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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that more than 500 paratransit vehicles valued at $57.1 million have been awarded to 113 transit providers through its Consolidated Vehicle Procurement Program, helping to offer safe, reliable and accessible transportation options in communities large and small throughout the state. The vehicles will be delivered to public transportation providers as well as nonprofit organizations serving seniors and individuals with disabilities, continuing to strengthen IDOT’s effort under Gov. JB Pritzker to grow and support Illinois transit. “Transit is an essential service that allows our urban, suburban and rural communities to survive and thrive, providing transportation to people who might not have any other option,” said Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “More than ever, IDOT under Gov. Pritzker is getting communities the resources they need. These vehicles are going to benefit people

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WASHINGTON – As the traditional May 1st “college decision day” approaches, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Patty Murray (D-WA), along with more than 100 of their congressional colleagues, in writing to Secretary Miguel Cardona of the U.S. Department of Education (Department) to call on the Department to urgently address the operational issues with the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form that impacts millions of students across the country. The members wrote: “We are supportive of the Department’s decision to make these adjustments in the updated form, but were disappointed to hear these adjustments would lead to even further delays in this year’s FAFSA processing…We write today to ask for more clarity on how the Department plans to communicate any further delays in FAFSA processing, and how the Department intends to minimize

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SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General’s (IG) investigation into the non-medical deaths of those in Bureau of Prisons (BOP) care. At the request of Durbin, DOJ IG Michael Horowitz previously agreed to review the reports of abuse and the deaths of seven incarcerated men at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Thomson in 2022 as part of a larger report on deaths in BOP facilities. Durbin also announced that the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a full committee hearing on deaths in BOP custody, both medical and non-medical, on Wednesday, February 28. The witnesses at the hearing will be DOJ IG Horowitz and BOP Director Collette Peters. “It is deeply disturbing that today’s report found that the majority of BOP’s non-medical deaths in custody could have been prevented or mitigated by greater

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CHICAGO – Free income tax preparation is available through several trusted programs across Illinois for qualifying taxpayers needing assistance filing their 2023 income taxes. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), American Association of Retired Persons' (AARP) Foundation Tax-Aide Program, and the Ladder Up Tax Assistance Program (TAP), provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals in select locations statewide. “I encourage Illinois taxpayers to take advantage of the free help they can receive from volunteers certified by the IRS at various locations statewide,” said Illinois Department of Revenue Director David Harris. “These qualified and trained individuals are ready to assist those taxpayers needing help to file their state and federal returns by the Monday, April 15 deadline.” How taxpayer assistance is provided and when services are available varies by region, based upon volunteer capacity. “Navigating

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ALTON - Light snow is in the forecast for the Metro East on Friday morning and will move through the area during the day, a National Weather Service in St. Louis meteorologist Brad Charboneau said. The weather service says its forecast as of today, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, is that snow will move through the area on Friday, mainly along/north of the I-70 corridor. Further south, more sleet and rain are expected, limiting snowfall accumulations. Through the day, rain should change over to snow from the northwest before ending. Charboneau stressed the forecast could change and encouraged a check back to the NWS in St. Louis website later today. “Some snow is coming and it does appear there will be at least some snow in the Alton area,” he said. “The trend could be shifting further to the north and it is a narrow band. Right now, there could be some rain or sleet in the Alton area from about 6 a.m., with a higher probability at 8 a.m., and may change to snow until about

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Police today announced the results of its Super Bowl Enforcement Campaign. Edwardsville Police spokesperson Lt. Bradn Whittaker said the department issued eight speed citations, two citations for illegal transportation of alcohol, and four other citations during the recent Super Bowl Enforcement Campaign. The Super Bowl weekend “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Click It or Ticket” enforcement effort ran from Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, through the early morning hours of Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. The goal was to keep impaired drivers off the roads and ensure more people buckle up and follow all traffic safety laws. “Motorists should understand the warning that we are serious about cracking down on impaired drivers and seat belt and other traffic safety law violators. We do it to save lives,” said Lt. Whittaker. The recent law enforcement campaign was made possible by federal highway safety funds administered by the Illinois

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We’re in the home stretch of high school and college wrestling season. It’s a fulfilling time for young athletes. However, the physical nature of the sport brings a risk of injuries. From head to toe and some other issues you may not think about, Glenett Barrett, an orthopedics advanced practice registered nurse at OSF HealthCare, runs down what participants and their parents and coaches need to know. · Concussions: These occur from hits to the head. Adults should make sure athletes are coherent and their eyes look normal. If the athlete passes out from a concussion, they should go to the hospital. Barrett says a concussion will also keep the athlete out of competition for at least two weeks. · Cauliflower ear: Barrett says during competition, a blow to the ear can cause a bruise and blood build up. Blood then can’t reach the ear cartilage, or the outer fleshy parts of the ear. The cartilage is starved for oxygen, and it responds by making more tissue.

