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EDWARDSVILLE - On Tuesday afternoon, Madison County Sheriff Jeff Connor announced the rollout of a new look for the sheriff's office's squad cars. The sheriff used the participation of his deputies with suggestions and a committee to come up with a plan for the squad cars. "A committee went over all the suggestions and taking everything into consideration came up with these new markings for our squad cars," the sheriff said. Sheriff Connor said the office will be slowly transitioning to the new modern look for marked cars. "We also will be updating our uniforms in the very near future to give them a new look," he said.

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ALTON - Ameren Illinois crew members were busy Monday outside the old Lenhardt Tool and Die building at Sixth and Piasa in Alton. The Ameren Illinois workers were bringing down power lines right outside the building. Demolition is planned there in the near future. Ameren tied two substations together so they could accommodate this abandonment of wire circuits. The project encompassed about 1,500 feet of wire. The workers finished the project at about 12:30 p.m. Monday. Ameren used 72-foot bucket trucks for the project. Once the building is demolished, Ameren Illinois will put in new poles and new wires in the area in about a month.

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COLLINSVILLE – Ameren Illinois customers in Madison County will be the beneficiaries of a $39 million investment the company is making to modernize its natural gas energy delivery infrastructure. Beginning in mid-April, approximately 90 contractors, working on behalf of Ameren Illinois, will start construction to upgrade a seven-mile stretch of natural gas transmission pipeline in Madison County. Crews are upgrading the 1950s-era pipeline with modern 12-inch steel pipeline parallel to Illinois Route 162 from Nameoki Road in Granite City east to Interstate 255. Once the pipeline is completed and in-service by early September, it will strengthen the integrity and reliability of the company's natural gas system and support economic development for all of Madison County. "We have made significant progress in the last several years strengthening the integrity and reducing the emissions of our natural gas infrastructure across our Ameren Illinois service territory," said Eric Kozak,

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People across the country are getting sick with a multitude of seasonal illnesses. Colds, the flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19 seem to be lurking around every corner, and one symptom that seems to be unavoidable is congestion. While over-the-counter medications to help combat congestion are flying off store shelves, some people are taking matters into their own hands and are resorting to at-home remedies. A couple of congestion remedies in particular that many people are trying at home include garlic and onions. While using these popular kitchen staples to combat side effects from seasonal illnesses may seem like something new, these “hacks” have actually been around for a long time. In fact, claims that raw onions can help relieve congestion date as far back as the 1500s. “These kinds of remedies like onions in your socks and a lot of these things have existed for centuries when they didn’t really understand the science behind how infections

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ALTON - Alvin D. Perry, 18, of Alton faces charges of aggravated discharge of a firearm and aggravated unlawful use of weapons after the Alton Police Department received a post of gunshots fired in the vicinity of East 20th Street and North Henry Street last Friday afternoon. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said when officers arrived Friday at the scene, they determined that an occupied vehicle had been struck by gunfire but no injuries occurred. The chief said the investigation also showed the gunshots had been fired from a vehicle as it drove through the area. Officers located the vehicle a short time later and were able to stop the driver and detained the driver/occupant. Ford said he thought his investigators did an outstanding job in this case, finding the suspect so quickly. Perry was given a bail of $250,000 in this case, by Judge Ronald Slemer.

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JERSEYVILLE - Today (Tuesday, Jan. 24) would be a great day to order Domino’s from the Jerseyville location for lunch or dinner - the Jerseyville Domino’s is participating in a fundraiser today to help support the Unified Child Advocacy Network, which helps children who have been physically/sexually abused. A total of 20% of every dollar spent at the Jerseyville Domino’s will go towards the child advocacy network, and that applies across the entire menu. Be sure to use code “DN1” if ordering online at dominos.com , or mention the Unified Child Advocacy Network in-store or to your delivery driver for your order proceeds to benefit the organization. “We’re just trying to get out into the community and let them know that we’re here, and what we’re doing for the children of the community,” said Melissa Dandino, fundraising coordinator for the Unified Child Advocacy Network. More information about the organization’s

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ALTON - The Alton Athletic Association is hosting its 2nd annual Music Trivia Night from 6 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18, with trivia starting at 7 p.m. at the Hilltop Auction House in Alton. The cost is $200 per 8-person table, and beer, soda, and water are included. Alton Athletic Association President Madeline Gulley-Eades said the music trivia spans all genres, and the event will feature some special guests. “It’s really all genres of music, I know we usually have movie-themed sections and all kinds of stuff,” Eades said. “We even have a few celebrity guests who will be helping with some of the questions, so it should be really exciting.” Those “celebrity guests” will include different St. Louis-area radio DJs who will help with some of the musical questions, Eades added. She also said there will be a silent auction area set up at the event for attendees to bid on possible prizes, including gift baskets, athletic event tickets, and

