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JERSEYVILLE – Three educators from Jersey Community Unit School District (CUSD) #100 have earned “Those Who Excel” Awards from the Illinois State Board of Education. Becca Leslie, a librarian at Jersey Community High School (JCHS), has earned an Award of Meritorious Service. JCHS Spanish Teacher Andrea Lamer and West Elementary Early Childhood SPE teacher Stacey Kuebrich have both earned Special Recognition Awards. All three award winners will be honored at the 31st annual “Those Who Excel” Banquet, hosted by the Illinois State Board of Education this summer. “Congratulations to these Jersey CUSD #100 outstanding educators who have been selected by the Illinois State Board of Education for ‘Those Who Excel Awards!’” the school district wrote in a press release. “They will be recognized by ISBE at the Those Who Excel Banquet in Bloomington on May 17, 2025. “Educators presented with the Award of Meritorious Service

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EAST ST. LOUIS – Local nonprofits, Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation (JJKF) and Lansdowne UP have been awarded subgrants by The Morton Arboretum’s Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI). The subgrants, ($499,632.94) and ($280,120.50), respectively, are awarded to improve the community tree canopy. The three-year subgrants, launched in the first quarter of 2025, are used for projects that increase the tree canopy, improve forest health, and create or enhance community forestry programs. From helping to mitigate flooding and reduce pollution, to improving people's mental and physical health, community forest projects make neighborhoods greener and healthier. Together, the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation and Lansdowne UP will plant over a 1,000 trees in East St. Louis over a 3-year period. "This is an exciting partnership," Mark Mestemacher, Lansdowne UP President stated, "Lansdowne UP and the JJKF worked together on securing these grants knowing the great contribution a healthy

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COLLINSVILLE — The Collinsville Police Department is mourning the loss of retired telecommunicator Alan Lacquement, who died last week. Lacquement, a lifelong resident of Collinsville, dedicated 36 years of service to the department before retiring in 2017. Alan was described as a devoted husband to his late wife, Elizabeth Lacquement. Alan's commitment to the Collinsville community extended beyond his role at the police department. Lacquement also volunteered as a special officer and was an active member of the Collinsville Emergency Management Agency. His influence and dedication to public service are remembered fondly by colleagues and residents alike. Alan was a great outdoorsman, particularly treasuring the time he spent camping with his wife, Elizabeth, in Eminence, Mo. Alan is survived by his son, Joseph Kemper, and his wife, Jocelyn, along with their children, Christopher and Abigail. He is also survived by his son, John Stanek, and his children, Nate and Annie. The

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) today introduced the Protecting Patients from Deceptive Drug Ads Act , bipartisan legislation that would protect public health and close regulatory loopholes by having the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) address false and misleading prescription drug promotions by social media influencers and telehealth companies. The prevalence of online promotions and direct-to-consumer advertisements for prescription drugs—such as weight loss, gastrointestinal, or psychiatric medications—has drastically increased in recent years, notably through influencers and telehealth companies—most recently during the Super Bowl—and on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. FDA oversees manufacturer-sponsored prescription drug advertisements by ensuring that promotions by manufacturers are accurate, risks and benefits are disclosed, and information o

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs (SVAC)—led her fellow Democratic SVAC colleagues Ranking Member Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) in demanding that the Trump Administration and unelected billionaire Elon Musk immediately restart operations at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), specifically sounding the alarm about the dangerous impacts that dismantling the agency would have on Veterans and servicemembers. In their letter to U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought and Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins, Duckworth and her colleagues emphasized that dismantling CFPB would do nothing to advance Musk’s publicly claimed goal of weeding out fraud and abuse but rather leave the men and women who volunteer to serve our country even more vulnerable to financial scams. The lawmakers

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SPRINGFIELD – Illinois state historic sites in Springfield will present a variety of engaging hikes, talks, tours, and films to commemorate Black History Month in February. All events are free, open to the public, and require no reservations. Programs are put on in partnership with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources ; the Illinois State Museum ; Lincoln Library , Springfield’s public library; the Illinois State Military Museum ; and Fever River Research . Visitors can participate in these special events at the following locations. Illinois State Museum to explore Black Lives in Springfield The Illinois State Museum’s Research and Collections Center will host “Black Lives in Springfield Part I: Work and Home Life” at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20 and “Black Lives in Springfield Part II: Military Service” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26. These are free, public events. The Research and Collections Center is at 1011 E. Ash St. in

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ST. LOUIS – On Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, the Missouri House of Representatives voted to overturn the will of the people of Missouri in order to take away local control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and give it to a group of governor-appointed business owners who don’t live in the City. Mayor Jones issued the following statement: "To this day, no lawmaker who supports state takeover of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department has been able to say how it would make the City of St. Louis safer," said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. "They also cannot explain why they are so determined to overturn the will of nearly two-thirds of Missourians who voted for local control. Today's vote is politics at its worst. I'm thankful to Chief Robert Tracy and every member of the SLMPD for all the work they continue to do for the people of St. Louis.” House Bill 495 will now head to the Senate. Further context The bill sponsor has said that this bill is “not

