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ALTON — In a monumental stride towards achieving pretrial fairness and ending the practice of wealth-based pretrial incarceration, the state of Illinois has officially abolished money bond, marking a historic moment for the justice system. In my opinion, the Pretrial Fairness Act, which went into effect on September 18, 2023, brings a brighter future for countless individuals across the state who have languished behind bars while awaiting trial simply because they could not afford to pay bail. To acknowledge this achievement and educate the public about the transformative implications of the Pretrial Fairness Act, the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice and YWCA invite you to join a special teach-in event: Event Title: Pretrial Fairness Act Teach-In Date: Thursday, October 26, 2023 Time: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm CDT Location: YWCA, 304 E. Third St., Alton Each year, over 250,000 people in Illinois find themselves incarcerated while awaiting trial, despite being legally

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HARDIN - The Illinois Conservation Police and Calhoun County Sheriff's Office recently worked together on a situation that developed in Nebo in Calhoun County. The report says on October 6, 2023, the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint of a male subject setting fires to various fields on Hillcrest Road, Nebo, Calhoun County. Illinois Conservation Police Officer Jordan Roundcount and Calhoun County Sergeant Zach Hardin responded to the scene. Officer Roundcount arrived on scene first and took a male subject into custody. In addition, the North Calhoun Fire Protection District also responded to the incident and successfully extinguished several fires that had been intentionally set. Subsequent to the investigation, Brandon L Capps, 36, of Jacksonville, Illinois, was charged with the following offenses: Arson Criminal Damage to Property Disorderly Conduct, Warrant - Failure to Appear (Jersey County). Capps was transported to the Greene County Jail where

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ALTON - An ordinance which would ban public camping in Alton is on hold once again after 22 people gave public comments at the Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. Overnight Warming Center volunteers, Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine, and more gave comments for and against the ordinance, with most asking the committee to table the item and seek more solutions to assist the city’s unhoused population. “I see absolutely no reason why we should be rushing this ordinance through,” Nate Gnau said. “It makes zero sense to me that we’re just giving people no warning before we take their stuff, and then charge them at least $75 that they don’t have … we can do better than this, we have to do better than this.” According to the “Penalties” section of the ordinance, each public camping violation is punishable by a fine of $75 to $750, and each subsequent violation within 30 days is punishable

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BELLEVILLE - Running back and linebacker Clayton Lakatos scored the game-winning touchdown on Friday night, taking in a screen pass from quarterback Jake Curry and racing 50 yards dead ahead to the Belleville East end zone with 2:51 left in regulation to give Edwardsville a dramatic and thrilling 49-45 win over the Lancers in a Southwestern Conference football game at Charlie Woodford Field in Belleville. The win upped the Tigers mark to 7-0 with two regular-season games to go and also sets up a SWC championship game with East St. Louis on Oct. 13 at Tiger Stadium. Lakatos is a Johnston Law Firm Male Athlete of the Month for the Tigers. The win was one where the Tigers trailed for much of the game until very early in the fourth quarter, then saw the lead see-saw between the teams four times before Lakatos took Curry's screen pass for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown in what was a character win for the Tigers, who trailed by as much as 18 points before mounting their

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MARYVILLE - Father McGivney Catholic cross country and track runner Elena Rybak has captivated observers in her three years in a Griffins' uniform. She has won two 1,600-meter state outdoor track and field titles as a freshman and sophomore. Her most recent triumph was in the Madison County Small Schools Championship with a blazing time of 18:10.4 at Granite City on Oct. 3. On Tuesday, she will run for the conference championship at Father McGivney Catholic. On Sept. 9, Elena flew to a time of 17:28.3 for second place in the First To the Finish Invite. Her other efforts were 17:35.4 in the Mascoutah Kickoff, 17:48.5 in the Massac County Patriot Invite and 18:17.7 in the Freeburg Invite. Elena is a Byron, Carlson, Petri and Kalb Female Athlete of the Month for Father McGivney Catholic. She won the 1,600 this past spring at Charleston in 5:03.07, three seconds ahead of the next finisher. This cross country season, Elena has shown her strength mentally and physically, her head coach