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EDWARDSVILLE – In recognition of the critical role preceptors play in preparing nurse practitioner students, the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing (SON) has presented five preceptor excellence awards. “Preceptors are one of the most important mentors to our nurse practitioner students,” said SON’s Bernadette Sobczak, DNP, clinical assistant professor and family nurse practitioner program clinical site coordinator. “Nurse practitioners and healthcare professionals are faced with increasing responsibilities and demands in our complex healthcare system. Precepting a student, while it is rewarding, it is extremely time consuming yet critically important to have quality healthcare providers in the community. We just want to recognize these advanced practice nurses and physicians for the excellent job they do mentoring our students.” The SON has agreements with preceptors in a variety of settings, providing care to a wide range

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EDWARDSVILLE – A key business corridor in and around downtown Edwardsville is now eligible for additional state and local incentives for new and existing development projects. The new incentives have been made possible by a Gateway Enterprise Zone expansion that was initiated last year by City officials and approved in December by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The newly eligible area fans out along Main Street, stretching to the northern edge of Edwardsville and to Schwarz Street on the south end of Main. It also includes a swath of Buchanan Street and other nearby areas. “This is an exciting opportunity to help build and develop areas in Edwardsville that have so much to offer in terms of location and accessibility,” Mayor Art Risavy said. Among the incentives available in the enterprise zone are: A sales tax exemption on building materials for improvements or renovations of qualifying projects. A property tax abatement for varying

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GRAFTON - Chelsea Nelson has been hired as the new Director of Park Operations at Raging Rivers Water Park. Nelson brings a wealth of experience in park maintenance and operations, having spent 15 years in the hospitality, tourism, and aquatics industry. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Stout with a Bachelor's Degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management and minored in Business Administration. In announcing the appointment, Raging Rivers Water Park General Manager, Jeremy Hayes said, “Chelsea is an excellent addition to the Raging Rivers team, and under her leadership, park staff will continue to exhibit their traditionally high level of commitment and passion. She will be integral to our continued success in providing families with special memories each visit."

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ALTON - Times have been moved for basketball action in the Alton region for Tuesday night and forecasters still have a Winter Storm Warning posted for the region from this evening to Wednesday morning. Alton’s varsity girls' basketball game has been switched from 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to 6:30 p.m. against East St. Louis. Marquette Catholic’s boys' game at home against Althoff has also been moved to a 6:30 p.m. start time. Chad Scott of Hyper-Local Extreme Weather and other St. Louis area forecasters are warning that travel in the morning could be hazardous as heavy snowfall is anticipated overnight. “As of right now we have a deepening low-pressure system over Southwestern U.S. that will ultimately sweep across Texas and take a hard left turn up toward the St. Louis area,” Scott said. “It is going to go over an area near Memphis, Tenn., and it is called the ‘Memphis low.’ This typically provides a snow trek to the St. Louis area. It is going

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CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA - The following student(s) made Mount Mercy University's Fall 2022 Dean's List. Students with a semester grade point average of 3.60 or better, and who are graded (letter grade, not pass/fail) for six or more semester hours, are eligible for inclusion on the Dean's List. Jerseyville, IL Ellen Kangas Located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Mount Mercy University is the regional Catholic, Mercy University that promises students of diverse backgrounds, ages, and faiths a challenging, practical education that inspires them to discover knowledge, build community, and live their values. Mount Mercy provides a forward-thinking, future-focused education, offering baccalaureate and graduate education to 1,600+ enrolled students and uniquely blending a quality liberal arts education with career-focused professional preparation.

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DULUTH, MN. - The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) has announced its Dean's List for the Fall Semester of 2022. Students on the Dean's List have achieved a grade point average of 3.50 or higher while earning a minimum of 12 letter-graded credits. The following area students have made the Dean's List: Edwardsville, IL Jaycie Hudson, Senior, Swenson College of Science and Engineering (SCSE), Biology BA

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ALTON - The next American Red Cross blood drive at Alton Memorial Hospital will be from 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, in the AMH café meeting rooms. To register, go to Blood Drive Registry or contact Dave Whaley in AMH Marketing & Communications at 618-433-7947 or david.whaley@bjc.org . All donors who present in February will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card by email plus a chance to win a Florida trip. More information is available at www.rcblood.org/heart . The Red Cross currently has about four days’ supply of most blood products. However, the Red Cross strives to keep a five-day supply of all blood types on hand at all times to meet daily patient needs and be prepared for emergencies requiring significant volumes of donated blood products. More donors are needed to help ensure the Red Cross can meet the needs of all patients, including in times of emergency. The need for lifesaving blood transfusions never takes a break. It’s important to have bloo

