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ALTON - The 29th Annual Community Tree Lighting at Lincoln-Douglas Square is a fun event for Riverbend residents, but if you can’t make it out, you can still be a part of the celebration on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023. RiverBender.com has partnered with Big Z Media to stream parts of the tree lighting ceremony. Our Daily Show! host CJ Nasello will team up with Mike Roberts, former KSDK meteorologist, to host the broadcast. “It is really the official kickoff of Christmas in this area when the lights on that tree come on. It is maybe the earliest and biggest tree in the area,” Nick Darr, owner of WBGZ Radio, said. He added that he is excited about the collaboration between RiverBender.com and Big Z Media. “It has been a good partnership over the years. We obviously compete on some things, but we have been able to work on a lot of things together.” The broadcast will start at 6 p.m. when Santa Claus arrives at Lincoln-Douglas Square in downtown Alton.

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ALTON - The Alton Police Department and Alton Fire Department were dispatched to a two-vehicle crash at 3:56 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023, at Homer Adams Parkway and College Avenue. Alton Police Lt. Seth Stinnett said a total of five occupants from both vehicles were transported to local hospitals for non-life-threatening injuries. "Due to no witnesses and no evidence of right of way, no citations were issued," the lieutenant said. "Officers determined a vehicle was turning north onto Homer Adams Parkway from College Avenue when the front bumper of a vehicle traveling west through the intersection struck the passenger side door of the turning vehicle," he added.

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EDWARDSVILLE — The Madison County Board on Wednesday approved a $182.5 million budget and a zero-growth property tax levy for the seventh straight year. The board voted, 26-0, to approve the upcoming Fiscal Year 2024 spending plan that starts on Dec. 1, along with a $30.8 million property tax levy. The levy is the amount requested from property taxes used to help finance the county’s budget. “In 2017, we reduced the levy from $32.6 to $30.8 million, and we haven’t raised it since,” Chairman Kurt Prenzler said. “Keeping the levy amount the same, against the backdrop of increasing real estate assessments, has caused the county’s total levy rate to decrease to $.48 per $100 of assessed valuation from $.73 — what taxpayers paid in 2015. That’s a 34 percent decrease in the rate, and the rate will be even less next year.” Chairman Pro-tem Mick Madison said the county reduced it’s levy by 1/10 of a percent. “It may no

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BELLEVILLE – With Thanksgiving around the corner, state Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, is joining Meridian Health and state Sen. Christopher Belt, D-Swansea, for a free turkey and ham giveaway this upcoming Tuesday, Nov. 21 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Downtown Belleville YMCA, located at 200 S. Illinois St. “The holiday season is always an exciting time, and we want families to have access to a nice turkey or ham for Thanksgiving dinner,” Hoffman said. “Thanksgiving gatherings provide some of the most memorable moments for people, and we’re happy to help play a small part in it for local families this year.” Attendees are encouraged to arrive early before supplies run out. There will be 125 turkeys and 125 hams available for residents courtesy of Meridian Health. For more information, please contact RepJayHoffman@gmail.com . Who : State Rep. Jay Hoffman, state Sen. Christopher Belt, Meridian Health What : Holiday Turkey and Ham Giveaway

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement after the Senate passed a continuing resolution that would keep the government open and spare working families from the pain of a shutdown: “Last night, I’m relieved the Senate was able to consider a clean bill and pass it with a strong bipartisan vote to keep our government open for working families. From the beginning, Democrats made it clear our priority was avoiding a government shutdown that would have devastated our economy and hurt millions of hardworking Americans—and a government funding bill that was free of the extreme MAGA poison pills House Republicans had been threatening was the path forward. “Our bipartisan vote last night accomplished just that. Now, working families and servicemembers can have peace of mind knowing that they won’t be forced to work without pay through the holiday season or go without the critical government programs that so many

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) once again pushed to better support Veterans, servicemembers and military families as they transition from military service to civilian life by reiterating the need to codify the highly popular and successful “Boots to Business” (B2B) program, a small business education and training program that has already served more than 194,000 participants since its inception. During today’s Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship (SBE) Committee hearing, Duckworth underscored the importance of passing her bipartisan legislation, the Veteran Entrepreneurship Training (VET) Act , which would codify the B2B program into law for five years and prevent the possibility of future budget cuts or program deactivation. Full video of Senator Duckworth’s remarks can be found using this link here . “I’ve long supported the Boots to Business Program because of its successful track

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on Senate passage of the Continuing Resolution (CR), which will fund various federal agencies through January 19 th and February 2 nd , respectively: “Funding the government is one of the essential parts of this job, and tonight, the Senate came together in a good-faith effort to pass the bipartisan House CR. We’re keeping the lights on through the holidays and fulfilling our basic duties to ensure thousands of hardworking Americans and service men and women will not be forced to work without pay during what should be a joyous time of year. “And while today’s particular bill did not include additional funding as I had hoped—for Israel, Ukraine, or innocent civilians around the world caught in the crossfire during periods of conflict or food insecurity—a shutdown would jeopardize America’s ability

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today introduced the bipartisan National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act to reauthorize relief for an additional four years for qualifying members of the National Guard and Reserves experiencing financial hardship. The legislation would protect a long-standing bipartisan carveout from means-testing restrictions in Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases. “Declaring bankruptcy is a difficult choice for any American, and that option should be assessed using an accurate depiction of a person’s income and financial standing,” said Durbin. “Our National Guard members and reservists must not be penalized for any active duty pay should financial calamity force them to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. This bipartisan legislation ensures that they won’t be.”

