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JERSEY - Jersey Community Unit School District 100 announced over the weekend a change to their masking guidance following a ruling from a judge in Sangamon County. However, the ruling’s temporary nature means those rules will either be extended or reversed in about 10 days. The ruling, which affects 145 schools in Illinois, places a “temporary restraining order” on Governor J.B. Pritzker’s executive orders on mandatory masking, vaccination and testing guidance. This means the decision on whether or not to make masks mandatory now falls to each individual school district. Jersey CUSD 100 announced their masking rules will change from required to optional. “In compliance with the court’s order, beginning tomorrow, the use of universal masking is highly recommended for all staff and students but is not required within the building,” the school district wrote in a statement. This ruling is the result of a lawsuit filed by many school

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Our Love Story: The Couple: John and Valerie Perotka from Godfrey Date Met/Started Dating: September 17, 2007 Briefly Describe First Date: John took me to the Pasta House. Date Married: August 9, 2016 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Cooking, cleaning, and taking care of our yard. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: You have to trust, love, and have communication.

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EDWARDSVILLE - Sina Rowe has spent 21 years teaching special education – 16 of those in District #7 at the K-2 level – including the last nine years with the CASTLE (Collaboration for Autism Spectrum Teaching, Learning and Excelling) program. She said that although she did not really choose the CASTLE program and that instead it chose her, it felt like coming home. “With this population of kids, it’s very communication driven. If you think about how hard it would be if you could not say what you needed to say or ask for what you wanted, those kids are dealing with that times a hundred. So those kiddos have my heart and I have really found my home here in the CASTLE program.” Rowe began her stint in D7 by teaching cross-categorical at Leclaire before moving to Goshen when the autism program. She then returned to Leclaire with CASTLE seven years ago. “I do like challenging behaviors, and I do like problem-solving behaviors,” she said. “Everything

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CHICAGO – Following Gov. Pritzker’s significant expansion of anti-violence measures focused on Chicago area expressways, the Illinois State Police (ISP) today announced arrests and charges in multiple shooting incidents. The charges, filed against 20 individuals, include three first degree murders, one involuntary manslaughter, three attempted murders, and additional charges for crimes including aggravated discharge of a firearm, reckless discharge of a firearm, aggravated vehicular hijacking as well as aggravated fleeing and eluding. Under Gov. Pritzker’s leadership, ISP has significantly ramped up enforcement action on expressways, including more proactive patrols with additional Troopers, deployment of Air Operations assets to monitor expressways and provide real-time information to troopers on the ground, and the installation of automated license plate readers on expressways to provide ISP Special Agents with essential leads and evidence. ISP Crime Scene and

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Tabatha Powell and Steven Easley from Jerseyville Date Met/Started Dating: April 20, 2016 Briefly Describe First Date: We met at work, but our first official date was at Buffalo Wild Wings. Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Any quality time together is a bonus, *going out to eat or even snuggled up with a movie* but, spending time with our beautiful family we have created has to be our favorite! Including them in family activities, while spending time together. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Never stop learning something new about your partner! Grow together, and learn together. Show your kids a love story so they expect nothing less as they get older!

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COLLINSVILLE - Madeline Woelfel, a senior for the girls bowling team at Civic Memorial, had a very successful IHSA regional tournament Feb. v5 at Camelot Bowl in Collinsville, finishing in a tie for second place overall with Collinsville's Courtney Baer with an identical six-game score of 1,267 as the Eagles went through as a team to the sectional at Mt. Vernon, finishing fourth to claim the final spot. Woelfel was fired up over the fact at her finish and the Eagles going on to the sectional, and in a post-tournament interview, talked about how exciting it was for CM to advance. "I'm very excited," Woelfel said, of advancing to sectional, "and I was really proud of our team that we could come out and get fourth as a team." Woelfel felt overall, she bowled well, but had trouble finding a strike zone in the final game, but made the needed adjustments to finish strong. "I'd say I bowled pretty well," Woelfel said. "I mean I was really trying to stay positive the whole time. Then, in

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SOUTH ROXANA - Chralene O’Dell, one of two latest hires for the South Roxana Police Department, comes with high aspirations for the new position. For O’Dell, the job is “a dream come true.” She said for many years, she wanted to be a full-time post as a police officer. O’Dell, 29, said everyone in South Roxana and her department from Police Chief Bob Coles and the other officers has been very welcoming to her and embraced her with open arms. She said so far officers from surrounding towns in Roxana, Hartford, etc., have also been very accommodating. She was sworn into her new post on January 4, 2022. “I am very excited for South Roxana to hire our first female police officer,” South Roxana Police Chief/City Administrator Bob Coles said. “I think Charlie will be an excellent addition to our department and look forward to training and providing guidance for her to excel at the job and make this her forever home. “After Charlie's

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Darin and Amy from Alton Date Met/Started Dating: June 13, 2018 Briefly Describe First Date: He helped me move and then we got cheeseburgers at the Mini Corral. Date Married: December 12, 2020 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: We love playing Scrabble and watching re-runs of The Office. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Talk and laugh together often! Be quick to listen and slow to speak. Always be ready and willing to admit when you are wrong and/or sorry.

