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ALTON - The Overnight Warming Center of Alton (OWCA) is hosting a Sleep Out fundraiser on Thursday, November 10 at Lincoln Douglas Square (100 Market St. Alton, IL). Participants of the fundraiser will sleep outside from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. The Sleep Out event is an opportunity to bring awareness to the experiences of our unhoused neighbors, and it will be a fundraising event for the OWCA. The goal is to raise $15,000 this year for the center and its guests. Community members can sign up or donate to the event at givebutter.com/OWCASleepOut2022. These funds go directly to helping continue to run the center and help the overnight guests. The Overnight Warming Center provides a safe and warm place for unhoused neighbors on nights that are 20 degrees or colder. The center is completely run by volunteers from the community. Learn more about the center on our Facebook page at facebook.com/OvernightWarmingCentersAlton. About Overnight Warming Centers Alton Overnight Warming Centers

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ALTON/GODFREY - The Great Rivers Choral Society is hosting its first concert of the year, “To Life and Liberty,” on two dates at two locations: Friday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. at The Bridge Church, located at 504 E. 12th St. in Alton, and on Nov. 13 at 3 p.m. at Godfrey First United Methodist Church, located at 1100 Airport Road in Godfrey. Music Director Raynard Brown said the theme of this concert is to focus on the beauty of life in America regardless of political stance. “It’s about living in America and recognizing how blessed we are to live in a country - regardless of whatever political side you’re on, life is pretty awesome here,” Brown said. “This concert serves to remind us that life is about your neighbor … and remind us of the beauty of this country.” He said there will also be visual displays to accompany the songs which highlight the beauty of both American nature and people. “When they come to the concert,

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Name: Shannon Yount Hometown: Boston, MA Years of Service: 2006 - 2014 KIA: No Branch: United States Marine Corps. Rank: Sergeant of Marines Wars: OIF/OEF Message: Thank you for your military service and for your steadfast advocacy and service to our Veteran Community! Submitted By: Bradley Yount

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ALTON - A 29-year-old Alton man - Lucas C. Chesnut - died early Friday morning in a fatal motorcycle crash off the side of the roadway in the 3000 block of Alby Street in Alton. Alton Deputy Police Chief Jarrett Ford said at approximately 12:30 a.m. on Friday, November 4, 2022, the Alton Police Department received notice of a traffic crash involving a motorcycle in the 3000 block of Alby Street, Alton. Deputy Chief Ford said: "Alton Police Officers as well as members of the Alton Fire Department arrived and located the motorcycle off the side of the roadway in the 3000 block of Alby Street. The driver and sole occupant of the motorcycle was also located and beyond life-saving measures. The Madison County Coroner’s Office later pronounced the driver deceased as a result of injuries sustained in the crash." The Madison County Coroner’s Office later pronounced the driver deceased as a result of injuries sustained in the crash. The driver is identified as Lucas C. Chesnut,

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GRANITE CITY - Juniors Aaron Brinker , Anna Forbes , Lucas Hutchings and Reece Smallie of Granite City High School were selected as Granite City Rotary Club Students of the Month for September and October. Students were nominated by teachers, and were chosen on the basis of academics, as well as scholastic, extracurricular and civic honors and awards, and organization membership and leadership. Each honoree will receive a framed certificate and a gift card, and will be recognized at a future Granite City Rotary Meeting. LUCAS HUTCHINGS - September Two-year member of boys golf team ... Three-year Honor Roll and two-year Secondary Honors ... All-Warrior Award ... Volunteer at Relleke Farms Fall Festival ... Member of Book Club, Renaissance, Speech and Debate Spirit Club, Varsity Club and Vica ... Son of Chris and Kellie Hutchings. REECE SMALLIE - September Two-year member of girls tennis and girls soccer team ... Two-time Honor Roll and three-year Scholar Letter ...

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GRANITE CITY - GCS Credit Union employees joined together to raise $835.00 in the month of October to benefit the Love, Abby organization through their Don’t Stop Donatin’ Jeans Program. The Don’t Stop Donatin’ Jeans Program is funded by GCS employees who make monthly, monetary donations out of their own pockets to a local organization. By donating $15 or more to a specific organization, GCS employees are able to wear jeans and tennis shoes on Fridays and Saturdays during that month. This year, GCS Credit Union is focusing on giving back to the 18 counties that they serve. During the month of October, GCS focused on giving back to Randolph County, IL. GCS proudly raised $835.00 for Love, Abby. Love, Abby is an organization that was established in honor of Abby Liefer who was taken too soon from a car accident in 2015. This organization was put together by her parents who started Love, Abby as a Random Act of Kindness that helped the family cope with the

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JERSEYVILLE - Gregory S. Breden, of the American Legion Post 492, said today this year's Veterans Day ceremony will be hosted by the Legion in Jerseyville on Friday, November 11, 2022. The parade will start at 10 a.m. on Friday. Participants of the Veterans Day Parade can begin lining up at 9 that morning. The starting point for the parade will be at Wells Norris on West Prairie in Jerseyville. The parade will proceed on State Street to Exchange and end at West Pearl in Jerseyville. The Veterans Day ceremony will be held at the Jersey County Courthouse War Memorial. "The ceremony will begin shortly after everyone settles in," Breden said. "On the day of the event if there is rain or snow the parade will be canceled and the ceremony will be moved to the American Legion Post 492." "We will hold the event outside underneath the big pavilion," Breden continued. "The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. Friday, November 11, under the big pavilion at the American Legion Post 492."

