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JOLIET— Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) were joined today by local officials and community leaders to celebrate several important milestones on the $1.3 billion overhaul of Interstate 80, setting up one of the cornerstone projects in the governor’s Rebuild Illinois capital program to be almost fully under construction in the spring. Entering next construction season, an estimated $385 million worth of projects just on I-80’s mainline lanes will be underway on almost 12 miles of the corridor, signaling the start of a major new phase. “Illinoisans deserve infrastructure built for the modern era, with the highest standards of safety and reliability, and a little less congestion and frustration,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “That’s why the General Assembly and I dedicated $1.3 billion of our road modernization plan — the largest single allocation — to the rebuilding and restoration of I-80 through

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ALTON - A local organization will celebrate the birthday of the late Police Officer Blake Snyder with a food drive to benefit Alton food pantries. On Friday, Nov. 3 and Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, you can stop by Alton Physical Therapy , located at 3550 College Avenue, to drop off donations and participate in raffles, games and giveaways. The food drive, sponsored by Mustache March 4 PD (MM4PD), aims to honor Snyder and help the community by collecting 4,100 pounds of food to celebrate Snyder’s 41st birthday on Nov. 7. “After Blake was killed in the line of duty in St. Louis, there was a group of us that wanted to get a better connection with the community and the police officers,” explained Tina Bennett, vice president of MM4PD. “And Blake was the kind of person, the kind of police officer we hope all police officers are. He was very generous with his time, helping people, always a very good husband and father and churchgoer, family man. To have him

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ALTON - For Cole Kribs, the Alton Halloween Parade isn’t just fun; it’s business. Every year, Cole and his family set up shop outside Town Club Bar and Grill , located at 2400 E. Broadway in Alton, and sell hot chocolate to the parade participants as they wait for the parade to start. The bar is owned by Cole’s father, Mark Kribs, and they are happy to invite people in for a few minutes of warmth and a hot drink. “It’s cold tonight,” Cole noted as he waited for the parade to start on Oct. 31, 2023. “I would think that would help.” It’s also a tradition. Cole and his brother have spent every Halloween Parade at the bar with their parents. The parade participants usually line up along Broadway, so they always get a sneak peak of the floats and bands before the parade officially starts. While they decided to stick to hot chocolate this year, they usually have crock pots full of hot chocolate and hotdogs to boost spirits

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Senate confirmed Jack Lew to serve as the United States Ambassador to Israel: “The recent terrorist attack in Israel and ensuing overlapping challenges in the region are a reminder of the importance of having top American diplomats at our embassies. Unfortunately, some Republican Senators have continued to block the confirmation of highly qualified U.S. ambassadors from key posts around the world. I was pleased to support Jack Lew’s confirmation and hope he will work with urgency to bring home the remaining American hostages, provide humanitarian relief for innocent civilians in Gaza, and pursue a long term two-state solution that brings a desperately overdue path out of continued conflict in the region.”

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EDWARDSVILLE - Wolf Street will be closed to thru traffic for approximately one week for concrete patching beginning on Thursday, November 2. Christ Bros. will place a concrete patch over the portion of Wolf Street bisected by Madison County Transit’s Nickel Plate Trail. Wolf Street is expected to reopen for full access on Friday, November 10. While the work is underway, properties to the east and west of the work will be accessible, but there will be no thru traffic access. Alternate routes to bypass the closure include Brown Avenue, Schwarz Street and Fillmore Street. The City appreciates the cooperation and patience of all residents and businesses during this closure. Please contact Public Works at (618) 692-7535 with any questions.

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College invites team members to participate in LC Speaks, a new speaker series which will feature L&C professionals sharing their stories and perspectives. The inaugural event begins at 3 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 7, in Reid Memorial Library on the Godfrey Campus. LC Speaks will be held ­each fall and aims to establish and nurture connections across campus through storytelling and shared experiences. This year’s speakers are Adult Education Secretary of State Literacy Coordinator Sheila Vaughn, Speech Professor Elizabeth Grant, Speech Professor Mumba Mumba and Health Information and Medical Coding Adjunct Faculty Instructor Melody Davis-Wilson. Mumba hopes people will use the event to build connections and that those who wish to speak will have a platform to practice their craft on campus with a supportive audience. “I’m excited we are introducing a public space that encourages faculty and staff to share their stories and

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WASHINGTON DC - Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees—issued the following statement after the Senate confirmed the Honorable Jack Lew to serve as the next U.S. Ambassador to Israel: “We must work as hard as we can to bring about a tomorrow for both Israelis and Palestinians alike where their skies won’t be marred with missiles and their streets won’t be scarred with blood. Amid this ongoing crisis, I’m relieved that the Senate confirmed Jack Lew to be our nation’s Ambassador to Israel and I’m confident Ambassador Lew will be effective in deepening the already-strong bond between our countries, while enhancing U.S.-Israeli cooperation to better respond and support our allies in the Middle East.”