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JERSEYVILLE – Winter weather hasn’t stopped the progress being made at Jerseyville Public Library, where a major expansion project is getting closer to completion. As “finishing touches” are being made, the library will be temporarily closed from Monday, March 3 to Friday, March 7, 2025. The library is set to re-open on Saturday, March 8 from its regular Sunday hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. “As you may have noticed when driving past the corner of Pearl and Liberty streets in Jerseyville lately, an impressive construction project has been in the making for the past several months,” library staff wrote in a press release. “The Jerseyville Public Library is in the midst of a long-awaited expansion project and part of that project requires the Library to be closed to the public to put some finishing touches in the building.” While library patrons wait to revisit in-person, they can still access all the online resources that come free

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ALTON - On Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, former Mayor and current Mayoral candidate Brant Walker issued the following statement outlining his opposition to the proposed Lovejoy Housing Development slated for consideration by the Alton Committee of the Whole on Monday, February 24, 2025 and called on his opponents in the race for Mayor to clearly articulate their positions on this issue: At the February 12, 2025, City Council meeting, the 7th Ward Alderman curiously referred a resolution to the Committee of the Whole for the City of Alton to enter into a redevelopment agreement with McCormack Baron Salazar for the “Lovejoy Development Project” located within the 3rd Ward on and near the corner of Ridge and East 4th Streets. This resolution indicates this development project is for construction of 70 units of mixed income housing partially funded by Alton taxpayers in the form of TIF, ARPA, and Community Development Block Grant funds. The developer is also seeking low-income

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On Feb. 20, 1925, 9-year-old Gaspar Marone ran away from home. The Alton Evening Telegraph newspaper announced the next day that “Alton has a new champion runaway boy.” At 4:45 p.m., the Chicago & Alton Railroad’s fast Chicago-St. Louis train left the Alton station with an unexpected passenger. Gaspar perched himself on the pilot (also called a cowcatcher) at the front of the engine and clung there for eight miles as the train went down the track. The train normally made no stops between Alton and St. Louis, but a telegraph operator at the Roxana station saw something white at the front of the engine and threw a semaphore signal, which brought the train to a stop. The train crew came out to see what was wrong and found Gaspar sitting quietly on the cowcatcher. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch article, “He was cold but contented and a little angry at being stopped so soon on his adventure out into the world.” He told the train crew that he was

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WOOD RIVER/ROXANA - Rusty Wheat, the one-man “Chain Gang” who picks up trash along the roads in Wood River and Edwardsville, has officially found his biggest piece of trash yet. Over the past two years, Wheat has picked up thousands of pounds of trash along Illinois Route 143. But he was always bothered by a huge Styrofoam block in the middle of a nearby field. On Feb. 11, 2025, Wheat decided he was finally going to do something about it. “It just seemed like it needed to be gone. That’s it,” he said. “It was just driving me crazy. It’s one of those things that just drives me crazy, and you see it every day. Well, I just came to the conclusion that day that I was going to go take care of it.” The field is often muddy and difficult to navigate, but on a dry day earlier this month, Wheat parked his truck, put out his normal “Chain Gang” signs, and walked to the middle of the field to survey the Styrofoam block.

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FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS - Ali M. Summers has been named the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. As Acting U.S. Attorney, she is the chief federal law enforcement official in the Southern District of Illinois. Acting United States Attorney Ali Summers is a career prosecutor who became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in 2012. She has prosecuted a wide variety of federal crimes for the District to include murder, armed robbery, carjacking, violent gun offenses, drug trafficking, and crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. She has served the office as Criminal Chief since July 2018 and most recently as First Assistant. She also served as Chief of the Violent Crime Unit from July 2016 to September 2023. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Acting U.S. Attorney Summers was a law clerk to the Honorable David R. Herndon in the Southern District of Illinois. Upon completion of her two-year term judicial clerkship, she worked as a state

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FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS — Rachelle Aud Crowe, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, has officially departed from her position, effective February 18, 2025. Crowe has served as the chief federal law enforcement officer in the district since her appointment, expressing gratitude for her time in office. “It has been my honor to serve the Southern District of Illinois as the United States Attorney,” Crowe stated. “Announcing my departure accompanies many emotions, but my heart is full of gratitude.” Throughout her tenure, Crowe led a team of attorneys and legal staff, contributing to policy and management discussions as a member of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee and the Domestic Terrorism Executive Committee. She emphasized her collaboration with local, state, and federal law enforcement to seek justice for victims and enhance public safety. In addition to prosecuting hundreds of criminal cases, Crowe’s office

