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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent a letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure urging her to notify states of recent Medicare changes in coverage and billing practices for oral health care services that were outlined in the 2024 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System final rule. As states often model their Medicaid coverage and billing practices after Medicare’s, Durbin called on Administrator Brooks-LaSure to inform states of these changes, which could improve treatment and care for Medicaid enrollees as well. Each year, CMS publishes the OPPS and ASC Payment System rule to determine reimbursement rates for the 3,500 hospital-owned outpatient departments and 6,000 ASCs across the United States. As part of the its 2023 OPPS and ASC Payment System final rule, CMS included a new billing code for a dental surgical

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CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker joined the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), elected officials, and industry leaders at Koval Distillery to announce that 48 small businesses or ‘Makers’ have been inducted into the Illinois Made program – the largest class of businesses since the program’s inception in 2016. Each year, the Illinois Office of Tourism selects a group of local businesses that exemplify the authentic experiences and innovative products that make Illinois an incredible destination to explore for residents and visitors alike. “The Illinois Made program selects a group of our most exemplary hidden gems and one-of-a-kind small businesses and encourages Illinoisans and visitors alike to discover the experiences they offer,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This year’s class of Illinois Makers is one of our most diverse. In every corner of our state, people from all walks of life are creating delicious

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HARDIN - The Calhoun County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023, announced charges for two in regard to methamphetamine possession. This was the report issued from the Calhoun Sheriff's Office: At 4:05 p.m. on August 1, 2023, deputies from the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office conducted a citizen contact at a residence on Park Street, Hardin, in Calhoun County, Illinois, in reference to an ongoing drug investigation. Subsequent to the contact; methamphetamine, fentanyl and related drug paraphernalia were seized. On November 2, 2023, Christopher A. Cecil, age 36, of Hardin, was arrested on the following charges: Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Cecil was arrested without incident and was booked into the Greene County Jail and subsequently received a Notice to Appear at the Calhoun County Courthouse; As is now required under the provisions of the new House Bill 3653, known as the SAFE-T Act. On November 9, 2023, Jill

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ALTON – Americans love their national parks. According to the National Park Service, about 312 million people visited national parks in 2022, a 5% increase from 2021. National parks bring in billions of dollars of economic activity to regions across the country for small and large cities alike. Today, during the Alton Riverfront Commission Meeting, representatives from AltonWorks unveiled a long-term vision to create the Great Rivers National Park to help transform Alton and highlight the region’s crown jewel: The Mississippi River. This proposal is aligned with the founding principles of AltonWorks which include livability, environmental stewardship, social justice, and inclusivity in rebuilding communities for optimum social impact. “Alton has many incredible assets,” said John Simmons, CEO of AltonWorks. “The combination of the riverfront, the Clark Bridge, Marina, and the historic downtown area makes the perfect setting for a national park and could

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JERSEYVILLE - The Jerseyville City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve an ordinance exempting the city from the state’s Paid Leave For All Workers Act , which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2024. According to the Illinois Department of Labor , Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the Paid Leave For All Workers Act (SB208) into law in March of 2023. The law entitles all workers in Illinois a minimum of 40 hours of paid leave during a 12-month period. Leave accrues at a rate of one hour of paid leave per 40 hours worked and applies to all workers in Illinois, including municipal employees, with exceptions for certain industries and independent contractors. Under the new law, employees can take paid leave “ for any reason of the employee's choosing” and are not required to provide documentation or a reason for taking the leave. The law also forbids employers from requiring employees to find replacement workers to cover the hours they choose to take their

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PIASA - For any team, the libero is a pivotal person in the lineup. This past girl's volleyball season, libero Maddy Fenstermaker was a key player each match for the Piasa Birds. Fenstermaker was a master with her defensive positions for the Birds and also a spark plug to Southwestern’s front-line play and kills. The good thing for head girls' volleyball coach Derek Dempsey is the proven leader - Fenstermaker - returns next season because she was only a junior this season. Maddy is an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for Southwestern. “She is one of those who have a bigger heart than almost any other player on the court,” Dempsey said. “She is 5-foot-2, but covers the floor well and is very scrappy.” The coach said he expects Maddy to only build next year on what she learned this season and he expects the Piasa Birds to be much improved in 2024 because they had such a young team this year. Many of Southwestern’s

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JERSEYVILLE - When it comes to enthusiasm and leadership on the basketball court, Jersey Community High School senior Tessa Crawford stands above nearly all the rest. Crawford is the one that the Panthers’ basketball varsity girls look to for leadership on the court. Crawford is a Sparklight Internet Female Athlete of the Month for the Panthers. Jersey head girls' basketball coach Caleb Williams said she is the only senior on the team and looks to make everyone else around her better. “She can score and she can facilitate offense for other players,” he said. “Defensively, she will play hard all game long every night.” Coach Williams stressed that Crawford always hustles on the court and leads by example. “Tessa’s example is that she plays with passion, and toughness, and goes hard at everything she does,” he said. Area girls' basketball teams should be on the lookout for their games with the skilled Panthers’ squad with Tessa

