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TROY - The Early Childcare Center at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church had an exciting summer program this year, especially when firefighters and police officers stopped by to say hello and give them the grand tour of their vehicles. The summer program is for kids ages 2–12. Earlier this month, the kids learned about what to do in an emergency by meeting firefighters and police officers. “For the Fourth of July, that was ‘Red, White and Blue.’ So we asked the community helpers to come and see our kiddos,” Lindsey Strong, the director of the Early Childhood Center, said. “They got to go inside the fire trucks and see the police cars. Then they got to talk to the kids and our kiddos asked them whatever questions they had.” These interactions often make police officers and firefighters feel less intimidating to young kids. Strong explained that the Center paired the visit with stories about calling 911 and other similar lessons. The goal

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced Friday that an appellate court has upheld the convictions of a man serving a life sentence in prison for a triple murder and armed robbery in Bethalto. The 5th District Appellate Court in Mount Vernon has upheld the convictions of Brady Witcher, 44. In 2022, a jury in Madison County found Witcher guilty of three counts of first-degree murder and one count of armed robbery. The appeals court found that it was proper for the trial judge in Madison County to allow prosecutors to present evidence to jurors that Witcher committed other crimes in other states – including a kidnapping and a murder – prior to the murders of three people in Bethalto. “We appreciate the Appellate Prosecutor’s work in defending this case on appeal, and are glad the Appellate Court has upheld this dangerous murder’s conviction in this violent, multi-state crime spree,” Haine said. “Madison

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COLLINSVILLE – Entering Year Five of Rebuild Illinois, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that major projects in the Metro East are planned or underway, highlighting an ongoing commitment made possible by Gov. JB Pritzker’s historic, bipartisan capital program. Eighteen major projects combined represent a total investment of more than $762 million, improving safety and mobility while sustaining and creating good-paying jobs throughout the region. “Rebuild Illinois is revitalizing communities and neighborhoods by investing in projects and people in the Metro East area and throughout the state,” said Gov. Pritzker. “Through the largest capital program in state history, IDOT will be delivering improvements to build a more resilient, accessible and equitable system of transportation for generations to come, while creating jobs and enhancing local quality of life.” Of the 18 major projects in the Metro East, five are scheduled

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ILLINOIS/MISSOURI - Now that recreational cannabis use is legal in both Illinois and Missouri, there is some confusion about what all these laws cover. We’re answering one of the most pressing questions for whoever in your friend group calls shotgun this weekend: Can you smoke marijuana if you’re a passenger in a car? Short answer, no. In fact, there are many laws when it comes to driving with marijuana. Keep reading to make sure you’re safe when transporting your pot. Illinois Vehicle Code outlines the rules about drugs and alcohol for legal users in a motor vehicle. It’s helpful to think about marijuana in the same league as alcohol. Just like you can be arrested for driving under the influence while over the legal alcohol limit of 0.8, you can be charged with a DUI if you’re high, too. But the limit for cannabis consumption is much more strict. Illinois law says it’s illegal to drive if you’re under the influence of a drug “to a

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SPRINGFIELD – Public squirrel hunting opportunities are available Aug. 1 through Sept. 15 at more than 30 private land hunting sites enrolled in the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ popular Illinois Recreational Access Program, commonly known as IRAP. IDNR has leased more than 4,400 acres of private land for 2023 squirrel hunting through IRAP, creating more than 30 public access squirrel sites in 18 counties. Sites are available at no cost to participants. Hunters simply must register, sign a liability waiver, and reserve a site through IRAP’s online registration system at https://dnr.illinois.gov/conservation/irap/irapregistration.html. All registered participants have the option of adding up to three additional registered hunters to their reservation for a group hunt. All hunters will receive a valid site permit that must be carried on their person and a windshield card that must be placed in their vehicle after reserving their site. Youth hunters 1

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police welcomed 17 new Troopers today from Cadet Class 142 at a graduation ceremony at the Illinois State Police Academy in Springfield. The new Troopers will report to three different Troops throughout the state on Sunday July 30, 2023. The total number of ISP Troopers added since 2019 now stands at 445. Cadet Class 142 marks the 14 th cadet class graduation under Governor JB Pritzker. “On behalf of the State of Illinois, I’m proud to congratulate Cadet Class 142 on their graduation from the Illinois State Police Academy,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Since I first took office over four years ago, we’ve added 445 ISP Troopers—and I am confident that this latest class of 17 women and men will protect and serve with integrity and dedication.” “It’s another proud day for the Illinois State Police,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “The men and women of Cadet Class 142 have

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CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today released the following statement after the Senate voted to pass the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes an authorization of more than $886 billion for national defense: “Today, the Senate passed the NDAA as a strong, bipartisan show of support for our national defense and for the commitment of our men and women in uniform. I’m pleased to see the inclusion of significant investments in Illinois, as well as in the service members stationed at the state’s military installations. “While I am frustrated that the bill continues restrictions on closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay, this version of the NDAA contains many important provisions—including funding to support Ukraine and to modernize our military installations—and rejects the poison pills included in the House version.”