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate National Labs Caucus, joined U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jim Risch (R-ID), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and John Thune (R-SD), to introduce the bipartisan Testing and Evaluation Systems for Trusted Artificial Intelligence (TEST) AI Act , legislation that would improve the federal government’s capacity to test and evaluate Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems to drive innovation, protect national security, and safeguard Americans against risks. The TEST AI Act leverages the unique expertise and resources of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to advance AI innovation and guardrails. NIST’s deep expertise in AI risk management, combined with the technical expertise and computational and data resources provided by DOE’s National Labs will enable the U.S. government to conduct practical and meaningful

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, questioned Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on President Biden’s national security supplemental funding request, which includes emergency funds for Israel, Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific, and humanitarian crises. Durbin, Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, first questioned Secretary Austin about the need to continue to provide Ukraine with financial support from the United States and NATO, referencing a recent talk Ukrainian President Zelenskyy had with members of the U.S. Senate. “But he said without the continued financial support of the United States and NATO, we will lose this war. He was unequivocal. He repeated it—without the financial support of the United States and NATO, we will lose this war. Was he exaggerating?” Durbin asked. Secretary Austin responded that Zelenskyy was not exaggerating.

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JERSEYVILLE - Jerseyville is getting a new gym this weekend when JerseyFit Barbell celebrates its Grand Opening on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will be jam-packed with activities, including a bench pressing competition, kids’ competitions, food, and more. Owner Adam Hickson, who is also a JCHS Strength & Conditioning coach, partnered with Nick Bexheti to make JerseyFit Barbell a reality. Bexheti recently announced the Grand Opening, adding their overall vision is to “elevate the sports and wellness offerings in Jerseyville.” “In April, we turned that dream into a reality. Combining our shared vision and passion for sports, we launched JerseyFit Barbell - a gym that provides a functional fitness space catering to all training styles,” Bexheti said. “This wasn't just about starting a gym; we poured our sweat and heart into renovating an old building, transforming it into a top-notch fitness facility.” The

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ALTON - The Alton Halloween Parade sponsored by the East End Improvement Association was a cold one, but once again brought tons of smiles from children and plenty of candy with top-quality floats, East End spokesperson Steve Schwartz said late Tuesday night. This was the 106th Alton Halloween Parade. "I thought the parade went great," he said. "We had a great turnout on a cool night. I thought the floats were great, overall it was one of our best years for floats. There is some real creativity in our floats." Schwartz said several of the floats stood out, but some he mentioned were various winners, Dr. Vest and Company, once again the Commercial Division winner, the Boy Scouts Troop 1 float, and floats by Alton Physical Therapy, Montessori and Home Depot. Schwartz also commended the Alton Police Department and Alton Public Works Department for all their hard work in keeping the parade safe. This year, Schwartz said there were four marching bands - The Marching 100 from Alton High

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EDWARDSVILLE - It was a bone-chilling night, but revelers at the Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce Halloween Parade didn’t let that dampen their spirits or the once again fantastic event. The parade kicked off at 6:30 p.m. and did not disappoint with an abundance of memorable entries. The float winners will be announced soon and released. The theme this year was “Great American Road Trips.” The Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Chamber said in a statement, they are "always excited for the annual parade” and once again it went off without a hitch despite the cold temps. Edwardsville Police Department was again out in full force to keep the pathways safe for the tight-knight Edwardsville-Glen Carbon communities. The Edwardsville Arts Center had special comments and summed up the feelings of many about the parade: “There were many die-hard Halloween Parade fans out braving the bitter cold. We had so much fun in our first parade! Thank you to

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ALTON - The 106th Alton Halloween Parade is a huge event for the entire Riverbend region, but for Alton Mayor David Goins and his family, the night took on special meaning as they represented Alton and raised awareness for breast cancer. The mayor and his wife, Sheila Goins, worked with their family and friends to create a “Barbies for Breast Cancer Awareness” theme, complete with pink costumes and a car outfitted with Barbie memorabilia and pink ribbons. Sheila rode in the parade with the Goins’ friend Tina Mills, an Alton woman currently undergoing treatment for stage three breast cancer at Alton Memorial Hospital. “It is the last day of October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and so we still wanted to give Breast Cancer Awareness Month a nice sendoff and just bring awareness,” Mayor David Goins said. The mayor partnered with Alton Memorial Hospital to share some of their educational materials. While the group had plenty of candy to give

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ALTON - The 106th Alton Halloween Parade combined the creepy and the chilly with over 70 participants and thousands of attendees on Halloween night, 2023. “This is the place ,” Alton Mayor David Goins said. “Cold or whatever, it doesn’t really matter, because people are going to come out for this parade. And so we’re going to be out here, too.” Most of Alton’s population seemed to agree, with a huge audience of all ages turning out to watch one of the longest-running parades in the country. Former Alderman Charlie Brake was honored as the parade marshal. Brake served as an Alton alderman for 26 years before his retirement in June, and he noted that he was “really pleased” to be included in the evening. “It’s kind of a keen way to shut it down,” he said. “This will be one of my last official things to do…I couldn’t believe it when they asked me because normally they give that to well-know

