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WOOD RIVER - It has been some time in the making, but Wood River Mayor Tom Stalcup announced today that the Sports Barn will open sometime in the fall right on Old St. Louis-Alton Road close to I-255 and Route 143. He said building materials are supposed to be delivered by the end of the month and it was his understanding it would take a month to month and a half to construct the new facility. Stalcup has talked before about the 37,500-square-foot structure. There will be batting cases, pitching development, a turf infield, and more inside the facility for training baseball and softball players. Stalcup also added that the Illinois Gators and Gators Baseball Academy - a baseball and softball club - for ages 6 to 18 will be the prime occupants of the new facility. “The Sports Barn has a present location in Wentzville, Missouri,” Stalcup said. “The Gators are trying to expand their market and feel they have a lot of kids already from this area and this will just expan

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GLEN CARON - The newest addition to Glen Carbon is taking shape, with plans for Olive Garden to open in early to mid-October later this year. Olive Garden will be located in the new Orchard Town Center development at the intersection of Governor’s Parkway and Troy Road, near the recently-opened Chick-Fil-A. Construction is by St. Louis-based J.E. Foster Building Company. Jobsite superintendent Dan Backer said the construction is “going good.” The Staenberg Group, a real estate firm in Overland, Missouri, is leasing spots in the Orchard Town Center. They say that the development will be a new shopping center. Anyone who is interested in leasing information can call 314-513-1500. As temperatures climbed Wednesday, construction workers could be found resting in the shade, enjoying meals from Chick-Fil-A during their lunch break. The Olive Garden started as a unit of General Mills . The Olive Garden's first restaurant was opened on December 13, 1982, in Orlando

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EDWARDSVILLE – First-year Taylor Sparks, of Belleville, is the recipient of the spring 2023 University Staff Senate scholarship from the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Staff Senate. “I would like to thank the sponsors of the Staff Senate for making this scholarship possible,” said Sparks, a business major with specializations in marketing and entrepreneurship and a minor in graphic design from the School of Business. “I would also like to thank mother for being my support system through my years of undergrad.” Sparks is the daughter of Dawn Sparks, Accountant III in the Office of the Bursar. “As for my education, these funds will help me to pay for my upcoming courses needed to obtain my intended degree, to continue to work towards my career goals,” ‘Sparks continued. Scholarship awards are given to qualifying SIUE students who meet such criteria as: be a son, daughter, grandchild, spouse or civil union partner of a presentl

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GRAFTON - Police officer Mike Angel was in the spotlight at Tuesday night's Grafton City Council meeting where he was presented a Life Saving Certificate on behalf of the Council and the citizens of Grafton by Mayor Morrow and Police Chief Eric Spanton. Grafton Police Officer Mike Angel responded to a call of a bicyclist down and needing help on the bike trail at Graham Hollow outside of Grafton on Sunday afternoon. The cyclist had struck a 2” by 6” wooden guard rail and was severely cut. Grafton Mayor Morrow said the cyclist was bleeding from a gash to the neck, with gashes in his leg and ankle. The wounds exposed the bone and nicked the arteries in two places. The mayor said Officer Angel immediately removed the cyclist’s shirt and made a tourniquet around his upper leg then he quickly removed his own shirt and made a tourniquet on his lower leg. "Officer Angel applied pressure and calmed the victim until the ground ambulance arrived," the mayor said.

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JERSEYVILLE - A Godfrey man has been charged with driving an ATV under the influence of alcohol without a valid license or registration, while a Dow man has been charged with unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, according to recent court filings out of Jersey County. John E. Cloninger, 41, of Godfrey, was charged on June 13 for an incident on May 8 when he “drove a green All Terrain Vehicle with no registration” on US Highway 67 near Stagecoach Road “when his blood alcohol content was in excess of .16,” according to court filings. Cloninger was additionally charged with driving on a revoked license. He was issued a Class 2 felony for the aggravated DUI charge and a Class A misdemeanor for driving on a revoked license. Bail was not noted, but more information and updates on this case can be found here . Christopher A. Norris, 47, of Dow, was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon on June 16. Court documents state Norris “knowingly

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled, “Protecting Pride: Defending the Civil Rights of LGBTQ+ Americans.” The hearing will celebrate historic progress made in protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans. It will also serve as a call to remain steadfast in defending these rights against a tidal wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation being introduced across the country, particularly targeting transgender youth. Key Durbin quotes: “In just a relatively short time, a few decades, our nation has made remarkable progress in protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans. Eight years ago this month, for instance, Obergefell v. Hodges , which made marriage equality the law of the land. And last year, on a bipartisan basis, Congress codified those protections into law with the Respect for Marriage Act .” “While

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EDWARDSVILLE – With the official arrival of summer on Wednesday, June 21, the City of Edwardsville wants everyone to be aware of cooling center options available during periods of extreme heat. The City is working in cooperation with the following local facilities to provide relief when the heat index rises above 100° Fahrenheit. Additional sites and hours may be added as needed. Please note that holiday schedules could affect operating hours. Edwardsville Public Library: 112 S. Kansas St. – 618-692-7556 Availability: Mondays-Thursdays: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sundays: 1-5 p.m. Edwardsville Main Street Community Center: 1003 N. Main St. – 618-656-0300 Availability: Mondays-Fridays: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. YMCA Meyer Center: 7348 Goshen Road – 618-655-1460 Mondays-Fridays: 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sundays: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. YMCA Niebur Center: 1200 Esic Drive – 618-656-0436 Mondays-Fridays:

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CARLINVILLE - Blackburn College has received a financial gift to bolster a wide range of arts education programs, celebrate creative expression and establish a lasting legacy within the institution. The gift, made by the family of Blackburn Trustee James D. (J. D.) Sandfort honors his mother and lifelong Carlinville resident Sharon K. Sandfort. During a special ribbon-cutting ceremony this month, Blackburn unveiled the new name for the campus' visual art gallery, The Sharon K. Sandfort Gallery of Art. The private ceremony was attended by Sharon Sandfort, unaware that she was being honored during the evening. She was surprised to see her name prominently displayed on the gallery entrance as she entered the venue. The celebration included a dinner with family, friends, and Blackburn leaders and featured a birthday cake to celebrate her upcoming 80th birthday. President Greg Meyer welcomed guests and expressed Blackburn's appreciation for Sandfort's generosity. "It gives Blackburn the

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Police and Fire Departments honored two citizens and one of the City’s police officers for their heroic actions during life-threatening incidents this spring. The three were honored at the Tuesday, June 20, City Council meeting. Officer Christopher Noga is receiving the Life Saving Award for his efforts to assist a pedestrian who had been gravely injured on March 15, 2023, when he was struck by a truck on the SIU Northern Access Road. An area man, Earl Smith Jr., will receive a Citizen Commendation for his assistance during the same incident. Smith was a passerby when the pedestrian was injured, and was on the scene and had applied a makeshift tourniquet when Officer Noga arrived. The officer, who joined the Edwardsville Police Department in early 2022, then applied a department-issued tourniquet while Smith continued to comfort the pedestrian, who survived despite losing a leg in the incident. Fire Chief James Whiteford credited the “excellent

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EDWARDSVILLE - Two members of the Edwardsville Fire Department with a combined 36 years of experience serving the City have been honored as the 2022 Firefighter of the Year and Paramedic of the Year. The two were recognized at the Tuesday, June 20, City Council meeting. Fire Lt. and Paramedic Brett Milton was honored as the 2022 Firefighter of the Year. Milton joined Edwardsville’s Fire Department in 2001. He has a wide range of skills and training that are put to use in a variety of important settings, Chief James Whiteford said. Milton is a trained school inspector entrusted to identify fire code violations and ensure safety for all school occupants. He manages the fire hose maintenance, replacement and testing program to ensure the equipment is safe and ready for deployment. As a member of the Madison County Technical Rescue Team, Milton responds to unusual events such as confined space, structural collapse and trench rescue operations. He also serves as a liaison to

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a total of $7,904,683in Department of Justice (DOJ) awards to assist state record repositories and state courts in sharing eligible National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) records to improve the firearm background check system in Illinois. The funding, awarded through DOJ’s National Criminal History Improvement Program and made possible by the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act , will go to the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts and the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. “When Congress passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act , I strongly supported its provisions to boost gun violence prevention resources to strengthen the background check system for firearm sales. Now, we are seeing the resources provided by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act pu

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Graduate School and College of Arts and Sciences have announced a new forensic sciences master’s program. The curriculum is designed to meet the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) standards. “The Master of Forensic Sciences is a unique program built in collaboration with the Illinois State Police and designed to train scientists to pursue careers in a variety of professions related to forensics,” said Elza Ibroscheva, associate provost and professor in mass communications. “As the only program of its kind in the Southern Illinois region, we are excited to offer an opportunity for training future leaders in the field while also meeting the need of our community for expertise, leadership, educational outreach and research collaborations in this interdisciplinary space.” Students will be educated and trained in nine primary areas of forensic sciences with

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led six of his colleagues in sending a public comment letter to Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, urging him to reinstate the Gainful Employment Rule. The proposed Gainful Employment Rule uses a debt-to-earnings (DTE) ratio and an earnings premium (EP) test to determine whether career education programs, including all programs at for-profit colleges, are providing value and preparing their students for “gainful employment.” Programs that consistently saddle students with too much debt or do not produce wages for their students that are higher than a high school graduate would lose eligibility to receive Title IV federal financial aid. The Obama Administration put the Gainful Employment rule into effect in 2014, but under the Trump Administration, then-Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos rescinded the Gainful Employment Rule in 2019. Without the Gainful Employment rule in place, for-profit

