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SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois House of Representatives adopted a resolution sponsored by State Representative Amy Elik (R-Fosterburg) on Thursday to honor the life of South Roxana Fire Chief Todd Werner. “Chief Werner dedicated his life to public service in Madison County by serving as a first responder. His selfless commitment to the community won’t be forgotten,” said Rep. Elik. “After talking with other first responders in the county, it became evident that Chief Werner made a positive impact on the people who were fortunate to call him a friend.” Chief Werner worked in the fire service for 30 years. He joined the South Roxana Fire Department in 1996 and became the Fire Chief in 2013. Chief Werner had been employed by the Madison County Sheriff's Office for the last three years before his passing on July 1, 2021, at the age of 48. Werner was a member of the South Roxana Dad's Club and the Madison County Emergency Management Association; at the time of

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EDWARDSVILLE - A prosecutor Wednesday said he may introduce evidence of the blood of murder victim Michael Ladd on the boot of Zachary Capers when the case comes to trial, but Capers' attorney indicated she may introduce an alibi defense and suggest an alternative suspect. Assistant State’s Attorney Jake Harlow said DNA analysis showed Michael Ladd’s blood on the heel of a boot that Capers wore. He argued at an evidence hearing before Associate Judge Neil Schroeder. Public Defender Mary Copeland told the judge she may suggest an alternative suspect. She said six people were interviewed after the death of Michael Ladd, 79, and Dr. Lois Ladd, 68, both of Edwardsville. The two were found stabbed to death at their residence on March 18, 2019. An employee of Lois Ladd had reported that she had not appeared at her office, as usual. Copeland argued that several associates of Michael Ladd’s construction company speculated that another man had killed the two

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ST LOUIS, MO. — Daylight saving time begins this Sunday, March 13, and the American Red Cross of Greater St. Louis reminds everyone to TURN your clocks forward one hour and TEST your smoke alarms. Did you know working smoke alarms can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half? That’s why it’s critical to “Turn and Test” and take these lifesaving steps to stay safe from home fires — the nation’s most frequent disaster: Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas. Test alarms monthly and replace the batteries at least once a year if your model requires it. Replace smoke alarms that are 10 years or older. That’s because the sensor becomes less sensitive over time. Check the date of your smoke alarms and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Practice your two-minute escape plan . Make sure everyone in your household can get out in less than two minutes

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ALTON — The Southwest Illinois Division of United Way of Greater St. Louis recently awarded Kids Corner and Refuge, two nonprofits that serve Madison County, Ill, with a total of $14,000 through the Carol F. Martin Trust Grant Fund. A $4,000 grant awarded to Kids Corner will help them fund programs for children who have been displaced because of parent separation, and a $10,000 grant awarded to Refuge will support programs that prevent childhood exposure to violence and abuse. “United Way of Greater St. Louis is proud to support Kids Corner and Refuge as they focus on the well-being of children and families in our community,” said Maura Wuellner, director of the Southwest Illinois Division of United Way. “United Way is able to invest in the varying needs of our community because of the generosity and support of our donors, volunteers, and community.” Kids Corner is managed by the Children’s First Foundation whose goal is to prepare families

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ALTON - The board of directors of Marquette Catholic High School is pleased to announce Tim Harmon as principal for the 2022-23 school year. Harmon currently serves as interim principal. The board of directors has also removed the “interim” status, effective immediately. “In a short period of time, Tim has shown extraordinary leadership in representing the school,” said Board President David Bartosiak. “His willingness to serve Marquette Catholic is great news for the students, parents, faculty, and staff. We believe he is absolutely the right person to lead the Marquette family at this time.” Harmon holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. Harmon is a ten-year veteran of Marquette Catholic, where he started in the social studies department in 2012. He is regarded and respected as a talented teacher by both parents and students, and he will continue to teach two sections of Honors U.S.

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced on Thursday that Erin Arras, 46, of Belleville, pled guilty to one count of aggravated driving while under the influence causing death stemming from an automobile accident in September 2020 in Alton. On September 7, 2020, first responders responded to an accident on West Broadway in Alton involving Arras’s vehicle and a motorcycle. One of the motorcycle’s passengers died as a result of the accident, and the other sustained serious injuries. Arras presented signs of intoxication, and toxicology reports showed her blood-alcohol content was above the legal limit. Following the accident, Arras was charged with one count of aggravated driving while under the influence causing death, a Class 2 Enhanced felony. In exchange for her guilty plea, Arras was sentenced to eight years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Haine thanked the Alton Police Department, Illinois State Police, and Assistant

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SPRINGFIELD — St. Patrick’s Day means parades, parties and lots of green for communities throughout Illinois. If your celebratory green will go beyond your favorite St. Paddy’s Day T-shirt and hat to include alcohol or cannabis, the Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police and local law enforcement remind you to plan ahead for a sober ride home. “If you’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, make your own luck by designating a sober driver or deciding how you’ll get home safely before you leave the house,” said Cynthia Watters, IDOT’s bureau chief of Safety Programs and Engineering. “Too many people wait until after they’ve become impaired to figure out how they’ll get home, but by then it’s too late to make a coherent decision.” The St. Patrick’s Day enforcement effort runs from March 11 through the early-morning hours of March 18. Throughout this period, the Illinois State Police

