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RIVERBEND - A partial solar eclipse will be visible for people across the Riverbend on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023. From 10:32 a.m. to 1:26 p.m., the moon will move to block the sun. People in the Metro East area can observe the eclipse best at 11:57 a.m. when the sun will be 53% obscured by the moon, which is the peak for our region. Special glasses are needed to safely view the eclipse. “This solar eclipse actually is what’s called an annular solar eclipse where the moon does not cover the entire disk of the sun. It covers only the central potion,” explained Dr. Abdullatif Hamad, professor and interim chair of the physics department at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. “There will be just a ring around the sun; that’s why sometimes they call it the ‘Ring of Fire.’ So it will still be observable, but that’s not in our area. In our area it’s going to be just partial.” The total solar eclipse will be observable from

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EDWARDSVILLE - Third Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Stephen Stobbs received the IDC (Illinois Defense Counsel) Distinguished Service Award for his years of service to the citizens of Illinois. The award was presented to Chief Judge Stobbs by IDC President, Tracy Stevenson, at the IDC Judicial Reception held on October 5, 2023, at the Wildey in Edwardsville, Illinois. “It is truly humbling that such an esteemed organization of Illinois attorneys selected me for this prestigious award. I am honored to accept it,” Stobbs said. Judge Steve Stobbs was born and raised in Godfrey and is a lifelong resident of Madison County. He earned his undergraduate degree from St. Louis University, graduating with honors in 1990 and his Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School, graduating with honors in 1994. Upon graduating law school, he practiced law in Alton with his father, John Dale Stobbs (deceased), and Attorney Jim Sinclair. Judge Stobbs was elected three times to the Madison County

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CHICAGO – One very lucky player in California will be doing some serious celebrating and financial planning after snatching up the winning Powerball ticket worth a staggering $1.765 billion last night - the second largest prize in U.S. lottery history. The winning Powerball ticket was purchased at Midway Market & Liquors in Frazier Park, California. The winning numbers were: 22-24-40-52-64 and Powerball 10. In Illinois, several Powerball players are also celebrating this morning after winning big money from Wednesday night’s drawing. Three players matched four winning numbers and the Powerball to win $50,000 each. The Powerball roll began on July 20, 2023, and in that time, more than 1.5 million winning tickets were sold and over $15.2 million in prizes were won by Illinois players. This is also a win for the retailers that sold winning Powerball tickets, as they will receive a bonus of 1% of the prize amount. Winners have one year from the date of the winning dra

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CAHOKIA HEIGHTS - Approximately 150 young women from 17 bi-state area high schools and organizations recently gathered at St. Louis Downtown Airport for the 2023 Girls in Aviation Day event, where they had the unique opportunity to learn more about the aviation industry and related career fields. The event, which was held Sept. 18, is hosted annually by Saint Louis University’s Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation Science at the school’s hangar at St. Louis Downtown Airport, in partnership with Women in Aviation International. “This was our largest Girls in Aviation Day event yet,” said Amy Preis, Outreach Coordinator for SLU's School of Science and Engineering. “Our goal is to connect students with the opportunities in the aviation industry that are out there and possibly haven’t been considered before. The entirety of the aviation industry is hungry for more women in its ranks. We are helping to bridge that gap by exposing women in our community

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ALTON - On October 22 join Trinity’s Way for their first Halloween Trivia Night. Doors open at 5 PM and will be hosted in conjunction with Moose Lodge 951. Proceeds will benefit Renee’s Rescue Sanctuary and Trinity’s Way. On top of a fun-filled night filled with Halloween trivia, there will also be a 50/50 raffle, basket raffles, and a costume contest. The event is $15/person or you can reserve a table for you and seven of your spooky friends for $120. Trinity’s Way formed in 2018 after 17-year-old Trinity Buel was killed in a tragic car accident. The nonprofit was started by her mother, April Gray, and her godfather, Chris Unthank, to carry on Buel’s kindness and compassion for animals and the environment. That same year, the group hosted their first annual Trinity River Festival, and the festival returns every year as a mainstay within the nonprofit. The organization uses funds raised from the festival to provide support for area animal-related and environmental

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GLEN CARBON - State Representative Amy Elik (R-Alton) and the Glen Carbon Police Department will be hosting a drive-through Prescription Drug Drop-Off event in Glen Carbon on Wednesday, October 18 from 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. The event collects unwanted or expired prescription drugs and safely disposes of them for FREE. The free Rx drop-off will take place at the Glen Carbon Police Department, located at 149 N. Main Street in Glen Carbon from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 18. “I am proud to partner this year with the Glen Carbon Police Department in hosting my third annual prescription drug drop-off event,” said Rep. Elik. “This free service is a good opportunity for people to safely dispose of their unwanted or expired medications as it is unsafe to throw away or flush many medications.” Accepted Medications include prescription medications, prescription ointments & patches, pet medications, and vitamins. Prohibited Items not accepted: Needles