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SPRINGFIELD - HSHS Hospice Illinois invites community members to join them for their 8 th annual Night of Remembrance ceremony on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. Similar to the 2021 ceremony, this year will be a virtual candle lighting service via video to remember loved ones, to ease grief and celebrate the lives of those lost. Community members are invited to join the ceremony by lighting a candle at home while viewing the event virtually at hshshomecare.org/candle . For more information or questions, contact Valerie Engelbart, HSHS Hospice Illinois Volunteer/Bereavement Coordinator, at valerie.engelbart@hshs.org or call 217-685-0702.

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CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker, together with the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Division of Early Childhood (DEC), announced plans to further advance Illinois as the best state in the country for families to raise young children. The investments are aimed at supporting providers as they continue serving their local communities and easing financial burdens on working families. Illinois will enhance its continued investments in the state’s early childhood system in the following ways: Extending and expanding the Strengthen and Grow Child Care (SGCC) grant program through July 2023. These grants provide funding for eligible child care centers and homes. Extending Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) eligibility for job seekers through June 2023. Reclassifying some eligibility earned income to unearned income. This will enable more families to access CCAP benefits and make Illinois a leader in this area. “When I took office in 2019, I pledged to

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EDWARDSVILLE - The City of Edwardsville renewed the municipal electricity aggregation program this fall with a new supplier, Constellation NewEnergy. This is an “opt-out” program, meaning that residents will be enrolled in it automatically unless they choose a different supplier. Since the start of this program, the City’s goal has been to insulate residents from the continued rise in electric supply rates by joining other municipalities in a competitive bidding process among alternative retail electric suppliers. This process locks in the rate for a period of time, typically up to 24 months. Because the new aggregation term doesn’t begin until February, every participating household will return to Ameren, but only for two billing cycles before the new aggregation program starts. Each household will receive a notice from Ameren confirming the return for the two-month period. If you want to participate in the City’s aggregation program, simply do NOTHING

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OSF HEALTHCARE - For many adults, alcohol is part of unwinding after a stressful work week. There are the usual reminders about having a sober driver, knowing your limits and mixing in water between your beers. But experts are also warning about the dangers of excessive drinking or binge drinking, which is having several drinks on one occasion. Two recent studies shed light on the dangers. One reported that around one in five deaths among people aged 20 to 49 was attributed to excessive alcohol use. The other study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine linked binge drinking to problems like alcohol addiction, emotional symptoms and not getting along with friends, family and coworkers. This was true in study participants who didn’t even consider themselves heavy drinkers. The dangers How quickly can binge drinking turn problematic? “Very easily,” says Andrew Zasada, MD , an internal medicine physician at OSF HealthCare in Champaign County,

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced a Madison County jury has found a registered sex offender is a Sexually Violent Person (SVP). Following the verdict, Madison County Circuit Court Judge Janet Heflin ordered Ricky Deering, 62, of Bethalto, Illinois, to be remanded back to the custody of the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS). Deering returned to the Illinois Department of Human Services Treatment and Detention Facility in Rushville, where he has been since 2016. “I appreciate the jury’s work to find this offender to be a Sexually Violent Person,” Raoul said. “His criminal record shows a disturbing pattern of harming children, and now this verdict prevents him from being able to harm any more innocent children.” In 1985, Deering was convicted of sexual abuse in Missouri and was sentenced to two years of probation. In 1990, he was convicted of attempting to commit sodomy and sexual abuse in Missouri and was sentenced to eight

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - On Thursday, November 3, 2022, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued warrants on suspect Jayana Johnson, 24 years of age, of the 8400 block of Plaza Rock Court, Missouri 63114, for Endangering the Welfare of a Child First Degree. Johnson is being held on $200,000 cash only, no 10% bond. The probable cause statement reads: Defendant is 24 years old. The victim is a 10-month-old child. The defendant was responsible for providing care and nutrition for the Victim. Defendant failed to do so. The victim was admitted to Children’s Hospital with severe injuries, including rickets, pneumonia, severe malnutrition, failure to thrive, and approximately 17 bone fractures as a result of lack of care. The victim was admitted to the PICU. Defendant removed the victim from the hospital without notifying any hospital personnel. Children’s Division had obtained protective custody for the victim and notified the defendant that they needed to