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CHCAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with 10 attorneys general, today filed comments in support of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) regarding changes to the H-2A program. The H-2A program allows agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers to bring nonimmigrant foreign workers to the U.S. to perform temporary agricultural work. The proposed regulations would strengthen worker protection measures for H-2A agricultural workers and the DOL’s capability to monitor compliance and take enforcement actions. “Individuals who come to the U.S. to fill critical workforce shortages deserve to be protected from abuse and unsafe workplaces,” Raoul said. “The Department of Labor’s proposed rule strengthens its H-2A program to enhance the department’s ability to protect vulnerable workers as they play important roles enhancing our nation’s economy.” The H-2A program, and agricultural

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) is proud to announce the promotion of Rebecca Hooks from Lieutenant Colonel to First Deputy Director, effective immediately. First Deputy Director Hooks is the first female to achieve this position within ISP since its inception in 1922. As the First Deputy Director, Hooks is second in command to Director Brendan F. Kelly. “First Deputy Director Hooks is an outstanding example of the kind of grit, intelligence and integrity found within to ISP,” said Director Kelly. “With First Deputy Director Hooks, the ISP will continue to move sharply forward into our second century!” First Deputy Director Hooks is not a newcomer to the realm of ISP Command. Prior to her recent promotion, she was the Chief of Staff for the Office of the Director. First Deputy Director Hooks has served with ISP for more than 21 years, beginning her career in 2002 as part of Cadet Class 105. Her first assignment was patrol in the

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New data-driven state investments will provide shelter to those at police stations and airports, speed transition to independent living CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker announced today that the State will invest an additional $160 million via the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis presented by the arrival of over 24,000 asylum seekers from the U.S. Southern Border. The State, alongside our local partners, has led a comprehensive data driven analysis of the ongoing asylum seeker response, rooted in not only data but also input from frontline partners and new arrivals, which identified several “bottlenecks” where services and resettlement tended to slow. These bottlenecks included delays in initial intake at landing sites, access to shelter, and the transition to independent living. This has led to backlogs and capacity issues, most visible in individuals sleeping outside police stations, but more broadly acros

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ALTON - For Our Daily Show! host CJ Nasello, every morning from 9–11 a.m. is a chance to share the community he loves. Our Daily Show! has amassed over 1,000,000 views since Jan. 1, 2023, on the hundreds of interviews that CJ has done with Riverbend community members. Now, he’s looking back on how it all got started, his favorite interview ever (the answer may surprise you) and what’s next for the hyperlocal community talk show. “So many people have an awesome story,” CJ said. “Think about it. You drive by Hayner Library every day, but you don’t realize all the really cool stuff and genealogy and distribution they’re doing. We drive by buildings all the time. I thought, well, heck, let’s start focusing on those and really exploring that. We all have history here, but it’s never really talked about. So that’s what the whole point was.” CJ is a natural in the studio, but he didn’t start out with the goal

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GODFREY - Every Evangelical School student wore a smile and a turkey hat during their annual Thanksgiving feast tradition on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2023. Parents and students came together to cook a Thanksgiving meal in celebration of the holiday. The students helped prepare the meal, and older students helped the youngest kids get ready for the feast by making hats and placemats. Principal Amanda Macias noted it’s a fun tradition for the school. “They get to do all this stuff together and really enjoy it. The kids have been kind of anxious for it all week long,” Macias said. She explained that parents shop for a week before the feast and spend two days preparing the food. Each class joins the parents in the school kitchen so students can help make the meal. Kids might stir brownie batter, combine ingredients for stuffing or complete another task depending on their age. Jamie Milligan, who co-chaired the event with Michelle Sowders, said this is an important

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ALTON - Rosetta “Rosie” Brown, Alderwoman of Alton’s Fourth Ward, invites everyone to join her for a Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the Circle in Alton. At 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, community members will gather at State House Square, also known as the Circle, where College Avenue and Central Avenue intersect at the roundabout in Alton. This will be the third year that a Christmas tree is displayed. “One of my platforms was beautification, and I’m seeing that at that location,” Brown said. “And some people are going through a lot right now, and just being able to come out and look up and see the beautiful lighting of the Christmas tree just brings joy and a great beginning of the Christmas spirit.” The City of Alton will provide the tree, and the Alton Parks and Recreation Department will be present to oversee the lighting of the tree. A few Fourth Ward residents will be invited to flip the switch on the lights. The

