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ILLINOIS - It’s officially Girl Scout cookie season, and there are Scouts out in the community selling Thin Mints, Samoas and other favorite flavors. But while cookies are a popular part of the organization, parents and kids want people to know that the program is about much more than sweet treats. Proceeds from cookie sales provide the funding needed for troops to complete volunteer initiatives, learn new skills and explore the community. “The girls enjoy it,” said Stacey Eccles, a volunteer parent from Godfrey with a daughter in the Scouts. “This is how they make their money so that they’re able to do all the events and different things that they’re wanting to do. The girls all have big aspirations and dreams about what they want to spend their money on.” Last year, the Scouts went to Holiday World and visited Abraham Lincoln’s home. While Eccles isn’t sure what the girls will decide to do with their money this year, she

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ALTON - A man from Alton has been charged with unlawfully carrying a firearm and over 30 grams of cannabis on a street in Godfrey, according to recent Madison County court filings. Marcus A. Hendricks, 18, of Alton, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful possession of cannabis on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024. According to court documents, Hendricks According to court documents, Hendricks allegedly carried a firearm, specifically a “Glock .40cal model 23” on a public street - Laurel Avenue in Godfrey - at a time when the gun was “uncased, loaded and immediately accessible” and he had not been issued a currently valid Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card. Hendricks was additionally charged with unlawful possession of more than 30 but less than 100 grams of cannabis, other than as authorized in the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. In total, Hendricks was charged with one Class 4 felony for unlawful firearm possession

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GRANITE CITY - The Administrative Court in Granite City has been canceled for Jan. 22, 2024. “To ensure that nobody is placed in danger while traveling to and from Granite City Hall Granite City Mayor Mike Parkinson and the Honorable Tom Gibbons have announced that the Administrative Court of Granite City will be closed on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. Letters will be sent to schedule a new court date.

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MARYVILLE - Anderson Hospital announces its first New Year’s baby today and the name is Knox Thebeau. “Knox had a rough start and we needed some intensive care for the baby from our amazing partners at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital," Anderson Hospital Public Relations Director Natalie Head said. Knox was born at 8:47 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2024. He weighed 7 pounds, 9 ounces and was 20 inches long. Anderson Hospital held off on announcing the first baby until the child returned home. Knox’s parents are Lauren and Tanner Thebeau of Marine.

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ALTON - A woman from Alton has been charged with aggravated and domestic battery after allegedly stabbing someone on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, according to recently filed Madison County court documents. Sandra A. Kenshalo, 58, of Alton, was charged with one count each of aggravated battery and domestic battery. According to court documents, Kenshalo “used a deadly weapon, a kitchen knife, and stabbed in the arm causing injury.” According to a petition to deny Kenshalo’s pretrial release, the victim in this case advised officers that they had been in a verbal argument with Kenshalo before she entered the victim’s bedroom and stabbed them in the arm, causing them to flee from the residence. Officers reportedly located the knife suspected of being used in the attack. Kenshalo was charged with a Class 3 felony for aggravated battery and a Class A misdemeanor for domestic battery. Court documents indicate she was ordered remanded to jail until her initial

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EAST ALTON - Local pickleball players gathered on Jan. 13–14, 2024, for a “Picklin’ for the Cure” pickleball tournament that raised over $4,000 for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life initiative. Competitors played a round-robin tournament over two days at Keasler Recreation Complex in East Alton. Ruby Berghoff, tournament director and a U.S.A. Pickleball ambassador said “a perfect marriage” of organizations came together to make the tournament successful. “Pickleball people are just good people. It really worked out well,” Berghoff said. “It was an emotional day in a way because we have several survivors within our organization, within the group that were playing there that day.” Players and spectators enjoyed a raffle, silent auction and 50/50 drawing throughout the weekend. There were 48 teams and they played in different divisions depending on skill level. Loretta Gratta and Jane Short won in the women’s

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MADISON COUNTY - The Madison and Bond Counties have been required to keep the Offices of the Courts and Circuit Clerk closed on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. However, matters noticed for remote proceedings will proceed as planned. The Office Of the Circuit Court is required to notify all parties by posting on its website, notifying attorneys and by other appropriate means. Court activities will resume as planned on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024.