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JERSEYVILLE - Sara Poletti and Kate Jones were selected as the District FFA Proficiency Winners in Agricultural Sales Placement and Small Animal Production and Care. Sara Poletti and Kate Jones are members of the Jerseyville FFA Chapter of the Illinois Association FFA. Illinois FFA recognizes students in forty-seven different areas based on their work-based learning, also known as Supervised Agricultural Experiences or SAE. FFA members who demonstrate outstanding agricultural skills and competencies through record keeping, leadership, and scholastic achievement may be considered for this award. SAEs allow students to learn by doing by either owning and operating an agricultural business, working or serving an internship at an agriculture-based business, or conducting an agriculture-based scientific experiment and reporting results. A committee of agriculture industry representatives and teachers knowledgeable in this work-based area selected Sara Poletti as the District 3 Winner in

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ST. LOUIS/EDWARDSVILLE - Given the current status of the country and world, families are looking for a chance to escape into wonder and excitement, even in their own hometown. St. Louis’ City Museum is offering just that. The City Museum is collaborating with a Capstone Group studying at Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville to create an event that highlights the fun to be had on the museum’s campus. On March 26, 2022, said event will be taking place along with an additional giveaway of four-year-long memberships retailing at two hundred and twenty dollars in total. To be considered for the giveaway, customers will use the included QR code to enter the raffle. The customer’s name and email will be requested to contact the lucky customer that wins the raffle prize. This Capstone Group and the City Museum hope to call attention to the campus’ many attractions and exhibits. There is simply no way to experience all there is to experience at the Museum

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ALTON - Macular degeneration is a disease many of us have heard of but may not know much about. So, it may be surprising to hear that the disorder significantly impacts the vision of millions of people in the U.S. – and that there are steps to help prevent it. Macular degeneration is an eye disease that damages the central part of the retina, called the macula, which is the tissue at the back of the eye that is responsible for sharp, straight-ahead vision. At first, macular degeneration may go unnoticed, but as it advances, vision loss can get increasingly worse and have a real effect on people’s daily routines and quality of life. “It impacts independence and the ability to read, write, drive a car and watch TV,” said Dr. Johanna Seddon, director of the Macular Degeneration Center of Excellence at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. “And most important to many patients, they’re not able to recognize family members and other people

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SPRINGFIELD - Land of Lincoln Honor Flight is cleared for take-off! After being grounded for two years due to COVID restrictions and related health concerns, Land of Lincoln Honor Flight (LLHF) is pleased to announce that current conditions allow us to resume flights to honor our veterans. We have planned five (5) flights for 2022 on June 14, July 19, August 30, September 27 and November 1, 2022. The mission of Land of Lincoln Honor Flight is to show gratitude for our World War II, Korean era, and Vietnam era veterans by taking them - free of charge – from Springfield to Washington DC to visit the memorials dedicated to their service. Joan Bortolon, Land of Lincoln Honor Flight President, issued the following statement: “We are thrilled to be able to resume our flight schedule and start serving the over 700 veterans on our waitlist. These veterans have been waiting patiently for the last two years for their day of honor and we are anxious to start filling our flights.

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SPRINGFIELD – The 2022 Illinois spring trout fishing season will open April 2 at 57 ponds, lakes and streams throughout the state. An early opportunity at select trout sites – the spring catch-and-release fishing season – will open March 19. No trout may be kept during the catch-and-release fishing period, but anglers can keep trout after the opening of the regular season beginning April 2. The Illinois Catchable Trout Program is funded by those who use the program through the sale of inland trout stamps. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) stocks more than 80,000 rainbow trout each year in bodies of water where trout fishing is permitted during the spring season. An additional 80,000 trout will be stocked for the fall trout fishing season, which begins in October. For the 2022 spring trout season, no trout may be taken from any of the stocked sites from March 14 until the season opens at 5 a.m. April 2. Anyone attempting to harvest trout before

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WEST FRANKFORT – Centerstone, a national leader in behavioral health care, received a $2,500 grant from Ameren Illinois to help address Centerstone clients’ basic needs and set them up for treatments. That can include helping with temporary shelter; transportation to treatment, jobs and medical appointments; non-perishable food, and more. “Many members of the community – individuals and families – who come to Centerstone for help are homeless, hungry, and without transportation or phones, in addition to suffering from mental health or substance use disorders. Prior to making any progress in treatment, basic needs must be met,” said Erin Camfield, Centerstone’s director of advancement. “Thanks to funding from this grant, we’re able to help meet these basic needs for our clients and homeless individuals, which in turn benefits our community as a whole. When we provide services to assist the homeless, we are not just changing the life