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ALTON - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rivers Project Office, will be celebrating 20 years since the opening of its National Great Rivers Museum. The celebration will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, November 4, and will include informational tables and children’s activities at more than 20 stations, as well as several food trucks. Previous media announcements have outlined the many activities occurring as part of this event, from the volunteer recognition at 9:30 a.m. to the official commemoration of the Museum at 12:00 p.m., to a river recreation public Q&A panel at 1:30 p.m., but more is yet being added to this family-friendly day for the community. “We’re going to have a towboat, open for public tours, all day,” said Allison Rhanor, Natural Resources Specialist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Director of the National Great Rivers Museum. “It had been our hope all along, but with harvest season underway, compounded by low water conditions

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EDWARDSVILLE – Amid an earlier-than-typical cold weather snap, the Edwardsville Fire Department would like to remind residents to pay attention to weather advisories, avoid safety risks and to take steps to remain warm as the temperatures drop. The following tips can help residents to stay safe when wintry weather is in the forecast: Avoid using ovens and stoves as alternate heating sources; these are potentially dangerous sources of carbon monoxide and fire. If you are using a portable heater, plug it directly into a wall outlet — do not use extension cords or power strips as they can easily start fires. Keep portable heaters away from other items and never set anything on top of a portable heater. Wear appropriate clothing when going outside. Add layers to increase warmth, and be sure to protect your face, ears and hands. Be aware of your vehicle’s fuel level; don’t risk running out of gas. Keep winter supplies such as spare blankets, gloves and hats i

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SPRINGFIELD - Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and their advocates joined State Representative Charlie Meier (R-Okawville) at the Illinois Capitol in Springfield on Wednesday to send a message to lawmakers it’s ‘My Work. My Choice’ concerning legislation pending in the legislature that could jeopardize their job. At the state capitol, Rep. Meier was joined by disability advocates who wore t-shirts that said ‘My Work. My Choice.’ According to State Representative Charlie Meier, “We are here to protect the jobs of our residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We want to protect their choice and their job, hence My Work. My Choice. We are opposed to legislation pending in the Illinois House that would put at least 50% of 14c workshop employees with disabilities out of work throughout the state. This number comes from providers who have switched, and some even laid off 70% of their workforce.”

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SPRINGFIELD – There has been an outpouring of support and concern for the condition and recovery of State Trooper Dakotah Chapman Green, who was shot during a traffic stop in the 1600 block of Toronto Road in Springfield. The Illinois State Police (ISP) today provided an update on the condition of Trooper Chapman-Green and the investigation into his shooting. On Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, at 10:47 p.m., ISP Trooper Chapman-Green stopped 37-year-old Cristobal Santana from Chicago in the 1600 block of Toronto Road in Springfield. During the traffic stop, the suspect fired at least 10 gunshots, hitting Trooper Chapman-Green several times, and struck him repeatedly, causing facial fractures, a skull fracture, and a brain bleed. The suspect fled the scene but was taken into custody at 1:58 a.m. on Oct. 25, 2023. Trooper Chapman-Green remains hospitalized. The suspect was taken to the hospital for injuries sustained during the apprehension and remains in the hospital. “By the Grac

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ALTON - When Angel Clark’s little sister Arian announced she wanted to become a real estate agent, both Angel and their mother admitted they had a few doubts. Arian, a 21-year-old realtor on the autism spectrum, is smart and talented but sometimes struggles with communication, which is, as the sisters’ mother Burrae Rocha points out, an important part of real estate. But Burrae and Angel weren’t worried about Arian’s ability as an agent; they were concerned about the society she’d be up against. “Instead of us learning Arian, Arian has to learn how to deal with us,” Burrae explained. “She’s got to learn how to deal with the outside world, and that’s a real challenge. I think that social cues are very hard for her. I guess, from a mom’s perspective, I would love other people just to know: Don’t judge a book by its cover. You know what I’m saying? She’s a very kind person. She’s just very straightforward

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JERSEYVILLE - The former Riverbend Axe Throwing location in Jerseyville is undergoing a rebrand and change in management. “Axe & Ale” Co-Owners Christina and Chris Herren are bringing their vision for Jerseyville’s latest entertainment destination to life with a soft opening later this year and a grand opening next year. Axe & Ale will combine “the thrill of axe throwing with the comfort and camaraderie of a neighborhood pub,” according to a press release from Christina. The duo are transforming the space, striving to create an inviting atmosphere for families, groups, and individuals to have a “memorable experience.” The soft opening of Axe & Ale is scheduled for Nov. 27, 2023. The event will allow the community to “get a taste of what's to come.” The grand opening, set for sometime in January of 2024, will feature “exciting activities, special promotions, and a chance for guests to meet the Herrens and their friendly staff.”

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