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The region has been hit with icy conditions that have made streets, highways and sidewalks treacherous on Monday morning, Jan. 22, 2024. Classes in every school in the region were cancelled because of the ice and some employees are working on a remote basis on Monday because of the difficult driving conditions. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) released information on Monday morning just a few minutes ago and said there was “slow progress across all 11 countries in IDOT District 8.” “Salt is working well and trucks are mobile. Please take it slow if you are traveling today,” IDOT said. There were reported accidents on both I-270 and I-55 by state police on Monday. If you must be out, please plan and travel accordingly and visit https://idot.click/u6h for traffic and road conditions.

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville YMCA Meyer and Niebur Centers have delayed the reopening of the centers until 3 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, due to the winter weather conditions in the area. The YMCA said the afternoon and evening programming will go as scheduled. The Allison Cassens ECDC will remain closed on Monday and reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. “Please stay safe and use caution as you travel,” the YMCA said in a statement.

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ALTON - When Jason and Kayla Harrison’s daughters came home from school hungry after refusing to eat the school lunches, again, the couple realized something had to change. LaMay’s Catering , named for their daughters, was their solution. Now in daycares and schools across the Metro East, LaMay’s is a customizable catering service that aims to please the most difficult customers: kids. The service offers nutritional meals that kids enjoy. But LaMay’s was only the beginning for Jason and Kayla, and they’re excited to watch the company continue to grow alongside their food truck Food Revival and restaurant Café 111. “It just came together,” Jason said. “Opportunities come, we seize the moment, and it’s like it just fits hand-in-hand. It’s just phenomenal just to see how it unfolds…Our initial goal was just get children to eat, and then as we got into it more we thought, ‘What if we could get them

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NEW ALBANY, Ohio - Today, Bob Evans Restaurants announced their 2024 Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) Grant recipients with 12 high school students from across the Midwest. The Bob Evans SAE Grants are made available through its longstanding partnership with the National FFA Organization. Bob Evans – the home of “America’s Farm Fresh” – aims to inspire and aid future farmers, and pay homage to founder and farmer, Bob Evans. The 2024 Bob Evans SAE Grant program will continue to provide high school FFA members with the opportunity to advance the farming community with special agricultural projects and experiences. Each experiential learning project helps students learn more about agriculture, marketing, and running a business – all essential skills for those looking to be successful in the modern farming industry. All 12 Bob Evans grant recipients will receive $1,000 to help achieve goals outlined in their SAE Grant application. For example,

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EDWARDSVILLE — The Madison County Highway Department is inviting local road users in the Alton and Godfrey area to two public involvement meetings to discuss potential improvements to Humbert Road. Madison County Engineer Adam Walden said the Highway Department has prioritized capital improvements to Humbert Road to reduce traffic accidents, increase pedestrian safety, and support overall roadway accessibility within its five-year plan. The proposed project would modify the number of traffic lanes and add a dedicated turn lane. In addition, a permanent sidewalk would be added to support pedestrian traffic. The meetings are intended to provide an opportunity for the community to learn about the project, ask questions, and provide valuable feedback. During the event, Highway Department employees will be on hand to discuss the proposed project and answer citizen’s questions. CBB Transportation Solutions, who recently completed a traffic study examining the proposed improvements,

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SPRINGFIELD – Starting January 28, 2024, the Illinois Governor’s Mansion will host art tours for all Illinoisans to learn more about the Illinois based art in the Governor’s Mansion and the Illinoisans behind the works. The art in the mansion was carefully curated by First Lady MK Pritzker, the Illinois State Museum, and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library to represent Illinois’ people and history. The Illinois artists guests will get to view on the tour include Harold Gregor, Gertrude Abercrombie, and Theaster Gates. Through February, the tour will also include “Noir 3,” an exhibit on loan from the Illinois State Museum that celebrates Black culture and creativity and through eight different award-winning artists. For additional information and to make a reservation, visit: Illinois Governor's Mansion Art Tours Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite . About the Illinois Governor’s Mansion The Illinois Governor's