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Name: Everett Cole Gutmann Parents: Cole Gutmann and Vanessa Simpson Birth Weight: 8 pounds 11 oz Birth Length: 20.5 inches Birth Date: 1/21/22 Time: 11:40 a.m. Hospital: Mercy South, St. Louis, MO Grandparents: Lynn and Chris Klunk of Grafton, IL; Daniel and Cindi Gutmann of Godfrey, IL; Kim and Dave Moody of Gray Summit, MO; Loren Simpson of Eureka, MO Great Grandparents: Howard and Victoria Blackwood of Alton, IL; Georgian Hock of Alton; James and Sharon Simpson of Hillsboro, MO; Cheryl Cooper of Gray Summit, MO Sibling: Francesca Julane Gutmann, three years old

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GRANITE CITY – Granite City High School is partnering with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to host a School/Youth-Serving Organization COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic on Thursday, Feb. 10, from 3-7 p.m. in the GCHS cafeteria. Vaccinations are open for ages 5 and older and include: • Pfizer for 5-11 years old - 1st and 2nd dose • Adult Pfizer 12 and up - 1st and 2nd dose plus Booster • Moderna Booster • Johnson & Johnson single dose and Booster PREREGISTRATION LINK https://bit.ly/3GoQnmE WHEN • Thursday, Feb. 10 - 3-7 p.m. WHERE • Granite City High School Cafeteria, 3148 Fehling Rd. (Next to Kevin Greene Football Field) INFORMATION • Bring photo ID • Vaccine is free • Masks are REQUIRED • Walk-ins are welcome • Parent/guardian must accompany minors 5-17 years old • Boosters are available

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BETHALTO - Dathan Greene has been a standout for the Civic Memorial Eagles boys basketball team all season. In a recent contest against Triad at home, he finished with nine points to go with team member Sam Buckley's 19 points to pace the Eagles, despite a 54-41 loss. For his overall play and leadership this season, Dathan Greene is the Tom Lane State Farm Male Athlete of the Month for Civic Memorial. After the Eagles' difficult loss, one player stayed in his uniform. While his team was changing and getting ready to go home after their hard-fought game, Greene stayed to practice more. After asking Greene what motivates him to get back to practice right after a loss, the junior point guard said, “The motivation is to help this team go to first in the conference within the year. That is always the main goal. You have to put the work in and get as many shots in as possible.” “Working off-ball would have helped us against Triad and will again other opponents," said Gree

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GRANITE CITY – Granite City recently hosted the Alton Redbirds in a Friday night match-up. The Warriors defeated the Redbirds by a final score of 80-51. The Warriors' Mark Yarborough was responsible for a quarter of his team’s points with 20 points out of their 80 points. The 6’1 senior passed, got involved, and shot the ball well from start to finish. “I shot the ball well tonight and did a good job of getting to the basket," said the star senior. Yarborough's passing and shooting were so hot that while he was busy assisting points for teammates like Marc-Kell Longstreet and Mario Brown, he managed to score three three-pointers in the second quarter alone. Yarborough is the Stillwater Senior Living Male Athlete of the Month for Granite City High School. Mark was quick to credit the work ethic of his teammates and guidance from their coaches when asked how much work goes into playing such a successful game. “Our hustle on defensemen and getting to the

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COLLINSVILLE - Senior boys basketball player Ihzel Brown is one of the leaders for the Alton High team. Brown is a Redbird team member the younger players look up to and he tries to set an example for the younger players on the team to follow. For his efforts both on and off the court, Brown has been selected as the school's Auto Butler Male Athlete of the Month. Brown sees himself as the team's leader, making sure the young players are doing what they are supposed to be doing and lending a helping hand in practice and in games. "I do see myself as a team leader," Brown said. "The fact that I push everybody; they push me, too. But I make sure everybody is on time. I help direct the others at practice, and if they don't know the plays, I pace them." As far as goals for himself and the Redbirds the rest of the season, Brown is keeping it simple and easy. Brown said, "Keep on pushing through, try to get more wins, and play as well as we can each game." Riverbender.com's Athlete o