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chair of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife, this week met with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) St. Louis District Commander Colonel Kevin Golinghorst, as well as USACE Rock Island District Commander Colonel Jesse Curry to discuss critical water infrastructure projects throughout the state. In separate meetings, Duckworth discussed the support from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) and inland waterways programs, including the Brandon Road Lock and Dam Project. “Protecting and strengthening our inland waterways is critical to growing our local economies and protecting the health and safety of our communities,” Duckworth said. “I was glad to meet with Colonel Golinghorst and Colonel Curry to discuss the importance of water infrastructure and the ongoing projects throughout the region

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EAST ST. LOUIS - The Illinois State Police District 11 released information that they responded to a report of an expressway shooting at 6:39 a.m. on Thursday, March 10, 2022, at Milepost 3, East St. Louis in St. Clair County. This is the ISP synopsis of the situation, which they say the investigation is in its infancy: Location: Interstate 70 eastbound at Milepost 3, East St. Louis, St. Clair County Brief Synopsis: Preliminary investigative details indicate the following occurred: District 11 Troopers responded to a reported expressway shooting at the above time and location. No injuries were reported in the incident. No further information is available at this time. Anyone who witnessed the shooting or has any knowledge of the incident is asked to contact Crimestoppers by phone at 314-725-8477 (TIPS). Witnesses can remain anonymous.

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ALTON - Daniel Strohbeck of Case Management is Alton Memorial Hospital’s Employee of the Month for March. He was presented with the honor March 9 by AMH President Dave Braasch and his manager, Meredith Parker. The nominations said that “Daniel is an inspiration to me. Every day he comes to the campus of Alton Memorial Hospital to work and does not complain. Each morning he flies through the halls in his electric wheelchair while he greets people on the go. He has an attitude ready to tackle each problem tenaciously. He is compassionate, respectful, and cares about each of his patients. "He desires for each of them to have a safe discharge plan and assists them as needed. He communicates with each patient and/or family, case managers, and doctors in order to help each patient obtain their goals. His hard work and commitment does not go unnoticed!” Congratulations, Daniel!"

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GODFREY - Lewis and Clark Community College students and team members showed their support of Ukraine during the Rally for Ukraine: Standing for Peace event Wednesday in The Grove on the college’s Godfrey Campus. After an introduction by President Ken Trzaska, Political Science Adjunct Mario Love spoke about the situation facing the Ukrainian people. Students were given the chance to express their thoughts on the situation. The rally was hosted by Trailblazers Give Back and L&C Student Activities. For more information on Trailblazers Give Back, contact (618) 468-4730 or abunjan@lc.edu. Learn more about L&C Student Activities by contacting (618) 468-6400 or jhenning@lc.edu. Photo by Jan Dona, L&C Marketing/PR

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GODFREY - A man accused of crashing a pickup truck into a 2-year-old girl and her dog, killing both, has pleaded guilty to failure to report an accident involving injury or death. Paul Broadway, 64, of Godfrey, was charged after an Aug. 31, 2020, accident in which the pickup truck he was driving crashed into Ellee Grace Kiser, 2, of Godfrey. The victim ran into the roadway at Pine Grove and West Broadway. The child died at St. Anthony’s Health Center a day later of head injuries. Broadway left the scene but was arrested by Alton police the next day. Broadway pleaded guilty Monday in exchange for a prosecution agreement that he be sentenced to no more than eight years in prison. A sentencing hearing will be held at a later date. At a press conference shortly after the accident, Sheriff John Lakin said that, after the accident was reported, the Sheriff’s Office was flooded with calls from the public. Police obtained a description of the truck, and the accident

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FLORA - On March 9, 2022, Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Zone 8 announce the arrest of Phillip Blaine Henson, a 52-year-old male from Flora, IL, for Drug Induced Homicide (Class X Felony). On November 17, 2022, at approximately 1:26 p.m., the ISP DCI - Zone 8 was requested to conduct a death investigation in Flora, IL. A female, later identified as Stephanie L. Harrell, a 54-year-old of Flora, IL, was found deceased in her vehicle parked in an agricultural field entrance on Olive Street, just north of US Highway 50 in Clay County. On March 8, 2022, Phillip Blaine Henson was charged with Drug Induced Homicide (Class X Felony), filed in the Circuit Court for the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Illinois in Clay County. Henson is currently detained at the Vanderburgh County Jail in Evansville, Indiana with bond of $1,000,000 / 10 % to apply. No further information is available at this time. ISP DCI - Zone 8 was assisted by the South Eastern Illinois

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ALTON - Alton School District is working on the last leg of renovations at Alton Middle School located at 2200 College Avenue and is offering up novelty auditorium seats to anyone interested. As a part of their renovation, they are getting new seating, new carpet and paint, a larger stage, new sound and light equipment and more. Each party is limited to small number of seats. Pickup time has been updated to avoid the before and after school traffic. Please call to schedule your pickup time. Appointments will be available between 9 am and 2:45 p.m. and between 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. this Friday, March 11. No tools are needed, they will even help you load your truck or trailer. To schedule your pickup or for more information contact Ann Norman at 618-433-7850.

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