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CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement expressing his support for the tentative deal reached between the United Auto Workers (UAW) and Stellantis, which includes restarting the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Belvidere, Illinois, as well as adding a battery plant to the facility: “From my very first meeting, and every one since, the President of UAW, Shawn Fain, made it clear that the future of Belvidere was a critical bargaining issue. He kept his word. Today’s announcement creates a path for every Belvidere worker to return and be part of a new EV launch. “I spoke to Governor Pritzker this afternoon. There is a need for federal infrastructure investment on the site and I pledged our delegation’s total cooperation in that effort.” In February, Stellantis laid off 1,350 workers at the idled Belvidere Plant. Durbin has continuously shown his support for the laid off or striking autoworkers,

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CHICAGO - Governor Pritzker issued the following statement regarding the tentative contract deal reached by UAW and Stellantis: “With the announcement that United Auto Workers and Stellantis have reached a tentative agreement that’s good for workers and good for the state of Illinois, auto workers can get back on the job with higher wages, expanded benefits, and new and valuable opportunities in a growing industry. For over two years, I have been laser-focused on working toward a permanent solution in Belvidere that retains and grows good-paying jobs, while supporting economic development in the surrounding region. Since the plant was idled in February, we’ve provided support to furloughed auto workers, while concurrently leading a collaborative effort with local officials and legislators to craft aggressive incentives that position Illinois at the forefront of the EV manufacturing industry. Thanks to that collaboration and the passage of the Climate and Equitable

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ALTON - The Alton Police Department received a report of a traffic crash on Landmarks Boulevard at the intersection with Henry Street at 5:54 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said a preliminary investigation revealed that an 18-wheeler truck was traveling westbound on Landmarks Boulevard approaching Henry Street. "As the truck entered the intersection, a passenger vehicle entered northbound on Henry Street," Chief Ford said. "In doing so, the front of the truck struck the passenger side of the passenger vehicle. "The driver of the passenger vehicle was transported to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced deceased." Ford said the incident is still under investigation at this time. The traffic accident is being investigated by the Alton Police Department Traffic Division and Illinois State Police in conjunction with the Madison County Coroner’s Office. The victim has since been identified. You can read more at this article on RiverBender.com

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EDWARDSVILLE - The city is happy to once again welcome crowds of people in and around downtown for some of the sweetest fun all year: the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce Halloween Parade. This monster-size annual celebration dates back more than a century and for 2023 will get underway at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 31. More than 100 floats and other participants are expected for this family-friendly event, which will follow its traditional route. It’s scheduled to turn north from the Lincoln Middle School parking lot at the intersection of Schwarz and West Streets and head east on St. Louis Street to Vandalia Street. The parade then will veer to the north on Main Street, and disband past the Wildey Theatre at High Street. The affected roads will close to traffic at about 6 p.m. on the day of the parade, according to the Edwardsville Police Department. There will be no parking along the route beginning at 4:30 p.m., and any remaining vehicles will be subject t

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Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 19 attorneys general, defended the District of Columbia’s (D.C.) efforts to restrict the capacity of firearms magazines within its borders in an amicus brief filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The coalition argues that D.C.’s law prohibiting the possession and sale of large-capacity magazines does not violate the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. “Like Illinois, D.C. is actively protecting its citizens and communities from deadly firearms, and I support this law to prohibit possession and sale of large-capacity magazines.,” Raoul said. “I will continue to collaborate with fellow attorneys general who prioritize public safety by restricting access to large-capacity magazines.” The District of Columbia law at issue in the case, Hanson v. District of Columbia, permits D.C. residents to possess and sell firearms magazines that accept up to 10 rounds of ammunition,

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GLEN CARBON - Father McGivney Catholic High School, a coed Catholic college preparatory high school, announces the expansion of its campus with the addition of a 3,550 sq. ft. facility, located in Glen Carbon, Illinois. The new addition, once complete, is slated to provide an indoor gathering space to support the school’s growing student body. The new Commons building will be used for daily lunches, drama & music performances, and other events. The funds necessary to build the new Commons are already pledged. The new Commons space is part of a four-phase expansion. The addition of the Commons will be the first phase of the McGivney 'Master Plan', the remaining plans will include a larger gym with locker rooms and offices, a beautiful chapel, dedicated space for fine arts performances, a band and chorus room, and completion of the athletic complex with an all-weather track and tennis courts. Development Director Suzanne Halbrook explains, “We believe the addition of the

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Name: Kris Duhachek Hometown: Highland Years of Service: 2008-2013 KIA: No Branch: U.S. Army Rank: 1st Lieutenant Wars: Afghanistan Message: Kris Duhachek has been my store manager since I opened Big Frog in Edwardsville in 2014, and I could not have a better partner. He came with all this training from the military and I get to benefit from that 100 percent. He’s not only reliable and extremely capable, his heart for giving is large. Kris takes the lead partnering with a local veteran’s charity called Support Up Veteran Ventures, which helps veterans decompress and destress with outdoor activities from hiking to going on hunting or fishing trips. Our t-shirts help raise funds for Support Up along with the Kaufman Fund in St. Louis, which provides food, shelter, clothing, medical care, and other basic needs to veterans and children to thank and support veterans. I am pleased to honor Kris’ service in the military and thankful for how he's givin