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ALTON - Alton Main Street and Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau along with presenting sponsor Simmons Hanly Conroy are pleased to announce two summer concerts at the new Alton Godfrey Rotary Park, located across the street from Alton City Hall at 101 E. 3rd Street in Alton, Illinois. Both concerts are free to attend and will be held from 7-9 p.m. Funky Butt Brass Band will perform on Friday, July 14th. The band was formed in 2008 by six talented musicians who respect and revere the New Orleans brass band tradition. The FBBB takes traditional New Orleans brass tunes and sprinkles in their own brand of special Saint Louis musical magic. At any given gig, you’ll also hear some Chicago blues, Memphis soul, Southern rock and St. Louis R&B. Aaron Kamm & the One Drops will perform on Friday, August 18 th . Hailing from St. Louis, MO, AKOD merges flavors of Roots Reggae and Mississippi River Blues and infuses them with improv-laced jams, and soulful vocals. With their high-energy

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with 14 state attorneys general, is today calling on Target to support inclusivity and to reject anti-LGBTQ+ hate, intimidation and discrimination. Raoul and fellow attorneys general sent a letter to Target during Pride Month in response to Target’s recent decision to remove certain Pride-related merchandise from its stores. This decision came amid an increasing trend of harassment, hate and politically-motivated attacks on LGBTQ+ people. In the letter, Raoul and the attorneys general expressed their commitment to protecting the civil rights of LGBTQ+ individuals and their concern regarding Target’s recent decision. “Discrimination and harassment against LGBTQ+ people have no place in our society. Members of the LGBTQ+ community deserve to feel safe and welcome in Illinois and beyond our state’s borders,” Raoul said. “During Pride Month and throughout the year, I urge businesses to work with local

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ALTON - As The Brown Bag Bistro celebrates their recognition from America’s Best Restaurants , owners and mother-daughter duo Christine and Erin Velloff are reflecting on the restaurant’s success. Most people know The Brown Bag Bistro as the popular lunch spot it is today; after all, it’s receiving national acclaim. But the spirit of the restaurant is much closer to home. “Loving what you’re doing — I think that’s what’s driven us a lot,” Erin said. “And most of our staff has been here for years, too. I think everyone just has fun.” Erin explained that the decision to open a restaurant was her mom’s idea. It was an exciting, if unexpected, chance to get involved in the Alton food scene. “We had absolutely no experience,” Erin said. “Kind of just on a whim, she called me when I was in college and was like, ‘I’m going to open a restaurant. Do you want to help?’”

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A LTON - The Alton School Board appointed TaRael Kee as the new Alton High School assistant principal at their meeting on Tuesday, June 20. “Thank you so much for allowing me to become a part of the Redbird family,” Kee said to the school board following the vote.“I’m extremely excited and happy to be a Redbird now.” Secretary Vivian Monckton made the motion to appoint Kee as the assistant principal, which was seconded by Board Member Al Womack. Everyone on the board voted in favor of the appointment. Board Member Dustin Christner was absent. Kee has served as the assistant principal at Collinsville High School since July 2021. He was previously the president of the Illinois School Counselor Association and received recognition as the Illinois School Counselor of the Year in 2021. In his address to the school board, Kee expressed his excitement for the coming school year and said that Alton High School was his first choice when applying for positions.

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GODFREY - Trustees unanimously voted down two requests for liquor licenses from businesses seeking to install video gaming machines, as well as new rules and regulations regarding electrical work, at the Godfrey Village Board meeting on Tuesday night. A liquor license for a potential new business, “Carnival Foodie & Gaming,” was voted down 6-0 after several of the trustees voiced concern that the business was planning to be primarily gaming-based rather than food-based. Trustees have expressed in the past that they want to prevent a “gambling parlor” or anything similar from arising in Godfrey. “I’m not prepared to vote for this at this time,” said Trustee Jeff Weber. “People are basically just trying to open a video gambling facility, and when we set this all up originally, we were against doing anything like that. It’s one thing if there’s an existing restaurant and they want to add video machines - that’s

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ALTON - Mac’s owners Mac and Rob Lenhardt were in attendance on Tuesday at an Alton Public Safety Meeting at City Hall and both concur the correct steps will be taken to combat increased vandalism, loitering, and fights in Downtown Alton. Mac and Rob each praised Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford who led the meeting for his responses and the plan that will move forward from the meeting. Mac and Rob also both agreed much of the problem downtown is not coming from local residents, but “some patrons coming from across the river.” The downtown Alton area has seven bars with liquor licenses that allow alcohol sales until 3 a.m., however, Mac and Rob said while costly, they will continue to close at 1 a.m. on the weekends. Betsy Allen, Alderman of the 1st Ward agreed with the Lenhardts in a previous interview and said: “There are no places down there, I don’t think, that are having any problems inside their businesses. The problem is outside.” Mac’s

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CAHOKIA HEIGHTS - Governor JB Pritzker, Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today announced that Gulfstream will expand its operations at the St. Louis Downtown Airport - creating 200 new full-time jobs and retaining nearly 500 existing jobs. New investments will enable the company to increase completions and outfitting operations while investing in modernization at its Cahokia Heights facility. “Illinois sits at the heart of the Midwest—serving as a major transportation hub for cargo and passengers alike,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Gulfstream’s latest $28.5 million investment into Cahokia Heights’ St. Louis Downtown Airport speaks to the steps my administration has taken to attract new businesses to our state—all while modernizing our infrastructure and supporting our workforce to meet the demands of our 21 st century economy.” Through a $28.5 million investment,

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