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EDWARDSVILLE - Charlie Rae will welcome Santa, Mrs. Claus and community members for a free “Kick Start Christmas with Charlie Rae” event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. The children’s boutique, located at 100 N. Main Street in Edwardsville, is celebrating two months since its opening with this completely free event. Steele the Moments by Hannah will offer professional photos with Santa, and visitors can enjoy a hot chocolate bar and Christmas cookies. Donations will be accepted for the Metro East Humane Society . Charlie Rae owner Clarinda Martin opened the storefront in mid-October after two years of online-only sales. The boutique sells a variety of clothing for babies and kids. Martin, who has twins, realized there weren’t many “kid options” in the area, which inspired her to open Charlie Rae. “It’s been going really good. It’s a lot busier than I expected,” Martin said. “Edwardsville’s

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CARROLLTON - Crime rates in Greene County have gone down overall in 2023 compared to last year, but assaults have skyrocketed by 1,200%, according to updated statistics from the Illinois State Police. The overall Green County crime rate has gone down by 7.42%, according to the Illinois State Police Illinois Uniform Crime Reporting Program , which combines data submitted by law enforcement agencies across each county in the state. However, certain charges have seen alarming spikes over the past year. Assault offenses were 1,200% higher in 2023 than they were in 2022, totaling 13 in 2023 compared to just one in 2022. Sexual crimes also saw an uptick of 50%, totaling three for 2023 and two for 2022. “Destruction” crimes were also up for the year, with five in 2023 and four in 2022 for an increase of 25%. There was no change in the number of burglary or fraud cases, which totaled two and five respectively for both years. Despite the skyrocketing rate of assaults

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WOOD RIVER - Junior Tahj'Juan "Tookie" Smith takes his school work at East Alton-Wood River High seriously and puts equal effort into his role with the Oilers' boys' basketball team. He said he is most proud of his grades and being a leader on the boys' basketball team. "I have been playing basketball since I was 5 years old and I just like seeing the excitement all my teammates face when we are working as a team," he added. Tookie said being a basketball player has helped him to develop into a better person because of the discipline and teamwork involved. He said he wanted to attend Kansas University because that is where his dad always wanted to go to college. Tookie is also a member of the football and track teams. Tookie thanked his father for his inspiration in his life. "My dad believed in me and he knows the work I put in on my free time and he knows how good I can be," he said. Smith also thanked his present head boys coach Kevin Gockel for his mentorship.

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GRANITE CITY - In a surprising move in the holiday season, U.S. Steel issued WARN Notices (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) that the Granite City facility will be idled indefinitely. U.S. Steel has announced that approximately 1,000 employees will receive WARN Act notices. This includes the 400 workers whose employment was “temporarily” suspended in September without advance notice. Granite City Mayor Mike Parkinson said about 400 have already lost their jobs at the U.S. Steel plant and with this move, another 200 will likely be out immediately, bringing the grand total to 600, though it could climb to 1,000 workers out of work. Mayor Parkinson expressed extreme disappointment in U.S. Steel over the announcement and said they are not operating in any way that the city would like them to, especially during the holiday time. He also said he felt U.S. Steel is trying to circumvent the WARN Act and he has changed his position in the situation as of Tuesday, Nov.

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RIVERBEND - As the holiday season approaches, several organizations in the Riverbend region will rely on donations to continue serving the community. On this Giving Tuesday, we’ve compiled a few organizations that could use your help today and throughout the year. “Thinking about year-round and not just on Giving Tuesday, different seasons call for different needs. So we get a lot during certain times of year, but that isn’t always spread out,” said Ashley Lockwood, an educator for the Audubon Center at Riverlands . Lockwood explained that the Audubon Center leads conservation efforts for birds on a national scale, including at their base at 301 Riverlands Way in West Alton, Missouri. They also have several educational programs that they offer for no or low cost to local K-12 students. Donations to the Audubon Center help fund these programs and keep the costs down. They also allow the Center to pay more employees or hire interns from local high schools.

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Edwardsville Police conducted a traffic safety campaign Nov. 17-27 reminding motorists to buckle up and drive sober. The “Click It or Ticket” and “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” mobilization was conducted by the Edwardsville Police and other state and local law enforcement agencies across Illinois to reduce highway fatalities. During the campaign, Edwardsville Police handled: 4 DUI arrests 14 speeding citations 9 other citations “This year’s campaign was successful in grabbing people’s attention with highly visible enforcement methods. As always, our goal is having a safe community with safe drivers,” said Lt. Brandn Whittaker. The Thanksgiving enforcement effort is made possible by federal traffic safety funds administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation and is part of the statewide “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Click It or Ticket” campaigns.

