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CHICAGO — Jack-o’-lanterns live a short, scary life. That is unless they are catapulted, hurled, or whacked into a compost pile after spooky season is over. Green your Halloween by recycling pumpkins after the holiday at one of more than a dozen University of Illinois Extension Pumpkin Smash community composting events in early November. Illinois is one of the top producers of pumpkins in the U.S., but when gourds are past their prime, many end up in the same old haunts – landfills. “With twice as many smashes in 2023, we can potentially double the number of pumpkins kept out of landfills,” said one of the event coordinators Kathryn Pereira, Illinois Extension local foods and small farms educator. Organic food waste like pumpkins produce the potent greenhouse gas methane as they decompose without oxygen in landfills. They also leach water that filters through the trash and pollutes surrounding waterways. Extension’s events are done in collaboration

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ALTON - In 2019, Cathy Keller attended the ribbon cutting ceremony at OSF Moeller Cancer Center in Alton. She never expected that she would one day be a patient. Now cancer-free, Keller is honoring Breast Cancer Awareness Month by sharing her story and advocating for OSF Moeller Cancer Center. She thanks the doctors and nurses at the Moeller Center who supported her every step of the way. “It’s just a family of concerned nurses and doctors that just want the best for you. Moeller is top of my list,” Keller said. “It was scary, but that’s what’s so wonderful about Moeller. You feel like a family member as soon as you walk in the door.” The staff knew Keller by her first name and treated her more like a friend than a patient. She remembers sitting in her cubicle during chemo treatments, listening as a nurse moved down the line of cubicles and chatted with each person individually about how they felt, what they needed, what was new.

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CAHOKIA HEIGHTS - State Representative Kevin Schmidt is pleased to extend his warmest congratulations to the top-ranked public elementary and middle schools in St. Clair County for their outstanding achievements in the recently released 2024 K-12 rankings by Niche. Niche, a reputable source for national school ratings and reviews, rated more than 3,000 public elementary and middle schools in Illinois, including 72 in St. Clair County. Their rankings are based on a meticulous evaluation process that combines public data from the U.S. Department of Education with valuable input from parents and students through reviews and surveys. Regarding these rankings, Rep. Schmidt said, "The dedication and hard work of the students, teachers, administrators, and staff in these schools are truly inspiring. Their accomplishments reflect the outstanding educational environment that exists within our district. I am proud to have such exceptional schools in our district, and I believe their success

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WOOD RIVER - The William M. BeDell Achievement and Resource Center (arc) will host its 42 nd annual dance and auction on Saturday, October 21, from 7:00 to 11:00 pm. The event will take place at the Knights of Columbus Hall at 1713 Stamper Lane in Godfrey. Board member, Shirley Weidman, has organized the dance since 1980 as the primary fundraiser for the agency. Weidman continues to be involved in planning the dance. Tickets to the dance are $25.00 per person. Fried chicken, beer and soda will be provided. Those who attend are free to bring appetizers, side dishes or dessert. Entertainment will be provided by DownRight DJs. According to arc Executive Director, Chad Rollins, funds from the dance and auction will be used to purchase a new van to transport disabled individuals to the Community Day Services Program, community events and medical appointments. He said, “In addition to the fundraising component of the event, we look forward to the dance in a communal sense. Ou

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EDWARDSVILLE – A portion of South Brown Avenue was closed to all traffic on Monday, October 9, until further notice because of a collapsed sewer. The closure affects South Brown Avenue between Wolf Street and Logan Place. Drivers in that area must use alternate routes. The stretch of road is slightly northeast of the Lewis & Clark Community College N.O. Nelson Campus. The City appreciates the cooperation of all residents as the repairs are being made and apologizes for any inconvenience. Please contact Public Works at (618) 692-7535 with any questions.

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URBANA — Illinois food growers, distributors, and activists voiced solutions for creating a more resilient and equitable food system in Illinois: support for growers and producers of all experience levels, investment in education and marketing strategies, and advocacy engagement to secure more funding. More than 300 people involved in Illinois’ food network met in 30 listening sessions hosted this spring by University of Illinois Extension as part of the $28 million Local Food Purchasing Assistance program. LFPA, a new federally funded program in 2023, is an opportunity to invest in food production and procurement in Illinois. Around 95% of the food consumed in Illinois is purchased outside the state, according to the latest data available from the Illinois Local and Organic Food Farm Task Force. “The need for infrastructure investments in Illinois was mentioned in nearly every listening session as a necessary step to improve the state’s food system,”

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JERSEY COUNTY - The Jersey County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) has requested the public’s help in identifying a suspect in a series of burglaries that occurred the week of Sept. 25, 2023. The sheriff's office said in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, JCSO deputies responded to a burglary alarm call at Bawana’s bar and grill on Highway 100 in Fieldon. Upon arrival, deputies found that someone forced entry into the building and burglarized it, stealing money and other items. Subsequent investigation revealed that a similar burglary occurred in Madison County on Clifton Terrace Road. During the early morning hours of Monday, Sept. 25, 2023, Madison County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) deputies responded to that burglary and obtained video of the suspect. The JCSO is releasing photographs of the suspect and clothing in hopes of obtaining information from the public that will assist with the ongoing investigations. If you have any information