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ALTON - Illinois State Representative Amy Elik (R-Alton) has begun collecting “Valentines for Veterans” again for the third year in a row at her district office in Alton. Representative Elik is encouraging students and residents to make valentine's cards with a special thank you, including well-wishes to veterans that served our nation in the U.S. Armed Forces. According to Rep. Elik, “I enjoy seeing the smiles on our veterans' faces when they receive their valentine. They made the sacrifice to serve our country and defend the freedom we have to this day. Sending a valentine to a veteran shows that we appreciate their service to our country and that we have not forgotten about their love for our nation.” All ages are invited to create a valentine’s card or drawing. Cards should be delivered to Rep. Eliks’ office, located at 192 Alton Square Mall Dr., Suite C in Alton by February 9. Please schedule a time to deliver the valentines by calling Rep.

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DECATUR — Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) today announced that $113.8 million has been awarded to downstate transit providers as part of the historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program. The funding brings the total investment in downstate transit via competitive grants to $337.8 million, supporting the Governor's mission to create economic opportunity by improving all modes of transportation while boosting safety and efficiency. “I’m proud to announce the third round of Rebuild Illinois projects — 32 downstate transit partners both rural and urban — who will receive a total investment of nearly $114 million,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This third round of grants will increase transportation options and create more good-paying jobs across downstate Illinois. Collectively under my administration, we’ve invested billions of dollars to revitalize downstate communities, more than any administration

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ALTON - Listen to the heartbeat of the Great Rivers & Routes region in a new video series called “Heartbeats” -- showcasing ordinary people who have made an extraordinary difference in local communities. The new eight-episode docu-series launched on www.riversandroutes.com on Jan. 17. It features powerful stories themed around entrepreneurs, arts, music, healthy living, and people who give back to their communities. The series was created in partnership with the Shift Agency of Alton. “The Heartbeats video series is a thoughtful and heartfelt look at the people who make southwest Illinois a truly great place to live. These people are the ‘heartbeat’ of their respective communities,” said Cory Jobe, President/CEO of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau. “Because of these people, we have a destination that people not only want to visit but also where people want to live.” Each episode is between five and six minutes long and lives

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EDWARDSVILLE – Following a deadly structural collapse at an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville during a tornado, an initiative led by state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, and state Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, will create a Warehouse Safety Standards Task Force aimed at developing recommendations to make similar workplaces safer moving forward. “Everyone should have the right to a safe and healthy working environment and to return home unharmed at the end of each shift,” Stuart said. “However, recent events have shown that more is required to ensure that warehouse workers are not subjected to avoidable hazards and that their employers are held accountable for meeting acceptable standards of health and safety. That’s why we created this task force. I’m hopeful that by closely studying the issues unique to the warehouse industry, we can improve the safety of workers, reduce injuries and potentially save lives.” “The tragedy at the

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ALTON - The Alton Committee of the Whole passed several resolutions at the meeting on Monday, Jan. 23, including Main Street improvements, property demolitions, and more. The committee passed a resolution authorizing the following sections of Main Street to be improved under the Illinois Highway Code: from Hillcrest Avenue to College Avenue, from Logan Street to 9th Street, and from Illinois Route 140/111 to the south of Alton Commerce Parkway. Several property demolitions were also approved at Monday night’s meeting, including 919 Pearl St., 1417 Thorpe St., 2128 Seminary St., 1209-1211 East 6th St., 303 Harriett St., 242 Madison Ave., and 2104 Hickory St. Committee members also unanimously approved two requests to sell and/or serve alcohol at two events: the Alton Little Theater, Inc.’s Frank Sinatra Tribute Concert Fundraiser and the Alton Athletic Association’s Music Trivia Fundraiser. The council also briefly discussed the city’s use of American

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CARLINVILLE, IL - Miriam (Mim) Wali-Uddin, a senior Justice Administration major from Jacksonville, IL, is the recipient of Blackburn College’s 2023 Martin Luther King (MLK) Student Leadership Award. Presented annually, this award honors students who have demonstrated outstanding commitment and service to the ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusion at the College. Wali-Uddin was announced as the award recipient during Blackburn’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation this month. Wali-Uddin was surprised but honored to be recognized for her leadership on campus. “I am grateful for this award,“ she said. “I do what I do on this campus because I want everyone to feel welcome at Blackburn and a valuable member of this community. While I don’t do this for recognition, I’m so happy to know that I’m making a difference.” On campus, Wali-Uddin serves as president of the Student Senate, advocating and elevating the voices of students

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