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CHICAGO - Governor JB Pritzker signed SB1909 into law, also known as the Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act. This law bars so-called “crisis pregnancy centers” from using misinformation, deceptive practices, or misrepresentation in order to interfere with access to abortion services or emergency contraception. The law allows the Illinois Attorney General to investigate complaints against centers using such tactics and strengthens the AG’s Offices power to prosecute incidences of consumer fraud in such cases. “Women need access to comprehensive, fact-based healthcare when making critical decision about their own health—not manipulation or misinformation from politically motivated, non-medical actors,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “By empowering the Attorney General’s office to battle deceptive practices, we’re ensuring Illinoisans can make their own decisions about their bodies using accurate and safe information.”

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul, on the 75th anniversary of the desegregation of the U.S. military, joined Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell and New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella in co-leading a bipartisan coalition calling on Congress to pass the Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Restoration Act of 2023. The proposed federal legislation, named in honor of two Black World War II veterans, would extend eligibility for housing loans and educational assistance administered by the secretary of Veterans Affairs to Black World War II veterans, their surviving spouses, and certain direct descendants if the veteran was previously denied benefits on the basis of race. In a letter to Congress , Raoul and 23 attorneys general said the legislation, through expanding access to homeownership and education, would help rectify past wrongs and fuel continued economic growth in communities across the country. “After serving their

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WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Patty Murray (D-WA) in reintroducing the Reproductive Healthcare Accessibility Act, legislation to help people with disabilities—who face discrimination and extra barriers when seeking care—receive better access to reproductive healthcare and the informed care they need to control their reproductive lives. “For too long, Americans with disabilities have faced persistent barriers to healthcare services, equipment and providers,” said Duckworth. “With right-wing efforts underway to go even further to undermine these rights in the wake of the overturning of Roe , many are rightfully worried about having an even harder time accessing the reproductive care they need. Today, I’m proud to join Senator Murray and my colleagues in reintroducing the Reproductive Healthcare Accessibility Act to help ensure all of us in the disability community are not left behind in getting the car

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EDWARDSVILLE - Granite City senior-to-be point guard Trevon Bond is one of nine seniors who will be returning to the Warriors' basketball team this coming season and he thinks the veteran-laden and hard-working team will be among one of the best in the area in the 2023-24 season. Bond and his teammates were displaying their skills for college recruiters at the Edwardsville NCAA Live Showcase event in late June at Edwardsville High School's Lucco-Jackson Gym and at Liberty Middle School, playing against four high-quality opponents in Peoria Manuel, University City, CBC and Decatur MacArthur. In an interview conducted after the game against U. City, Bond felt that he and the Warriors played well in their first two games on Saturday. "I feel it's pretty good," Bond said. "It was pretty good competition that we're playing against. We've just got to keep working hard, keep playing as a team." It was a trademark of the Warriors last season to stick together, no matter what, and keep working

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JERSEY - Bria Tuttle finished a tremendous athletic career recently at Jersey Community High School as a softball player. She had a batting average of nearly .400, 36 hits, according to Max Preps. She also had 15 RBI and scored 35 runs this past spring. Bria had a remarkable 24 stolen bases last year and 51 for her career with her remarkable speed. She had 107 hits in her career, according to Max Preps stats and batted nearly .400 for her career. Bria was an outstanding student at JCHS. She also was a golf and basketball star. She is the Sparklight Internet Female Athlete of the Month for JCHS. JCHS Head Girls Softball Coach Chelsea Crnokrak said she is a leader in every facet of the game on the field, in the dugout and in the huddle. "Bria always gave 100 percent in practice and in games and can create a spark that gets the team going," the coach said.

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PIASA - Collin Robinson has had an exceptional athletic career at Southwestern High School. He advanced to state this past spring in the 100 meters with a first-place sectional performance. He was a wide receiver/defensive back in football and a varsity guard in basketball. Collin and teammate Austin Stanton were one-two in the regional. Collin is an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Male Athlete of the Month for the Piasa Birds. Collin had a time of 11.37 at state. Collin returned to state after qualifying in the 400 meters a year before. "It was a real thrill to see Collin and Austin go one-two in the sectional," Coach Matt Hasquin said. "We've had a strong tradition and thanks to the help and inspiration of these boys, we also have some younger boys waiting in the wings."