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WEST ALTON - The public is invited by the Missouri Department of Transportation to share their opinions and identify problems regarding safety improvements for the Route 67 corridor at a public meeting coming up soon in West Alton. The public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at West Alton City Hall, located at 111 Richard Dr. in West Alton, Mo. The meeting will be held in an “open-house” style format with no formal presentation. Attendees can stop by anytime to view Road Study Assessment (RSA) data and speak with Route 67 project team members. Those unable to attend the meeting in-person can also provide comments virtually by filling out a comment form on the project webpage after the meeting from Oct. 11-25. Feedback expressed virtually and at the public meeting “will be considered in the development and selection of future improvements” for the corridor, which runs between the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers

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JERSEYVILLE - The Jersey Community High School girls' tennis squad captured the Mississippi Valley Conference Tournament this past weekend. The Jersey girls are Sparklight Female Athletes of the Month for the Panthers. JCHS took the lead in the standings after day one of the Doubles competition. Saturday was the Singles competition. The Panthers kept their momentum and won five of their nine flights over the course of the tournament. Here are the final results for the Panthers: #1 Doubles: Tessa Crawford and Elise Noble - 1st Place MVC Champions #2 Doubles: Libby McCormick and Kate Hudson - 2nd Place #3 Doubles: Emma McCormick and Charlie Bockstruck - 3rd Place #1 Singles: Libby McCormick - 1st Place MVC Champion #2 Singles: Tessa Crawford - 1st Place MVC Champion #3 Singles: Elise Noble - 1st Place MVC Champion #4 Singles: Emma McCormick - 2nd Place #5 Singles: Kate Hudson - 1st Place MVC Champion #6 Singles: Delaney Deist - 3rd Place Jersey head girls tennis coach Dan Diamond

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the U.S. Senate’s Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees—issued the following statement after Hamas launched a horrific, coordinated attack against the people of Israel: “My heart goes out to the people of Israel as they face these horrific, unconscionable and ongoing coordinated Hamas attacks and kidnappings on Simchat Torah. The United States stands with Israel and its right to defend itself. The world must unequivocally condemn all terrorism.” Sen. Durbin Statement On Hamas Terrorist Attack On Israel SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding the terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel: “Over the last 48 hours, my staff and I have received regular, direct updates from the White House on the horrific Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. We have also been in touch with constituents

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EDWARDSVILLE - The City of Edwardsville recently announced details regarding funeral services for Edwardsville Alderman Jack Burns, who died on Friday, October 6, 2023. “We are devastated at the loss of our dear friend and devoted colleague, Alderman Jack Burns,” the city wrote in the announcement. “Our hearts, our comfort and our deepest condolences are with his family and friends. The City has lost a wise and compassionate statesman.” A visitation will be held on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023, from 4 to 7 p.m at Weber & Rodney Funeral Home, located at 304 N. Main St. in Edwardsville. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, at 10 a.m. at Troy Methodist Church, located at 407 Edwardsville Road in Troy, with Discipleship Pastor Bonnie Abel officiating. Memorial donations may be made to Hope Animal Rescues, P.O. Box 397 Godfrey, IL 62035 or Metro East Humane Society at 8495 State Route 143, Edwardsville, IL 62025. Condolences may be expressed

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EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's Graduate School is hosting a series of virtual open house events on Wednesdays this October. Interested applicants are encouraged to attend to inquire about graduate degrees ranging from business to pharmacy to health and human behavior. Sessions are held from 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. on the following dates: October 11: School of Business, School of Engineering October 18 : College of Arts and Sciences, School of Pharmacy October 25: School of Education, Health and Human Behavior; School of Nursing Each one-hour session will include: A brief overview of graduate studies at SIUE Breakout sessions hosted by the academic department The opportunity to ask questions and talk directly to faculty Information about graduate admission requirements and financial support, including graduate assistantships and competitive graduate awards Attendees who apply for an eligible program will receive

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ST. LOUIS - A restaurant is only as fast and efficient as its kitchen layout allows it to be. Certified Food Safety Instructor Linda Petterson and Chef Michael Lepage discussed the importance of a well-designed kitchen layout on the latest “Food For Thought” segment on Our Daily Show! on RiverBender.com Kitchen layout design is especially important in fast-paced commercial kitchen environments such as Chick-fil-A, which Petterson said is currently on its eighth version of their kitchen layout. “I found that rather intriguing because they’re constantly trying to revamp that,” Petterson said. She added cross-contamination and ease of movement are the two highest priorities in kitchen layout design. While national chains may have their kitchen layouts all figured out, the average restaurateur may not know which designs work best. Lepage recommends working with a company like Ford Hotel Supply’s Engineering Department, who can design and build

