashworth. From 5–8 p.m., Drew will play covers and original songs with blues, jazz and country influences. This performance will follow the Winery’s Sip & Sign event hosted by Angela Ashworth , Drew’s wife. He encourages people to enjoy the American Sign Language event and a glass of wine before an evening of classic blues music and “a real chill vibe." “I’m lucky because I got my calling really, really early in life and I kind of always knew this was what I’m supposed to do,” Drew said. “The music that I’m making these days, I like to call it y’allternative, because it’s got a little bit of everything. It’s got a little bit of neo-soul, it’s got a little bit of jazz, blues, but there’s also a heavy dose of country and southern rock-n-roll in it. An

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Name: Brian Frier Hometown: Bethalto Years of Service: 2007-2013 Branch: Marines Rank: Sergeant Wars: Iraq Submitter's Name: Patricia Lowrance

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EDWARDSVILLE - State Senator Jason Plummer (55 th -Edwardsville) and Senator Erica Harriss (56 th - Glen Carbon) have released the below statement following the Senate’s passage of HB 2394, which provides additional resources to the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation licensure process: “Delays at IDFPR have been an ongoing issue for far too long, which has created a major backlog for a large number of people who need to be licensed and certified to be able to work. Through several conversations regarding this issue, it was evident that some of the issues were due to the agency’s outdated systems. As a major concern for many families in our districts, we proudly supported HB 2394, which was written to help modernize the licensing system. It is our hope that this legislation will help our highly trained professionals to be able to get back to work, stay on the job, and support their families.

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Vet name: Mikel Phillips Hometown: East Alton Years of service: 2005-2014 Branch: Army Rank: SGT/E5 Wars: Operation Iraqi Freedom Medals honors earned: National Defense Ribbon Army Achievement Medal Good Conduct Medal Iraqi Campaign Medal Global War on Terror Service Medal Army Service Ribbon Message: "Thank you for all your hard work, dedication and service to our country." Submitter name: Samantha Phillips

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SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Governor JB Pritzker acknowledged U.S. Service Members who dedicate their lives to protecting the nation’s independence and freedom today by reminding residents about the Illinois Governor’s Challenge Campaign. The initiative created the Veterans Crisis hotline and online training resources for organizations interested in supporting Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF). Too often, Veterans face their toughest challenges when they return home. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates 17-22 Veterans die by suicide in our country every day. “As Governor, I am committed to making sure that every Illinoisan, including our veterans, has access to quality mental healthcare and critical suicide prevention services that save countless lives,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “It’s why we started the Illinois Governor’s Challenge in partnership with IDHS and IDVA to combat suicide among service

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Vet name: Stanley Middleton Hometown: Alton Years of service: 20 Branch: Navy Rank: Senior chief Wars: Gulf Submitter name : Jean Middleton

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Vet Name : Terry Alesandrini Hometown: Cottage Hills Years of service: 1970-1974 Branch: Navy Rank: Engineer Wars: Vietnam Medals honors earned: National defense, Vietnam service, good conduct Message: "Thank You Uncle Terry." Submitter name: Rhonda Stewart

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EAST ST. LOUIS – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that bridge repairs will require a weekend closure of northbound/eastbound Interstate 55/70 the I-64 interchange and Illinois 203 in St. Clair County starting, weather permitting, at 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10. A posted detour will be in place to direct motorists to I-64 and I-255. The work is expected to be complete by 5 a.m. Monday, Nov. 13. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and all detour signs prior to the work zone, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices and be alert for workers and equipment. 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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GRANITE CITY - Nick Raftopoulos, the democratic hopeful for State Representative in Illinois’ 111th House District, will host a meet and greet event on Saturday, November 11, 2023, from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Bubby & Sissy’s in Alton. All are welcome for an opportunity to converse with Raftopoulos, gain insight into his background and political platform, and inquire about his vision for effectively representing the 111th District. “These meet and greets emphasize my commitment to open dialogue, community engagement, and creating a lasting impact,” Raftopoulos says. Located at 602 Belle St., Bubby & Sissy’s is one of the Metro East’s most prominent LGBTQ+ spaces. As a passionate advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, Raftopoulos is a firm believer of diversity, inclusivity, and equal rights for all. “It is my privilege to host this event at Bubby & Sissy’s, a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride and acceptance,” he states. “This establishment has

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ALTON - The Alton City Council recently passed two ordinances related to the Alton Landfill Solar Farm project, which was first announced earlier this year and is taking shape as progress continues. One item passed was a lease agreement between the City of Alton and Alton Landfill Solar LLC, while the other was an electric easement allowing Ameren to do minor work on the site. In a series of recent drone photos from 618 Drone Service , workers can be seen installing several concrete bases with metal brackets, which will eventually hold the solar panels. These concrete bases are necessary to install the solar panels without breaking ground on the former landfill, given the nature of what’s beneath its surface. Also known as the “Old Alton Landfill,” the site first opened as a municipal landfill in 1968. Prior to that, the area was once part of a much larger piece of land belonging to the Alton Brick Company, who used it to excavate clay for their bricks.

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Letter To The Editor: Food guilt…been there, done that. Of all the times to have the voices in your head telling you that you need to eat this, don’t eat that, I shouldn’t have eaten that – now is not it. The holidays can be stressful enough without adding food to the list of things making your head spin. As a certified nutritionist, I find it especially important over the holiday season to not have to worry about the foods you choose to eat. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and that includes all the special foods that come with it. I’m talking about even foods like pumpkin pie and your favorite Christmas cookie. Use these 3 tips to stop the mental chatter at your next holiday meal and find the confidence to enjoy the day. 1) Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner too It’s time to break free from the mindset that calories dictate how much you can eat in a day. You’re not going to skip breakfast in exchange for a larger holiday

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COLLINSVILLE - The Major Case Squad Of Greater St. Louis has been activated in a case that developed on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, in Collinsville. The Collinsville Police responded to a report at approximately 10:44 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, in the vicinity of the 500 block of Loop Street in Collinsville, about an unresponsive male found by neighbors lying in a ditch. The subject, who sustained a serious laceration to his torso, was later pronounced deceased by the Madison County Coroner’s Office. The victim has been identified as Tyrese L. Owens, 21, of the 500 block of Loop St., #5, Collinsville, IL., 62234. The Collinsville Police Department requested the activation of the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis to lead the investigation. Currently, there are approximately 20 investigators assigned to the case, being led by Deputy Commander Mark Kuechle, the Collinsville Police said in a statement. Investigators are following up on numerous leads at this time. The Majo

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