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The Cougar Cupboard, a non-profit food pantry overseen by the Office of Student Affairs, has expanded by three Mini Cougar Cupboards on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Thanks to a generous grant from the Meridian Society, an auxiliary organization of the SIUE Foundation, the Mini Cougar Cupboards will be installed after Thanksgiving at three locations: the Morris University Center (MUC), Lovejoy Library and Campus Recreation. The Mini Cougar Cupboards will expand the mission to fight food insecurity and hunger on the SIUE campus, create connections within the community and support clients with convenience and anonymity beyond the singular existing location in the MUC. “When the Cougar Cupboard is not open for student food pick-up, these boxes can serve as a short-term opportunity for students to obtain a grab-and-go item,” said Kelly Jo Hendricks, director of the MUC and Student Success Center. “The beautiful thing about these pantries

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ALTON - David Dresch, a math teacher at Alton High School, is a recipient of the 2023 Emerson Excellence In Teaching Award. Emerson Electric Company, located in St. Louis, sponsors the annual nomination and awards program to recognize exemplary teachers across the region. Dresch has a renowned reputation for being an outstanding teacher with a passion for mathematics. He has also provided districtwide math supports through programs designed to assist K-12 teachers with aligning math instruction to state standards and developing systems for common assessments. Dresch, a graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, was both humble and appreciative in receiving word that he was an Emerson Award recipient. “I’ve always tried to develop relationships with my students which allows me to help see where their (math) strengths and weaknesses are when they enter AHS as freshmen," he said. "I also enjoy helping students navigate the transition from eighth to ninth grade

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GRAFTON - “Jesus, the Light of the World,” is the theme for the annual Christmas program at Grafton Full Gospel Church. The event is set for 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 17, 2023, at 15065 Elm Street. The program will highlight the Christmas story, featuring some well-known characters. The church is approximately four miles from Highway 109 as well as from Grafton city limits, on Illinois State Highway 3, where John A Laslie III is pastor. Refreshments will be served following the program. For more information, contact Wendy Coleson, director, at (618) 786-3662.

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JERSEYVILLE - Updated statistics from the Illinois State Police indicate crime rates have risen in Jersey County over the past year, with arson, burglary, and motor vehicle theft topping the list of offenses on the rise compared to last year. According to the Illinois State Police Illinois Uniform Crime Reporting Program , which combines data submitted by law enforcement agencies across each county in the state, the overall crime rate in Jersey County is up 14.12% over 2022, with significant percentage spikes in certain types of crime. Arson is up 100% in Jersey County, which represents a change from one arson in 2022 to two arsons in 2023. The first arson of the year was committed on September 29, 2023 , shortly followed by the second arson on Oct. 3, 2023 . Burglaries have risen by 73.33% over the past year in Jersey County. The total number of burglaries reached 26 in 2023 compared to 15 in 2022. Motor vehicle theft also went up by 50%, an increase from eight motor

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SPRINGFIELD – Macoupin County ranked hire on the charts once again statewide for the amount of deer harvested in the first weekend of the Illinois firearm deer season between Nov. 17-19. Macoupin County recorded 1,077 deer killed on the first weekend of firearm season compared to 1,120 the previous year. Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 53,348 deer during the first weekend of the Illinois firearm deer season between Nov. 17-19. Comparatively, hunters took 52,354 deer during the first firearm weekend in 2022. In Calhoun County, there were 476 deer taken, compared to 465 in 2022. In Greene, 624 deer were harvested compared to 634 in 2022 and hunters recorded a total of 484 deer in Madison County, compared to 509 in 2022. A total of 435 deer were harvested in Jersey, compared to 425 in 2022. Illinois’ seven-day firearm deer season will conclude Nov. 30-Dec. 3. Other deer hunting opportunities in the weeks ahead include: muzzleloader-only deer season

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HIGHLAND - A Hot Chocolate “Walk For Wishes” fundraiser to support Make-A-Wish is coming up soon from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023, at Highland Town Square. Sue Messerli with Make-A-Wish recently shared new updates and more information about the event and the purpose behind it. Messerli said this will be her fourth year organizing the walk, and that the proceeds support a good cause. Registration fees are $25 for adults, $15 for youths aged 5-17, and free for children ages 4 and under. Register online at this link . “This will be the fourth year to be able to grant kids’ wishes with life-threatening illnesses, and all the proceeds … will go to Make-A-Wish Illinois in Chicago,” Messerli said. “I’m not accepting the money and then handing it out to grant wishes individually, but trust me, all children in the state of Illinois who qualify for a wish will get a wish.” In addition to cups of hot chocolate

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EAST ST. LOUIS – End-of-the-year gifts are needed, valued and provided by real-life “angels,” according to three Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS) students. CHS students A’Khyra Allen, Dannica Davis and Patrick Washington have been recipients of the CHS Angel Tree Campaign and fondly recall presents of yesteryear. “During the pandemic, we couldn’t go out, and the supplies that the Charter School gave us really helped out,” said CHS senior Allen. “I liked getting the notebooks, pencils and folders.” “I really loved our varsity jacket coats,” said CHS senior Davis. “They had our school logo and creed and were warm and cute! Charter School always thinks about not just what we may want, but what we need. A lot of students needed warm jackets.” “Over the years, I have been glad to receive sweatpants, a jacket coat and boxes of snacks,” said CHS

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