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SPRINGFIELD - Governor JB Pritzker has proclaimed October 8-14 as Fire Prevention Week in Illinois to educate residents about reducing the risk of a cooking fire. The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is joining organizations and fire departments across the state and nation to celebrate the 101st anniversary of Fire Prevention Week. This year’s theme, “Cooking safety starts with YOU! Pay attention to fire prevention,” focuses on cooking safety to help educate the public about simple but important steps they can take to help reduce the risk of fire when cooking at home, keeping themselves and those around them safe. “In Illinois alone, fire departments responded to over 400 incidents related to cooking or kitchens during 2022. It’s important that people never leave food cooking unattended and are following all the proper safety steps to decrease their risks of fires or injuries,” said Illinois State Fire Marshal James A. Rivera

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JERSEY - Adam Kribs is a multi-sport athlete for Jersey Community High School. In the spring, he is a track and field star and in the fall he dons the Panthers’ boys soccer team jersey under Coach Scott Burney. Harold Landon, Adam's boys track coach, said Kribs had a breakout season last year, especially in the hurdles. Coach Burney said Adam is a very valuable member of his Jersey boys soccer team. Adam is being recognized as a Sparklight Male Athlete of the Month for the Panthers. Coach Landon said Adam was fourth in the 110-meter high hurdles at the Mississippi Valley Conference Meet and he won the Chatham Invite high hurdles title. He was also in fifth place in the MVC triple jump. “He really blossomed this past track and field season,” Coach Landon said. “He scored in the 110-meter hurdles at most meets. He will be a key for us next track season. We will be counting on points from Adam throughout the year.” Adam is also an outstanding student i

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BELLEVILLE - Saturday was a big day for the Edwardsville girls tennis team. The Tigers varsity girls tennis team won three of the six flights in the singles and finished second in two other flights and third in another, going on to win the team's fifth straight Southwestern Conference tournament championship at Belleville East High School and Southwestern Illinois College. The Tigers won with 56 points, with O'Fallon coming in second with 52 points, both the host Lancers and crosstown rivals Belleville West tying for third with 42 points each, Alton was fifth with 29 points, Collinsville came in sixth with 16 points and East St. Louis finished in seventh with six points. The Tigers tennis girls are Johnston Law Firm Female Athletes of the Month. Edwardsville High School head varsity girls tennis coach Dave Lipe said his girls played some "phenomenal tennis" over the weekend. "This was our best play in a tournament this year," he said. He is also looking ahead for next weekend's

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ELSAH - Dr. Andrew Martin, an associate professor at Principia College in Elsah, recently discussed the discovery of mammoth remains on the college’s campus and said visitors are welcome to watch as he and his students continue to dig for discoveries every Tuesday and Thursday this semester. Martin said the discovery of the mammoth remains happened about a year ago and was “totally unexpected.” Facilities workers had been digging for an unrelated project when they suddenly came across a streak of something white in the ground. Facilities employee Mike Towell - who has some archeology knowledge - stopped the digging, inspected it closer, and called in an expert who identified the white streak as a tusk. While the tusk itself was a fascinating discovery, Martin said there could be much more for his students to uncover this semester. “ came down and they did a ground penetrating radar, and lo and behold, they found that there’s more material underneath,

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JERSEYVILLE - The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) love history, but their work is firmly rooted in the present. The DAR is a group of women who can trace their lineage back to the American Revolution. Members must research and prove that they are related to someone who fought in the war or supported the troops. With over 3,000 chapters nationwide today, the DAR provides resources to active military members, veterans and students in communities across the Riverbend. “The Daughters of the American Revolution are more than old ladies in white gloves,” laughed Ann Badasch, vice regent with the Jersey County chapter. “We support our troops and we also do things that support the family. We do a lot with veterans…We do a lot with genealogy, and we have a wonderful genealogy library and a museum in Washington D.C. that we support. We also have schools throughout the United States that are DAR-supported schools.” Badasch joined Jersey County’s