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JERSEYVILLE — A vehicle crash into a power pole in Jerseyville on Wednesday morning, Feb. 19, 2025, led to a power outage that initially affected 1,300 customers in that area. Ameren Illinois spokesperson Brian Bretsch reported that the damaged pole was replaced and the job was completed by 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Ameren Illinois crews responded quickly to the scene, prioritizing the restoration of service due to the frigid temperatures. By the time the repairs were completed, 13 customers remained without power. Bretsch stated that these customers had their power re-routed back to their primary source shortly after the repairs were finished. Ameren Illinois did not report any additional power outages in the region for the remainder of the day, other than those caused by the accident in Jerseyville and Kane. The utility company advises the public to contact 911 and their utility hotline at 800-755-5000 if they encounter downed power lines or witness accidents involving power

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EAST ALTON — Multiple fire agencies responded to a residential fire in the 100 block of Haller in East Alton on Thursday morning, Feb. 20, 2025, after a Box Alarm was issued. Firefighters from East Alton, Wood River, Alton Roxana, and Rosewood Heights quickly arrived on the scene, aided by a nearby hydrant, while Bethalto fire personnel manned the East Alton station. East Alton Fire Chief Tim Quigley reported that the cause of the fire remains under investigation, although the homeowner suspects a malfunctioning battery in an appliance may have been responsible. Quigley praised the firefighters for their efforts under challenging weather conditions, noting that the temperature at the time was just 1 degree above zero, with wind chills reaching minus 10 degrees. "The firefighters made a quick direct hit on the fire with a hydrant so close by," Quigley said. Upon arrival, firefighters observed smoke coming from the front door and flames visible in a window. Thanks to their rapid

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EAST ST. LOUIS – The Illinois State Police’s (ISP) urban policing model, Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG), is reducing crime and building trust with the community, leading to a 6-year low in homicides in East St. Louis, the area covered by the model. ? ISP’s combination of targeted antiviolence details, dedicated investigative resources, coordination with local law enforcement, implementation of new technology, partnerships with community organizations, and engagement in neighborhoods helped reduce homicides in 2024 by 26% compared to 2023, and non-fatal shootings by 32%. “Our state has one of the best police forces in the entire nation, and key anti-violence initiatives like their urban policing model in East St. Louis are delivering results and making our communities safer,” said Governor JB Pritzker. ? “The numbers we’re seeing today are not only a testament to ISP’s commitment to community-building, but they are also a reminder

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COLLINSVILLE - The Madison County Board voted against the building of a solar facility in Collinsville Township. Armoracia Solar applied for a special use permit to develop a commercial solar energy facility at the southeast corner of Interstate 55 and Pleasant Ridge Road in Collinsville. The property, owned by Jacob Frey and Scott Frey, is zoned as an “R-3” Single-Family Residential District. The Madison County Zoning Board of Appeals recommended that the application be denied. At the County Board meeting on Feb. 19, 2025, several people spoke in favor and in opposition of the solar facility. The County Board ultimately voted to uphold the Zoning Board of Appeal’s denial. Mick Madison, the chairman of the Building and Zoning Committee, explained that property values and concerns about the reflection off the solar panels were the main reasons why the Committee decided to deny it. “Hurting property values was one of the things that we looked at the

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EDWARDSVILLE - Every year, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) honors educators across the state, and this year, two Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7 educators are among the recipients for 2025. The awards program is divided into two categories – the “Illinois Teacher of the Year” cohort and the “Those Who Excel” awards. Within “Those Who Excel” are three different awards, including the Award of Excellence, the Award of Special Recognition, and the Award of Meritorious Service. Congratulations to Lincoln Middle School instructional coach Maggie Dust and Leclaire Elementary second grade teacher Teryn Cross, who both received Special Recognition. “We are incredibly proud to see these two outstanding educators receive well-deserved recognition for their dedication and impact on students,” said Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7 Superintendent Dr. Patrick Shelton. “Their commitment to excellence

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today led a bipartisan coalition of 37 states and territories urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take swift action against bad actors that are endangering consumers with counterfeit forms of the weight loss and diabetes drugs Mounjaro, Zepbound, Ozempic and Wegovy (GLP-1 drugs). “The usage of GLP-1 medications continues to increase as millions of Americans seek tools to help them lose weight and live healthier lifestyles. However, scammers and bad actors are attempting to take advantage of individuals looking for more affordable and convenient means of obtaining GLP-1 medications by selling them directly to consumers,” Raoul said. “Consumers who purchase what they think is a product containing the active ingredients found in name-brand GLP-1 drugs run the risk of taking a counterfeit drug that was never intended for human consumption. I am proud to co-lead this bipartisan coalition calling on the FDA to use its

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, on the anniversary of Executive Order 9066 that began the horrific internment of thousands of Japanese Americans during World War II, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and U.S. Representative Mark Takano (D-CA-39) re-introduced the Korematsu-Takai Civil Liberties Protection Act, a bill that would establish a clear legal prohibition against un-American policies that seek to imprison individuals solely on the basis of race, religion, nationality, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity or disability. As President Donald Trump and his Administration continue their dangerous efforts to whitewash and ignore our nation’s history, passing this bill would be a first step toward recognizing this dark chapter, honoring the families impacted and safeguarding vital freedoms that are supposed to protect all Americans against arbitrary imprisonment or detention with no due process, as happened to Japanese Americans during Worl

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