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ST. LOUIS - St. Louis County Police Department Crimes Against Persons detectives are currently investigating an accidental shooting that occurred in the 1200 block of Scott Avenue in the North County Precinct which resulted in injuries to two children. On February 6, 2022, at approximately 11:30 AM, St. Louis County Police officers from the North County Precinct responded to a call for service for a shooting in the 1200 block of Scott Avenue. Responding officers located two female children inside the home suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Preliminary investigation revealed one of the children to have found their parent’s firearm in a coat and it fired accidentally. Both children were injured in their lower extremities. Both children were transported to an area hospital for treatment of their injuries with one being critical and the other non-life-threatening. There were no other persons injured during the incident. The investigation is active at this time. Additional

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ALTON - Alton firefighters battled a fire around 4 p.m. Saturday in the 1000 block of Diamond Street. The home was unoccupied and the fire department said flames were showing in part of the house upon arrival. No one was injured in the blaze and firefighters extinguished it without assistance from other area fire departments as a mutual aid request was not issued.

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ALTON - Alton High School Athletic Director Chris Kusnerick announced on Sunday, starting on Monday, February 7, 2022, Alton Community Unit School District 11 will return to normal attendance policies for all home sports contests. "No attendance restrictions will be in place," he said. "Masks are obviously still required and admission will be charged for all fans/spectators. "ACUSD #11 would like to thank all of our fans and parents for their patience and flexibility over the past month or so as we dealt with the COVID protocols."

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College has a variety of events planned in February to honor Black History Month and two get underway this week. A full calendar list is below. The 2022 Lewis and Clark Community College event schedule has been designed to keep in line with the campus’ COVID-19 policy. All events are free and open to the public, except for the Soul Food Dinner, which is for L&C students. 2/9 – D.C. Cooper on Public Speaking: 11 a.m.-noon, Reid Memorial Library. Communications expert D.C. Cooper will highlight information on the value and importance of becoming proficient in public speaking. Participants will learn how to develop skills to become more confident and competent when speaking in a formal and informal setting. 2/10 – Alton Mayor David Goins Talk: 11 a.m. - noon, Reid Memorial Library. Alton Mayor David Goins will discuss his decades-long career in law enforcement and his most recent accomplishment as the top city official

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MADISON COUNTY - There's something for almost everyone in a fast-moving new book on Madison County history that is loaded with facts and anecdotes. Writer Tom Emery of Carlinville is releasing The Madison County History Reader, a collection of over sixty of his articles on a wide array of subjects relating to the history, people, and places of Madison County. The reader is different than any other book on county history, and looks at many fascinating aspects of the past in this area. Many leading towns in the county are covered in some fashion in the book, which is 170 pages long and fully illustrated. Topics include the origins of the county, pioneer experiences in Madison’s earliest days, as well as the Civil War era and some of the remarkable women the county has produced. Other topics include the world wars, education, natural disasters, sports, celebrities, and early holidays. Emery’s work is familiar to area readers, as his articles regularly appear across Madison

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COLLINSVILLE - It's quite an accomplishment for any athlete in any sport in his or her first year to qualify for a sectional tournament in an IHSA state series, and in the case of Alton senior bowler Taylor Greco, it's a very big accomplishment indeed. Greco, in her first year of bowling for the Redbirds, qualified for the sectional tournament at Mt. Vernon with a six-game score of 785 at the regional tournament at Camelot Bowl in Collinsville Feb. 5. She is the only Alton bowler to qualify for the sectional, with teammate Regan Spinks going through as the first alternate. Greco is one of the Auto Butler Female Athletes Of The Month. In an interview conducted after the fourth game of her six-game series, Greco felt she was bowling very well despite some tough sledding along the way. "A few rough patches, but other than that, I'm doing pretty good," Greco said. "I think all of us are." At the time of the interview, both Greco and the Redbirds were in contention for both a top ten individua

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JERSEY - Jerseyville FFA members recently competed at the Section 15 FFA Vet Tech CDE and the Section 15 FFA Job Interview competitions. The Jerseyville FFA always excels in competitions and is known statewide for its FFA prowess. "The Jerseyville FFA members competing in Vet Tech and Job Interview have been working very hard studying and preparing for these competitions for the last few weeks," Sarah Nichols, agriculture teacher and FFA advisor for Jersey Community High School said. "I was very happy with the results all individuals achieved." "In the Vet Tech CDE Jerseyville students complete a general knowledge test, a math portion, identification of equipment, parasites, and breeds of animals, and finally a practicum demonstrating basic Veterinary skills. For the Job Interview CDE, students are evaluated on their cover letter, resume, job application, phone interview, in-person interview, and a follow-up letter. Both of these contests give members an opportunity to use skills

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