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EDWARDSVILLE - Part of the Newsong Fellowship church property at 207 St. Louis St. in Edwardsville is slated to become the city’s next mixed-use development project, “The Albert.” The City Council recently approved a Redevelopment Agreement and Commercial Building Facade Application from the developer of the project. The property consists of lots connected to the Newsong Fellowship church building that the city subdivided several months ago, according to Alderman William Krause. He said the project is an example of “TIF being done right.” “This is TIF being done right - it’s exactly what we set these sort of districts up for within the community,” Krause said. “It’s taking an existing structure in need of some rehab and reuse and a developer here within the community is proposing such reuse, so we’re very excited to see this proposal come forward.” Alderman SJ Morrison added the development will be mixed-use,

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EDWARDSVILLE - The White Coat Ceremony celebrating 50 Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (SIU SDM) first-year students representing the Class of 2027 and six international advanced placement students representing Class of 2025 was held on Friday, October 6 on the campus of Lewis and Clark Community College in nearby Godfrey, IL. SIUE Chancellor James T. Minor, PhD acknowledged the “privilege and responsibility” of pursuing a career in dentistry in a state where 2.8 million people live in an area federally designated as having a shortage of dental health professionals . "Without question the University and this School of Dental Medicine is committed to creating social and economic mobility for individuals, but it is also committed to solving pressing social problems and producing leaders who will shape a changing world,” said Minor. “You were made for this moment in time.” Keynote speaker Cornell Thomas, associate professor

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EDWARDSVILLE - Metro Community Church welcomed the cooler weather with games, treats and contests at their “Fall-a-Palooza” on Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023. Riverbend residents could stop by the Metro Edwardsville campus to enjoy fall-themed fun and learn more about the church. Members of Metro’s congregation and leadership team explained that the event was a celebration of Metro and the surrounding community. “It’s just kind of like fall exploded all over,” said Mati Barron, content director for Metro Community Church. “We wanted to make sure that everybody had a fun, safe, free place to bring their family and just have a great community time getting into the fall season…There’s so much community just coming together and really doing life together, and that’s so important for us to make sure that the community has a safe place to come, learn more about what we’re about and what our heartbeat is and how they can come

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FAIRMONT CITY - Revity Credit Union employees joined together to raise $990.00 in the month of September to benefit Fairmont City Youth Programs through their Smile for Jeans Program. The Smile for Jeans Program is funded by Revity Credit Union employees who make monthly, monetary donations out of their own pockets to a local organization. By donating $15 or more to a specific organization, Revity employees are able to wear jeans and tennis shoes on Fridays and Saturdays during that month. Nothing gets better than seeing a smile on an organization’s face when Revity Credit Union presents them with a jeans donation check. Revity Credit Union’s 2023 Smile for Jeans Program focuses on supporting the local communities "where we work, play and live in." During the month of September, Revity employees proudly raised $990.00 for Fairmont City Youth Programs. Fairmont City Youth Programs has a lasting impact on the lives of our young athletes, providing them with opportunities t

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EDWARDSVILLE – The City of Edwardsville is mourning the death of Ward 2 Alderman Jack Burns, who died Friday, October 6, 2023. “Jack wasn’t just an alderman, he was a personal friend of mine,” Mayor Art Risavy said. “He represented the residents of his ward and the City so wonderfully and compassionately. Jack was somebody I could always count on to help make a difficult situation better. He was so wise. “I was fortunate enough to travel back from Chicago with him last month. He shared with me how proud he was of his family, especially his two sons and his grandchildren. And he shared with me how much he loved his wife.” Alderman Burns is survived by his wife, Lori, a retired Edwardsville school teacher; two sons, Alex and Paul; and grandchildren. His family is requesting privacy at this time. Visitation and funeral arrangements are yet to be finalized. Alderman Burns was first elected to the City Council in 2017 and reelected in 2021. He serve

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ALTON - It was a beautiful afternoon as St. Mary’s Catholic Church and School kicked off the second day of their 16th annual St. Mary’s Oktoberfest on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The festivities started on Friday night and continued through 8 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023. Live music, inflatables, raffles, auctions and plenty of food and drink have welcomed community members to downtown Alton for the three-day event. “When our parish started back in 1858, it was started by German immigrants, so that’s why we decided to have an Oktoberfest, to kind of celebrate that German heritage that started our parish,” organizer Carolyn Simansky said of the tradition. A keg tapping ceremony at 1 p.m. on Saturday started the day’s events. Classic German and American foods were available throughout the weekend, including bratwursts, frankfurters, turkey legs, hamburgers, kettle corn and more. People enjoyed a variety of beer and wine or check out this

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - At 3:09 p.m. on Sunday, October 8, 2023, St. Louis County Police Officers from the North County Precinct responded to the 2300 block of Bramble Lane for a report of a missing juvenile. The St. Louis County Police Department has announced the missing juvenile has been found and is safe. Arriving officers made contact with the juvenile’s mother who informed officers her 6-year-old son, Amir Statem, was last seen walking out of the house at 3 p.m. Sunday. Amir was reported then last seen wearing a blue tank top, cartoon pajama pants and was not wearing shoes. A missing endangered search for Amir then began. The St. Louis County Police Special Response Unit, Canine and Air Support assisted the North County Precinct with the search for Amir.

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