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SPRINGFIELD – People can now submit an endorsement affidavit online for assault weapons, assault weapon attachments, .50 caliber rifles, and .50 caliber cartridges. On January 10, 2023, Governor JB Pritzker signed into law Public Act 102-1116 , the Protect Illinois Communities Act, regulating the sale and distribution of these items in Illinois, along with large capacity ammunition feeding devices. The Act went into effect immediately upon signing. Individuals who possessed assault weapons, assault weapon attachments, .50 caliber rifles, and .50 caliber cartridges before the Act took effect are required to submit an endorsement affidavit through their Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) Card account prior to January 1, 2024. Large capacity ammunition feeding devices are regulated, but do not require and endorsement affidavit. As of October 1, 2023, individuals are able to submit their endorsement affidavits online. Affidavits must be submitted online through

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WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for a ready-to-eat (RTE) stuffed pepper soup with meatballs product due to misbranding and undeclared allergen. The product contains egg, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label. FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure that consumers are aware that this product should not be consumed. A recall was not requested because the product is no longer available for purchase. The RTE stuffed pepper soup with meatballs product was produced on Sept. 28, 2023. The following product is subject to the public health alert : 32-oz. clear cups of “R KITCHEN Stuffed Pepper Soup with Meatballs” with a Best By: 11/27/23 date and lot code 048480 printed on the lid. The product bear establishment number “EST. 18019” inside the USDA mark of inspection. This item was shipped to retail locations in Massachusetts.

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CHICAGO – A lucky Illinois Lottery player took a chance on a $30 scratch-off ticket and ended up landing the top prize worth a cool $3 million. The winning 3,000,000 Cash Fortune scratch-off ticket was purchased at a BP gas station, located at 1625 East Euclid Drive in Mount Prospect, IL. “This is such happy news,” exclaimed Benny Lukose, Manager at BP in Mount Prospect. “While we sell a lot of lottery tickets, I can definitely recognize our regular customers - so I bet I’ll know the winner. I hope the lucky winner stops in to tell us, so we can share in the excitement of their big win!” This is also a big win for the BP retailer. For selling the winning ticket, the store will receive a bonus of one percent of the prize amount. For BP in Mount Prospect, that means a $30,000 cash bonus. “This couldn’t have come at a better time,” expressed Lukose. “Business can be slow at times due to competitors, so with this bonus, we plan

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CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today announced the conclusion of the Back to Business (B2B) Restaurants, Hotels and Arts program with $156 million provided in relief funds. Through these three programs, nearly 4,000 grants went to businesses in over 500 cities, towns and localities in 95 counties across the state. A list of Illinois B2B grantees can be found here . “Illinois’ small business are the backbone of our economy and a cornerstone of our pandemic recovery,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Since day one, my administration has been committed to supporting every business in our state—ensuring that every business owner and entrepreneur has the opportunity to succeed. Across the state, the Back to Business program kept thousands of restaurants, hotels, and arts organizations open, protected thousands of jobs, and kept our communities thriving.” “The Back to Business grants are a bridge

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EDWARDSVILLE - It was an up-close, personal sampling of 50 colleges and universities – all under one roof – and students in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s TRIO Upward Bound (UB) EC/MLC Programs had the chance to peruse and talk to school representatives who most captured their interests. Ten high school juniors and seniors attended the Chicago National College Fair on Saturday, Sept. 30. “The College Fair was an excellent opportunity for our students to engage with several schools in one location,” said Program Director Christopher Cooper. “With our juniors and seniors having many academic and athletic obligations,” he added, “it made sense to provide our students with these opportunities in a short amount of time and in one location.” Students received information on scholarship guidelines, financial opportunities, admissions information, college majors and more. Upward Bound programs help youth

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ST. LOUIS - Today, the City of St. Louis Community Development Administration (CDA) announced its spending priorities for over $26 million in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to support St. Louis social services, create affordable housing options, and improve infrastructure across St. Louis. “These investments reflect the City of St. Louis’ commitment to economic justice ," said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, “Safe, stable, affordable housing for families creates stronger communities, and the City is proud to work alongside our federal, state and local partners to drive a historic investment into housing as diverse as our city.” A major infusion of funding for the St. Louis Housing Authority (SLHA) will bring 127 units of offline public housing back into service for city families. This $2 million investment will fund renovations including drywall repair, new flooring, new cabinets, new appliances, new furnishings, and plumbing or HVAC replacements.

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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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