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ALTON - It has been busy this school year for Johnathon Ridgley leading a large group of students in the Alton March 100 while also putting in his personal time working on a tribute to one of his late friends. Johnathon is the Art Fahrner-Edward Jones Remarkable Redbird of the Month. Johnathon is currently working on his Eagle Scout project named Ariana's Memorial Garden and it is currently on display at Upper Alton Baptist Church. He saw that this particular spot was neglected during the COVID-19 Pandemic, and he has worked to take out the old landscaping and to put down new soil and plants. He is waiting on a crafted memorial bench in honor of his friend Ariana Scoggins who passed away in February 2021. Johnathon mentioned that this area meant a lot to Ariana, and he wanted to honor her memory by beautifying this area. Johnathan worked to fundraise the necessary $3,000 needed to get all of the materials needed for the project and while he has not yet fully achieved his goal

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ALTON - Peabody-Award-winning investigative war correspondent and reporter Robert Riggs recently gave personal insights into his experience reporting from the front lines of various armed conflicts over the years, including an investigative report on Hamas far before the current conflict in Israel. Riggs comes from a long line of military service - his father, grandfather, and uncles all served in World War II. He also graduated from Texas A&M, which he said is “one of the oldest military schools in the country.” After graduation, he began his Congressional career as a staffer on a defense committee before becoming a war correspondent for the media. During his time as a correspondent, Riggs covered the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush White Houses, the Pentagon, Capitol Hill, and several armed conflicts over the years, including the Contra War in Nicaragua and Gulf War I. In 2003, he was offered to join a CBS station group whose material would be seen around the

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GODFREY/ALTON - Marquette Catholic High School (MCHS) communications students spent an afternoon on air with the radio program at Lewis and Clark Community College (LCCC). On Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, students worked with LCCC radio coordinators David Ollenbittle and Mike Lemons in the new radio suite on LCCC’s Godfrey campus. They recorded a podcast and went live on the LCCC radio station, WLCA FM 89.9. “It’s a very nice experience to bring them in, show them that we do have a lot of exciting options here at Lewis and Clark,” said Randy Gallaher, Dean of Liberal Arts, Business and Information Technology at LCCC. “They get to experience it and they get to themselves go on air, and it’s just kind of a neat experience for them.” MCHS has a radio station on the Marquette campus, which is managed by the high school’s radio class. The students travel to LCCC once a year to check out the college radio station and learn about opportunities

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BUCHAREST, ROMANIA – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, this week met with Illinois Army National Guard members currently working in Romania to help advise and assist members of the Romanian military. As one of our NATO allies bordering Ukraine, maintaining and strengthening Romania’s national security is critical to helping protect the region and strengthen our allies as Vladimir Putin continues his unjustified and unprovoked war of choice against Ukraine. A photo from this meeting is available here . “I was glad to meet with members of the Illinois Army National Guard and other American servicemembers doing the important work of supporting and advising Romania’s armed forces,” Duckworth said. “Strengthening the defensive capabilities of our NATO allies is critical in helping effectively deter Putin from continuing his unjustified aggression beyond Ukraine.

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CHICAGO - Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) launched $21 million in funding for the Clean Energy Contractor Incubator Program or "CEJA Contractor Incubator Hubs." The program establishes a network of 13 community-based hubs across the state offering incubator services designed to assist clean energy contractors – especially those from underserved areas – grow their businesses. The organizations that will run CEJA Contractor Incubator Hubs will be selected through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) process. “Illinois’ nation-leading Climate and Equitable Jobs Act is the boldest climate action plan in our state’s history, and it’s anchored in equity to ensure no one is left behind,” said Governor JB Pritzker . “That’s why I’m proud to announce additional funding for our CEJA Contractor Incubator Hubs that will further advance our clean energy businesses

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EDWARDSVILLE — Twenty-six students have been charged in connection with the recent school fighting incident at Alton High School on Aug. 30, 2023. Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced Thursday that prosecutors have filed juvenile charges (known as delinquency petitions) against 24 students and have filed adult charges against two other students in connection with fighting Aug. 30 at Alton High School. Haine said the petitions and charges are the result of an investigation headed by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Charged offenses range from disorderly conduct to mob action to aggravated battery of a peace officer. The ages of those charged range from 14 to 18. They consist of 15 females and 11 males. “After a close review of each case referred to our office, we have seen fit to file charges against these students for various crimes stemming from these incidents,” Haine said. “It is a tragedy whenever the criminal justice system

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CARLINVILLE - Dr. Joseph Welch, Professor of Music at Blackburn College, has been named the 2023 Teacher of the Year by the Illinois State Music Teachers Association (ISMTA). Welch serves as Department of Music and Theatre Chair and Director of the College Choir. He teaches music theory, music history, aural skills, and arts entrepreneurship as well as giving applied lessons for piano. Previously, he was the recipient of Blackburn’s Faculty Diversity Award in 2023 and was named Gateway Arch East Member of the Year in 2017. Welch will be honored for this award at ISMTA's November conference. Welch was nominated for the award by Gillian Cerbin, President of The Gateway Arch East Chapter of ISMTA. They wrote, “Joe truly gives of his time and expertise to the furtherment of music across the whole community. Working tirelessly, he reaches across a diverse area both musically and demographically, always going beyond and always willing to step up for others. His style is understated,