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AUSTIN, TEXAS - Tesla announced earlier this month that the first production-model Cybertruck has officially been built at the company’s “Giga Texas” factory. Nearly two million people have already paid to reserve their Cybertruck once Tesla begins mass production - are you one of them? Let us know in the polls throughout this story. Tesla made the announcement on Twitter (currently rebranding as “X”) on July 15 with the caption, “First Cybertruck built at Giga Texas!” Nearly 2 Million Reservations Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted in 2019 that there were 250,000 Cybertruck reservations placed just one week after it was first announced. An online reservation tracker estimates the current number of reservations to be 1,943,876. Each reservation requires a $100 deposit, totaling over $194 million so far. Tesla claims the Cybertruck will have “better utility than a truck with more performance than a sports car”

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WASHINGTON COUNTY – The Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) on Thursday announced the arrest of three Belleville men - 44-year-old Kevin Loucks, 57-year-old Milton Robinson, and 45-year-old Arrion Sanders - for First-Degree Murder (Class M Felony). The arrests come after an exhaustive investigation into the murder of 44-year-old Montez Pearson. On July 19, 2023, Pearson was located deceased near Lunte Creek Road in Washington County. Loucks was taken into custody on July 23, 2023, after a search warrant was executed at his residence in Belleville. Robinson was taken into custody the next day, while Sanders was taken into custody on July 27, 2023, both in Belleville. The ISP was assisted during the investigation by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Belleville Police Department. All three suspects remain in custody at the Washington County Jail with bond set at $1,000,000, 10 percent to apply. No further information will

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ALTON - Four local parents are joining forces to provide backpacks and school supplies for kids who need them. The group will host its third “Back to School Fish Fry and Backpack Giveaway” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 5 at Alton Middle School. Families can come to enjoy a free lunch and get the school supplies they’ll need for the school year. “We have five children of our own,” Jiuana Evans, who started the event, explained. “It hasn’t always been easy being able to get supplies for everybody and get them all set to go back to school. But we’ve been blessed to be able to do that now for our own children, so I’m just happy now that I’m in a position to be able to give back.” A child must be present to receive a backpack. In addition to backpacks and school supplies, the event will also provide a few computer spaces so that parents can register their kids for school. Employees from the Alton school

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JERSEY - Brendan Schultz recently completed an outstanding athletic career at Jersey Community High School. Brendan was a depth person on the track and field squad, the Panthers' Head Coach Harold Landon said. He is a Sparklight Internet Male Athlete of the Month for JCHS. “He ran the 4 x 100 relay, the 4 x 200 relay and pole vaulted,” the coach said. “He got fifth in the conference in the pole vault.” Coach Landon said at times Brendan was almost like an assistant coach, working with the pole vaulters if the pole vault coach wasn’t there. “He helped me coach the younger kids at the meets, too,” Coach Landon said. “He also was a National Honor Society student and just a good young man.” Brendan is also a national-level water ski participant and has brought home many medals in that sport. Not only was Brendan a strong athlete, but he also was on the high honor during his final quarter at JCHS.

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ST. LOUIS - Over the summer months, many outdoor activities and events often include alcohol. But with the extreme heat, a drink can become dangerous if you don’t take proper precautions to stay hydrated. The Illinois Liquor Control Commission (ILCC) has issued tips to stay safe if you plan to drink alcohol during the excessive heat warning that’s currently in effect through the Greater St. Louis area. “Hot, humid summer days cause fluid loss through sweat, and alcohol consumption causes fluid loss through frequent urination; together, these can be a deadly combination and can quickly dehydrate even the healthiest individual,” the ILCC said in a press release. Dehydration, heat stroke and heat exhaustion are very common in extreme heat but potentially deadly if you don’t treat them immediately. If someone is feeling dizzy, lightheaded, nauseous or otherwise unwell, the National Weather Service recommends drinking water and seeking out a cooler environment

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WEST FRANKFORT — Centerstone, a national leader in behavioral health and addiction services, has named Jennifer Thomason, LCPC, as regional chief operating officer for its Illinois operations, effective August 7. As Centerstone’s Regional COO, Thomason’s day-to-day will entail providing statewide leadership and management to the organization’s $52 million operations in Illinois, which provides outpatient mental health counseling services, suicide prevention and crisis care, vocational training programs for special needs populations, residential and supportive housing services, and comprehensive outpatient and residential addiction treatment programs to more than 12,000 people annually. “Jennifer’s experience in different realms of behavioral health, plus her leadership skills, will ensure the expertise Centerstone needs to grow operations in Illinois while ensuring we are continuing to deliver care that changes people’s lives,” said

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EDWARDSVILLE – Paris Somerville, Evergreen Hall resident at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, has been selected as the recipient of the 2023-2024 James R. Anderson Housing Scholarship. The scholarship is given annually to an academically motivated student with a GPA of 3.0 or higher who has demonstrated civic leadership in community service and housing activities. “I would like to thank SIUE for giving me this scholarship to assist me in pursuing my academic goals and education,” said Somerville. “I am very grateful for this offer to receive a scholarship.” The Chicago native will be graduating in May 2024 with a degree in computer science and mathematics. She hopes to pursue a master’s degree in computer science or management information systems upon graduation and hopes to secure a job as a software engineer or in the information technology field. Somerville has stayed involved on campus as a student-athlete on the Women’s

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