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EDWARDSVILLE - Revity Credit Union kicked off their 2024 Jeans Program, Revel for a Cause, with a donation of $1,385 for The Autism Clinic at Hope of Glen Carbon. The Revel for a Cause Jeans Program is an employee-funded program that gives Revity Credit Union employees the opportunity to support the credit union philosophy of people helping people. By making a monthly monetary donation to a local organization, Revity Credit Union employees are able to wear jeans and tennis shoes on Fridays and Saturdays during that month. The Revel for a Cause Jeans Program focuses on supporting local organizations within the communities we work, live and play in. The funds raised each month goes towards a worthy cause, knowing Revity is helping a local organization reach their goals and live through their mission. The program kicked off in January with a $1,385 donation to The Autism Clinic at Hope of Glen Carbon. The Autism Clinic at Hope offers therapy, services and resources to children and families

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EDWARDSVILLE – Former Chief of Staff to Illinois Senate President and the Illinois Senate Caucus, Jake Butcher, has recently joined The Gori Law Firm as of counsel. Butcher brings with him several years of experience practicing in the areas of municipal law, state government solutions and regulatory law. As part of his work with the Edwardsville-based firm, he will advocate for and provide strategic insights to the clients it serves. In his previous role, Butcher managed the operations of the Senate President’s office and offered guidance to members of the Senate Democratic Caucus on bills and budget priorities. He also spent several years as an attorney in private practice, representing clients in agriculture, energy, gaming, healthcare, higher education and more. Butcher provides legal counsel on legislative proposals, litigation strategy, state and federal law effects and associated rulemaking. “We’re thrilled to welcome Jake as a member of the Gori

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GRANITE CITY - A man from Granite City has been charged with six felony counts including an "armed habitual criminal" charge and more after police caught him selling narcotics out of his residence. He was also found to be in possession of multiple firearms, including one that was stolen, and reportedly had an extensive criminal history. Anthony M. Taylor, 55, of Granite City, was charged with the following six counts: Armed Violence (Class X felony) Armed Habitual Criminal (Class X felony) Possession with intent or delivery of a controlled substance (Class X felony) Unlawful possession of weapons by a felon (Class 2 felony) Unlawful possession of weapons by a felon (Class 2 felony) Unlawful possession of a stolen firearm (Class 2 felony) A petition to deny Taylor’s pretrial release states that law enforcement officers received information Taylor was selling narcotics out of his Granite City residence when they discovered firearms and more. “Officers

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Letter To The Editor: Today County Treasurer Chris Slusser released records showing that County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler repeatedly broke a 2016 campaign pledge to refuse to accept political donations from anyone doing business with the county. Screenshots from 2016 show that Prenzler wrote the following on Facebook: “My opponent has taken well over $100,000 in campaign contributions from county vendors. I think that is wrong. As county chairman I will refuse to accept political donations from anyone doing business with the county. Ethics matter.” Then in a separate post, Prenzler wrote: “unlike my opponent, I don’t accept donations from county vendors.”But according to official records from the State Board of Elections website, Prenzler has accepted 150 donations from county vendors totaling more than $82,000 since being elected Chairman in 2016. Prenzler started accepting such donations within months of taking office. Official records show in

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JERSEYVILLE - The Imo’s Pizza location in Jerseyville is reportedly shutting down permanently after the owners cited an unstable economy in a recent announcement. The restaurant will offer its beloved community members and customers one last “dinner rush” from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. Co-Owners Jenna and Brandon Taylor shared the unfortunate news on Facebook Thursday afternoon. “Hang in with me here guys, this is a gut-wrenching announcement,” Taylor wrote. “Today at 8 p.m. after we close our dinner shift, Jerseyville Imo’s will be permanently shut down. “This was not an easy decision. Our current economy is not stable enough for a small business to thrive and it is no longer worth the fight. I am physically and emotionally exhausted. I have fought hard for three years and can no longer fight.” She closed by apologizing to the community, adding that “the love and support over the years have not gon

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ST. LOUIS/CHICAGO - Michelle Del Bosque has organized a GoFundMe for a mother and daughter killed when they were exiting a recent Drake concert in St. Louis, Mo. Unfortunately upon exiting the Drake concert in Downtown St. Louis, their lives came to a tragic end when they were struck by a driver. "The family is currently trying to bring them home and give them the best funeral service possible with hopes to lay them to rest amongst other family members," Del Bosque said. "The family is extremely devastated by this horrific tragedy." Del Bosque continued and said: "Laticha 'Lety' Bracero and Alyssa Cordova come from a close, strong family in Chicago. Lety was a hard-working supervisor at Wintrust Bank and a dedicated mother, loving sister, niece/cousin. Her only child, Alyssa, was going to college and working part-time for Starbucks. Alyssa loved music concerts and although was old enough to travel to concerts on her own, her mom would always escort her. The two were inseparable