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today it has been awarded $7.1 million in federal funds to fix electric vehicle chargers available to the public statewide. The funding, made possible through the Federal Highway Administration’s Electric Vehicle Charger Reliability and Accessibility Program , helps support Gov. JB Pritzker’s goal to have 1 million EVs on the road in Illinois by 2030. “This investment will help to improve the reliability and accessibility of charging stations throughout the state,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “Under Gov. Pritzker, IDOT is committed to modernizing transportation and expanding green practices. This award is an important step in that direction.” The grant will repair, replace or upgrade an estimated 93 Level 2 ports and 34 Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) ports at various locations throughout the state. A complete list can be found on IDOT’s website,

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EDWARDSVILLE - Maria Mezo of Edwardsville, Ill. graduated on Dec. 9th, 2023 from Maryville University with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. She also became a member of the Delta Phi Tau National Honor Society ands received the Award for Excellence in Physical Therapy.

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ALTON - According to the 2023 US Physician Office Market Report, as published by BusinessWire (a Berkshire Hathaway Company), physician office visit volumes are expected to increase through 2029. Also, according to the report, the overall percentage of patient visits declined in 2020 due to the pandemic and has since risen roughly 10%, with the projection to continue to increase in 2023. OSF Medical Group can certainly attest to that projection and market conditions as 2023 brought increased physician office volumes to its Riverbend region locations in Alton, Godfrey, and Bethalto. “Our growth in 2023 was fueled by the combination of 1) employing additional primary care and specialty providers and 2) offering expanded programs and services for our patients,” says Sharon K. Tippett, Director, Physician Practices, OSF Healthcare – Alton Medical Group. “Throughout 2023 and as we begin 2024, we continue to see demand for increased access to primary care and specialty

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ALTON - Motorists are advised to take it slow going out the door on the morning of Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, because of several hours' worth of freezing rain on the sidewalks and roads. Illinois Department of Transportation, Missouri Department of Transportation and county and city streets crews are out this morning salting and preparing the roads for travel. Still, the icy precipitation will likely continue until the temperature gets to 32 degrees or more, Chris Kimble, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in St. Louis, said early Monday morning. “It is going to be icy out there until the temps rise above freezing,” he said. “We are going to see on and off showers throughout the day. It will take a while before it goes to where we have the ice. I would advise staying home if possible before it rises above freezing.” Kimble said he advised residents to wait until the afternoon to venture out. For the rest of the week, temps should stay much warmer

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If you have a cancellation email news@riverbender.com or text (618) 623-5930. Closings and Cancellations: Brussels School District 1, E-Learning Day Calhoun School District 1, E-Learning Day Carlinville School District 1, E-Learning Day Carrollton School District 1, Closed Greenfield Community Unit School District 10, Closed Jersey Community School District 100, Closed Mt. Olive School District 5, Closed North Greene School District 3, Closed Southwestern School District 9, Closed

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ST. LOUIS, MO. – United Way of Greater St. Louis recently named Kiesha Hammock as their new Vice President of Community Investment. In this role, she will supervise and oversee United Way investment opportunities, Portfolio Managers and volunteers while also implementing and monitoring the investment portfolios of partnerships across the United Way safety net agency network. “We are thrilled to welcome Kiesha back to United Way as she returns with a wealth of experience and a proven track record of making significant impact. Kiesha’s expanded perspective and diverse skill set will undoubtedly help propel our agency network efforts forward as we leverage her expertise while forging ahead into our second century of impact.” Throughout Hammock’s career, she has developed large-scale systems change initiatives that are nimble, responsive, and attuned to the complex nature of social change. In her most recent role as Director of Partnership and Capacity

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Labor's (IDOL) Division of Occupational Safety and Health (IL OSHA) has released an incident report following the closure of an inspection and investigation of an apartment fire that left one firefighter dead. The Marmora Incident Report serves as an educational resource for the Illinois Fire Service while also detailing an incident in December 2021 that ultimately took the life of a firefighter. The firefighter, who had recently celebrated his one-year anniversary at the affected fire department, was alone on the first floor of the building when he experienced a life-threatening malfunction of his self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and called for a mayday (firefighter in distress). The firefighter was found unresponsive and out of air and rushed to a hospital. He died from his injuries five days later. IL OSHA determined there were several contributing factors that led to the death: The initial fire suppression team di

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