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CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker has issued a Disaster Proclamation based on the severe weather and flooding that affected Cook County on September 17. This declaration follows extensive work by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS) with local governments to assess the impacts of the storms on the communities in Cook County. While state officials have already been working closely and providing resources to impacted communities from the June/July storms, this proclamation allows local entities increased access to more state resources and emergency personnel who can assist in response and recovery efforts from the September storm. "Many areas in Cook County suffered extensive damages due to last month’s torrential rain and flooding," said Governor JB Pritzker. "To support those impacted across the state, I have signed a disaster proclamation to mobilize every available resource, accelerating the recovery process and providing

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ALTON - Principia College’s dance program will continue its flash mob tradition at the 106th Alton Halloween Parade on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023. This year marks the 12th anniversary of the flash mob. Principia students choreograph and perform the dance in front of Frew’s Bridal, right before the parade hits the intersection of Piasa and 3rd Street in downtown Alton. Erin Lane, the Principia dance professor who organizes the flash mob, explained the tradition is a fun and meaningful way for students to connect with the Alton community. “Alton is really special,” she said. “It’s wonderful, and I’m really happy that Prin Dance can be a part of it as much as we are, and I hope that we can grow and do more.” To get the best view of the flash mob, Lane suggests gathering near the end of the parade route at Frew’s Bridal — located at 305 Piasa Street in Alton — by 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 31. They hope to perform around 7:45 p.m.

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EDWARDSVILLE – COUNTRY Financial Representative Duane Jones is pleased to support the Edwardsville Police Department with a donation of $1,500. The funds will be used for the purchase of tourniquets and first aid kits for squad cars, LED lasers for traffic stops as well as cables and braces for body cameras. Jones recently shared the support in a check presentation. “The Edwardsville Police Department does an excellent job providing safety and assistance for our community,” said Jones. “We are honored to be able to support them by providing funds for the lifesaving supplies and equipment they need.” “The mission of the Edwardsville Police Department is, in cooperation with our community, to protect life, property, and the rights of those we serve, and to enhance the quality of life for all our citizens,” said Edwardsville Police Chief Michael Fillback. “We recognize that is important for our staff to be prepared for just about anything

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ROXANA - Postseason football returned to Charles Raich Field on the campus of Roxana High School on Saturday as the Shells hosted the Tigers from Paris, Illinois. The visitors took a two-and-a-half-hour bus ride across the state but ran into a brick wall in Roxana as the Shells dominated their way to a 50-22 victory. Roxana won the coin toss and deferred to Paris who chose to receive the kick. The Tigers had a solid first drive, marching down inside the red zone, but settled for a field goal attempt that was missed. If there's a positive to that Paris drive, it kept the high-powered and high-speed Shells offense off the field, albeit briefly. The Shells needed less than two minutes to score their first touchdown. A long jump ball from senior quarterback Chris Walleck found junior receiver Andruw Ellis, which set up an Ellis run to open the scoring. Roxana tacked on two for good measure to take an 8-0 lead early. Paris answered back by digging into their playbook, a double

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ALTON - What does the future of tourism look like in southwest Illinois? That’s a question the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau plans to answer with a new Tourism Master Plan. The Tourism Bureau has partnered with Whereabout, a destination futures studio based in Portland, OR, to create a Tourism Master Plan which will set a long-term vision for the future of the region and the organization. The planning process is already underway and includes surveys designed to gather input from visitors, local residents, small business owners and tourism partners within the bureau’s six county scope. It is part of the community-driven process to create the plan. The surveys are available on the Bureau’s website https://www.riversandroutes.com/destination-development/tourism-master-plan/ . The surveys opened October 5 and will close November 5. “Our six county region includes 39 diverse communities and we want to ensure we are meeting the needs of our partners as wel

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ALTON - If you’ve seen the posters advertising the 106th Alton Halloween Parade around town, then you already know the work of Alton High School sophomore Audrey Hunter. Every year, Alton High School (AHS) students can compete in a contest to design the parade poster. The East End Improvement Association , an Alton nonprofit that sponsors the parade, chooses the winner and plasters posters all over town. AHS career and technical education teacher Lexa Browning coordinates the contest and said Alton students have been designing the posters for at least 25 years. “ get to use their creativity and produce all these lovely posters, and it’s exciting every year to see the different concepts the kids come up with,” she added. “We’ve gone from doing them almost completely by hand to now doing them on the computer, or a combination thereof. It’s a fun project.” Browning teaches graphic communications classes, which is how she knows Hunter’s