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EDWARDSVILLE – State Senator Erica Harriss (56 th -Glen Carbon) spent Valentines Day hand-delivering homemade cards as a part of her first annual Valentines for Seniors Card Drive. “It’s truly humbling to see so many church groups, local organizations, and schools, create homemade cards for us to deliver to area seniors across the 56 th District,” said Senator Harriss. “On a day focused on love, it was great to see so many smiles on the faces of residents as we personally delivered valentines cards to each facility.” Senator Harriss’ Valentines for Seniors Card Drive was created to allow members of the community a chance to donate their time and creativity in making cards to be delivered to nursing homes, assisted-living facilities and other long-term care facilities across the 56 th Senate District. This year Senator Harriss’ office collected more than 2,000 cards and delivered them to 36 facilities across the district during the

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (IL-12) announced today that Perry County will receive a $818,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development program to construct a storage facility for a fleet of dump trucks, a wash bay, and salt equipment. “In rural communities, grants like these go a long way,” said Bost. “This investment in Perry County will help maintain equipment that is especially important to for local residents and commuters during these winter months.

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Letter To The Editor: Discrimination is a reality in Alton. New recruits have joined the Alton Police Department and not one of them are black. How can that be? We elected Alton's first black mayor, who was also a police officer. The police chief apparently doesn't see the need for more black officers and now there are only two on the force in Alton. This illustrates how pervasive and embedded discrimination in Alton still is. Where is the Alton NAACP President, black pastors and leaders? I never really agreed with James Gray, the former NAACP President, but he would have been a one-man person against this. Underlying conditions that foster racism in the black community have existed for years. When we elected the first black mayor we wanted change, but we are still facing the same problems. This happened because of our so-called "leaders" are too worried about being appointed to ceremonial positions. I am beyond disgusted and appalled about the lack of hiring of any new black polic

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ALTON - Alton’s NCG Cinemas movie theater will have a special showing of “Rustin” from Feb. 16–23, 2024. The movie serves as a “prequel” for the Robert J. Ellison “Unfiltered Lens” photography exhibit at Jacoby Arts Center. Ralph “Bo” Jackson, Ellison’s cousin, explained that the movie will help “set the stage” for the photos shown in the exhibit. “Rustin” tells the story of Bayard Rustin, an advisor to Martin Luther King, Jr. who played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement and the 1963 March on Washington where King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. Ellison’s photos start with the March on Washington and continue through the Civil Rights Movement into the Vietnam War. “It’s just like a time machine going back to 1963,” Jackson said. “You’ll see about the injustices that are going on, the segregated bathrooms and water fountains,

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ALTON - Over 150 photos by Robert J. Ellison, a famous photographer during the Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam War, will be on display at Jacoby Arts Center. The Hayner Public Library District has partnered with Lewis and Clark Community College and Jacoby Arts Center to sponsor the exhibit, which will open at 11 a.m. on Feb. 17, 2024, and run through March 27. The exhibit will include several famous and “eye-opening” photographs from the 1960s. Those who have curated the exhibit agree that it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam War up close. “It was hell on Earth, and Rob was out there taking photos of it,” said Bo Jackson, Ellison’s cousin who has been working on the display for decades. “It’s just very graphic photos that you don’t see in the old Hollywood movies-type stuff. People get killed. It’s eye-opening…That’s why ‘unfiltered’ is such a key word

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Letter to the Editor: Parents of young people in Edwardsville District 7 should be aware of plans to remove two traditional “single sex” bathrooms at Edwardsville High School – to be replaced with one “all gender” bathroom – to be used by both boys and girls – with 22 toilets, but no urinals. On Monday, as an Edwardsville taxpayer, I attended a school board “work session” at Liberty Middle School. An architect showed plans to the board and superintendent, with citizens able to listen and watch the discussion. The legislation that allows “multiple-occupancy, all-gender” bathrooms for schools was introduced by Rep. Katie Stuart (D – Edwardsville) and this legislation was signed into law by Gov. Pritzker in August 2023. Rep. Stuart is a math teacher by profession, and her husband, Dr. Steve Stuart, is the principal at Edwardsville High School. The presentation mentioned Loudoun County, Va. and St. Paul, Minn.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take swift action to update its enforcement tools to reflect the current social media platforms and tactics used to promote prescription drugs, and to prioritize the protection of children from harmful and inaccurate medical advice. With the dramatic rise in social media use—especially among youth—there has been an alarming proliferation of dangerous and misleading content promoting prescription drugs. The bipartisan pairing of Senators request answers from FDA on their actions to crack down on these targeted ads by March 27, 2024. The Senators wrote, “Studies show that patients are more likely to ask their provider for a particular medication and to receive a prescription if the patient has seen a direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisement for the drug. This can inflate demand for medications that may not be clinically

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