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SPRINGFIELD - Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today announced his office will invest an additional $10 million in Israel as a direct response to the unprovoked, murderous attack by the Hamas terrorist organization. “After being absolutely sickened by the ongoing atrocities, we reached out to our Israeli partners and asked what we can do to help,” Frerichs said. “This investment is a direct result of those conversations.” “This investment shows our strong commitment to Israel and its people,” Frerichs said. “The challenges in the region are great. Israel is now at war. This is our way to show, with action and deeds as well as words, that we want to do what we can in this time of need.” Frerichs’ office has invested in Israel Bonds since he became State Treasurer in 2015. It has done so to diversify the state’s portfolio, achieve good returns from a safe investment, and to draw attention to a global partnership betwee

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ALTON - Susie Young wishes it had only been a spell put on her by three witches as she and her family watched “Hocus Pocus 2” in her Godfrey home on Sept. 30, 2022. She felt pain moving down her left arm and “felt like I was being choked.” Having worked at Alton Memorial Hospital for 19 years – first as a nurse on the Medical Care Unit and now in Case Management – Susie was brought to the AMH Emergency Department that Friday night and diagnosed with a heart attack. “My husband, Jim, took my blood pressure right away at home and I’m sure I was still having the attack when the ambulance arrived,” Young said. “Dr. (Robert) Lutan, my hero, was here and ordered a cardiac cath for that Monday.” The cardiac cath found five blockages to Young’s heart, which meant a snag had been hit in the family’s planned trip to Disney World starting Oct. 8. Most of them still went, but her husband stayed home as Susie had ope

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ALTON - Leon Smallwood-Bey, the Alton NAACP Branch President, has issued a statement about the recent fights at Alton High School. The incident occurred on Aug. 30, 2023, and resulted in some expulsions, suspensions and charges. The statement reads as follows: “While we, the NAACP, are disappointed that so many students have been expelled/suspended, and some charged with criminal charges, we also still have to ensure that there is safety in our schools. The NAACP hasn’t made a statement before now because we wanted to talk to everyone involved. So we have spoken to the state’s attorney's office, the school superintendent, school officials, students, and some parents. Our goal is to ensure the safety of our students, to ensure they all have a chance to complete their education. "As a plan of action: The NAACP Alton branch recommends as followed: We recommend the hiring of more African-American staff members in order to help fill the cultural gap that the lack of African-American

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MASCOUTAH – A full-scale emergency exercise, featuring approximately 70 first responders and local volunteer actors, was recently conducted at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, with the goal of testing and improving local emergency response. The exercise took place from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 26 and featured multiple agencies and organizations working together to respond to a fictional aircraft mishap. Full-scale emergency exercises of this nature are conducted every three years by MidAmerica St. Louis Airport and other airports to comply with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements for FAR Part 139 certification. The fictional scenario was centered around an aircraft encountering multiple bird strikes during flight and experiencing a hard landing upon return to the airport, leading to simulated structural damage and fire that resulted in several injuries and fatalities. The aircraft, represented by a Scott Air Force Base KC-135, was staged on the runway prior

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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 on the ongoing violence in Israel: “The unmistakable terrorism we’ve seen since Saturday’s coordinated attacks—which left more Jews dead than any single day since the Holocaust—is pure evil, and the United States stands in unwavering solidarity with Israel and its absolute right to defend itself and its people from Hamas’s unconscionable kidnappings, beheadings of babies, massacres of entire communities and rape. Those perpetrating this carnage must be stopped and other parties should not view this crisis as an opportunity to escalate further. There is never any excuse for terrorism. “As this tragedy unfolds, I’m relieved the United States is providing Israel with the resources it needs to respond and I join large bipartisan majorities

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ALTON - After the Alton City Council voted 6-1 to raise sales taxes within the recently established Route 3 and Buckmaster Business District, one resident voiced his disapproval. Mike Batchelor, who also raised concerns about the tax increase at a public hearing last month , returned to City Hall to question the economic benefit of the district and the priorities of city officials. While public speakers at Monday’s Committee of the Whole meeting were allowed to make comments before their items of concern were voted on, Batchelor said he was caught off guard by his inability to do the same. “I had a prepared speech, but you guys kind of trashed that with your vote to raise taxes, so forgive me for going a little bit off script,” Batchelor said. “I was the only one to speak up in the public forum to question why anyone thought it was a promising idea to raise taxes on anyone right now, let alone two discount retailers that cater to our lowest income

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On September 21, 2023, the Illinois Liquor Control Commission (ILCC) adopted a permanent rule regulating the placement of co-branded alcoholic beverages on retail sales floors. The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) issued a Certificate of No Objection on September 12, 2023, permitting the ILCC to adopt the rule by filing with the Secretary of State. The permanent rule seeks to protect the public from confusion between alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beverages with similar branding and to prevent the marketing of such alcoholic beverages to children. A “co-branded alcoholic beverage” is any alcoholic beverage containing the same or a similar brand name, logo, or packaging as a non-alcoholic beverage. The permanent rule applies to all establishments in Illinois that sell packaged alcohol for off-premise consumption. Under the permanent rule, applicable establishments are subject to the following regulations: • Establishments with larger retail sale

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