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EDWARDSVILLE — A judge has denied pretrial release for a defendant charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of a man in Collinsville, according to Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine. Haine had filed a petition seeking pretrial detention of Carlos G. Mosley, 23, of Belleville. Mosley was charged Thursday, Nov. 9, with first-degree murder in connection with the stabbing death of Tyrese L. Owens, 21, of Collinsville. Owens was found unresponsive in a ditch near his residence on Loop Street in Collinsville on the morning of Nov. 8. He died of a knife wound. Haine’s petition to deny pretrial release argued the defendant poses a threat to the community and is a flight risk. At a detention hearing held for the defendant on Tuesday, Assistant State’s Attorney Luke Yager argued successfully in support of detention. Associate Judge Ryan Jumper granted the prosecution’s petition to deny pretrial release and remanded the defendant to the Madison

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GLEN CARBON - Phase 1 of the development of Orchard Town Center in Glen Carbon is officially complete, and village trustees gave the project’s first phase their official approval at this week’s meeting. Phase 1 mainly included traffic improvements on the north side of the site and the center’s initial tenants, while Phase 2 will include a pocket park, additional tenants, and more. Phase 1 traffic improvements were completed along Plum Street, Governor’s Parkway, and Troy Road, including both entrances to Chick-Fil-A, the site’s first tenant which was steadily busy even before both entrances were open. Phase 1 also included work on the interior roadways, stormwater drainage, as well as securing tenants like Olive Garden and Plaza Tire Service, which are nearing completion themselves. Phase 2 will include several more tenants and improvements to the site which seek to increase connectivity for cyclists and pedestrians. Tim Lowe with The Staenberg

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ALTON - Lindsey Copley of Case Management, holding the plaque, is the Alton Memorial Hospital Employee of the Month for November. Lindsey received the honor on Nov. 15 from Case Management Supervisor Darla Wilfong (far left), AMH President Dave Braasch and Case Management Manager Meredith Parker. The nomination from Darla says that “Lindsey has embraced her new role as the Emergency Room nurse case manager. She works hard to assist with complex patient needs. Lindsey has adapted to a new environment for her and communicates well. She works to reduce costs to help decrease readmissions. She is a great asset to Case Management and to her patients. Lindsey is a valued employee for Alton Memorial Hospital.”

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GLEN CARBON - Glen Carbon Police Chief Todd Link recently gave a presentation on the importance of police wellness to the Glen Carbon Village Board of Trustees at their meeting this week. He said the health and safety of the village depends on the health and safety of its police officers. “My job, in short, is to make sure that I protect the lives and property of all the residents in our village,” Link said. “To do that, I must first lead the way for wellness in our police staff.” The chief said the term “Police Wellness” applies not only to sworn police officers, but also to the more than 40 dispatchers and other civilian employees within the department. He added the Glen Carbon Police Department is fortunate to not be facing any lawsuits or staffing issues. “We’re fully staffed and we’re very effective at all levels,” he said. “If we damage our relationships, if we have problems with compassion, fatigue, an

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ALTON - Riverbend Head Start & Family Services received a $20,000 donation from Delta Dental to go toward dental care for their students. Riverbend Head Start & Family Services provides early childhood education for income-eligible families. CEO Gene Howell noted that a lot of their work is funded by Head Start, a program through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. But Riverbend Head Start & Family Services also assists with health and dental care, which they must fund themselves. The Delta Dental donation will make it possible for them to help more children. “If you can imagine a 3-year-old with three or four or five or six exposed nerve roots, that’s a lot of pain. You can’t learn when you come into a classroom in that kind of pain,” Howell said. “Delta Dental allows us to connect that kid with a local resource…It makes a world of difference for these kids. And when they come in after getting the surgery done, you see the smiles,

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JERSEYVILLE - The Hollow Avenue improvement project in Jerseyville continues to make progress, with Phase 1 getting closer to completion and the City Council recently approving an agreement to commence with Phase 2. The project includes repaving, widening, ADA-compliant sidewalks, and more. The Jerseyville City Council recently approved a professional surveying/engineering/land acquisition services agreement with Bartlett & West Inc. regarding Phase 2 of the Hollow Avenue Roadway Improvements project. Jerseyville received $1,000,000 in grant funding from the Federal Highway Administration for these improvements to Hollow Avenue. The city was one of only ten recipients of the grant, which was awarded as part of the administration’s Accelerated Innovation Deployment (AID) funding initiative. These improvements are just one component of the city’s long-term Capital Improvement Plan, which among other things, prioritizes “the safe and efficient movement of residential

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