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LIBERTYVILLE – Governor JB Pritzker today joined EVBox and other stakeholders for the launch of its new Illinois-built DC fast charger. Called the Troniq Modular, EVBox’s new product is a National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) ready electric vehicle (EV) charging station. EVBox’s new DC fast charger is compliant with the U.S. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s Build America, Buy America guidelines, which requires that chargers be produced in the United States with at least 55 percent domestic content. The launch event highlights the importance of clean energy businesses like EVBox, whose innovations will help bring Illinois closer to its goal of putting one million EVs on the road by 2030. “I’m proud to work closely with industry partners, like EVBox, to advance our shared clean energy goals and accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles,” said Governor JB Pritzker . “Major EV, EV parts, and renewable energy

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CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) joined 21 of their Senate colleagues in releasing the following statement: “We condemn Hamas’ horrific terrorist attacks against Israel, for which Israel must hold Hamas accountable. In the course of that endeavor, every effort must be made to protect innocent civilians. Right now, hospitals in Gaza are hours away from running out of fuel that powers ventilators, incubators for babies, and other lifesaving equipment, and diseases are rapidly spreading without power to treat and pump clean drinking water. To prevent a potential health crisis and help save countless lives, we believe it is possible to transport fuel directly to these hospitals, desalination plants, and water pumping stations with full transparency to prevent diversion to Hamas. There are extensive oversight mechanisms in place that will track the fuel deliveries directly to the intende

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ALTON - Alton Little Theater is hosting a free Trunk & Treats event on Monday, Oct. 30, 2023 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. as they prepare for their upcoming production of “A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder,” with showtimes running throughout November. Executive Director Lee Cox and Co-Director Brant McCance talked more about “A Gentleman’s Guide” and the Trunk & Treats on the latest “Theater Thursday” segment on Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com . Cox emphasized the family-friendly nature of the Trunk & Treats. “It’s fun - it’s not a haunted house, it’s not scary. This is for youngsters and young families who don’t want to send their kids out by themselves,” Cox said, noting the lack of sidewalks around the area. “Our parking lot is huge, we’ll have it marked off, we’ll line our cars up along the wall. “We have inherited many, many Halloween things over the years …

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ALTON – To shed light on domestic violence and remember the victims and their families, Alton Memorial Hospital is hosting a special memorial service from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8, in the AMH Café Meeting Rooms. One in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime, and anyone can be a victim regardless of gender, age, race, income, or sexual orientation. In Madison County since 1996, at least 132 people have died in domestic violence-related circumstances. Because of the prevalence of domestic violence, Alton Memorial Hospital in 2002 began screening for domestic violence for everyone 12 and older who was being assessed in the hospital. Trained staff members confidentially ask these patients if they feel safe at home or have experienced mental, physical, or sexual abuse. Alton Memorial supports a coordinated domestic violence committee that includes members from the hospital staff, Zonta Club of Alton-Wood River, Oasis Women’s Center,

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ST. LOUIS, MO. – Union Avenue Opera (UAO), known for producing vibrant and affordable original language opera in St. Louis for the last twenty-nine years, will celebrate their 30th Anniversary Season with three exciting operas in the summer of 2024. “It is wonderful to kick off our 30th season and look back on all the incredible work by many that has brought us to this point” said Founding Artistic Director Scott Schoonover. “Thirty promises to be a grand season of opera classics, monumental vocalism, and finally, finding the truth in fairytales. I can’t wait to present these epic stories on our stage.” Opening the season will be UAO’s most requested opera in recent years, George Bizet’s Carmen which will feature the return of Elise Quagliata in the title role. Local audiences will remember Quagliata from her portrayal of Sister Helen in their 2011 production of Dead Man Walking and Sister James in 2016’s Doubt. Carmen wi

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WOOD RIVER - The legacy of the Mason Mansion Haunted House continues this year with the family’s fourth generation taking the reins. From 6–8 p.m. on Oct. 30 and 31, 2023, you can stop by the Mason house at 575 5th Street in Wood River for a spooky walk through a Halloween haunted house, built by the family over the course of six months. After Nick Mason’s passing in 2021, Julie Mason and her four sons — Nick Jr., Noah, Jackson and Jace — have decided to continue the tradition started by her husband’s family so many years ago. “It started with our great-grandfather Bob. Our grandfather Harry carried it on, and then our dad turned it into a big thing in Wood River whenever he moved into the house with our mother. And now we’re just picking it up after him,” Nick Jr. said. “It’s all about the community that we build during it. Just getting everybody together. There’s not a person who isn’t a part o

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CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has launched a new awareness campaign called ’ Tis The Sneezin’ to remind residents to vaccinate against the fall and winter triple threat: the flu, COVID and RSV. The announcement comes as data indicates six counties in the state are at an elevated level for COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to the CDC’s national COVID Data Tracker as of the week ending October 14. However, the total number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the state has been trending downward in recent weeks, with 503 hospitalizations for the week, down 8% from the previous week. Also this week the CDC issued an alert to healthcare providers advising of a shortage of a medication called nirsevimab which is used to protect infants from RSV. The CDC is recommending that doses should be prioritized for infants under 6 months and those with certain risk factors. The CDC also recommended that expectant parents talk to their healthcare

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