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ALTON - St. Mary's Middle School today announces its first quarter honor roll and high honor roll students. 6th Grade High Honor Roll Avery Conrad Elaina Cowan James Fischer Katherine Fitzgerald Tucker Hamilton Eli Heischmidt Joseph Henesey Parker Hough Caleb Kasten Kainan Kelly Colette Manns Lucia Pulido Jenna Redman Caden Roth William Roth Alex Schmittling Caden Shewmake Olivia Smith Elizabeth Strickland William Waters Brock Woodward 6 th Grade Honor Roll Alexa Hoagland Sam Johnson Christopher Loftus Kaelyn Page Clyde Phillips Sophia Schmittling Brendan White Zoey Zeller 7 th Grade High Honor Roll Alivia Beaber Brooke Boston Clara Brass Alayna Graham Isabella Greenberg Gianna Grossheim Emily Hough Sophia Jacobs Jensen Janek Ryan Joehl Cameron Jones Chase Jones Sam Jun Allison Nash Natalie Novak Gianna Pulido Nora Ringering Mason Widman 7 th Grade Honor Roll Connor Cochran Baylee Dunse Jackson Ellis-Gable Lucas

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ARLINGTON, Va. - Nestlé USA is initiating a voluntary recall of a limited quantity of Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough tubs from NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® due to the potential presence of soft plastic film. This voluntary recall is isolated to three batches of Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough tubs from NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® that were produced August 1-3, 2022. These products were distributed to retailers nationwide. This recall does not involve any other NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® products, including other varieties of Edible cookie dough or Ready-to-Bake cookie dough. While no illnesses or injuries have been reported, we took action out of an abundance of caution after a small number of consumers contacted Nestlé USA about this issue. Consumers who may have purchased these three batch codes (22135554RR, 22145554RR, 22155554RR) of Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough tubs from NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® should not consume the produc

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GRANITE CITY - The Illinois Department of Transportation announces a lane closure in the eastbound direction of I-270 between Riverview Drive in Missouri and IL 3 beginning at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 5, 2022, weather permitting. One eastbound lane will remain open throughout the weekend. This work is needed to do bridge deck repairs. All lanes will be opened on Monday, November 7, 2022 at 5:00 a.m. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all construction signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling through the work zone. The contractor on this project is Walsh Construction Company II, LLC of Chicago, IL. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.

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ST. LOUIS - Today, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones voted early at Julia Davis Library following Missouri’s new no-excuse absentee voting provision, which allows voters to vote early absentee without an excuse beginning two weeks before Election Day. “Your vote is your voice and the way we make change in our communities,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “No-excuse absentee voting is a great opportunity to cast your ballot early, on your own schedule, ahead of Election Day on November 8. It’s fast, easy, and convenient, and I encourage St. Louisans to learn more about all their options to vote .” The Board of Election Commissioners has opened four locations across St. Louis for residents to vote no-excuse absentee: Three St. Louis Public Library branches on Monday, Thursday, and Friday: 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday: 12 p.m.–7:00 p.m., Saturday: 1 p.m.–4:30 p.m. Buder Library, 4401 Hampton Julia Davis Library, 4415 Natural

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WOOD RIVER - Jeffrey’s Flowers By Design, a custom flower shop in Wood River, is hosting its 17th annual Christmas Open House from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Sunday, Nov. 6, at the flower shop, located at 322 Wesley Drive in Wood River. Jeffrey McElroy, owner and founder of the business, said his flower shop offers several different products at affordable prices. “I think we set ourselves apart because we’re just not a typical flower shop, we’re more of an upscale look without the upscale price,” McElroy said. “I keep my prices very comparable to the area - in fact, there are some things that I’m lower priced on than other flower shops in our area. “We do lots of silk arrangements, we do home decor, we do a lot of funeral work … we do a lot of plants, a lot of blooming stuff whenever it’s available and in season. We do lots of different things, but my main focus is the upscale look without the upscale price.” McElroy

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JERSEYVILLE - Jersey Community High School government students have been discussing the November 8 midterm elections in class this week. Ben T. Gracey, the social studies department head/government teacher, said the lesson begins with an examination of what the constitution says about elections and voting. It then goes into further detail about various offices at the national, state, and local levels. "These midterm elections have been getting a lot of attention, and we pride ourselves in inculcating a real civic awareness in our student body about such things," Gracey said. Gracey also explained that the JCHS senior government course provides an in-depth examination of the formulation/meaning of the U.S. Constitution. "In addition, students examine how the principles of that constitution relate to our modern political system and civic engagement," Gracey said. "We don’t just memorize amendments at JCHS. Our graduating seniors leave here with a better understanding of how we

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CHICAGO - The Powerball jackpot has ballooned to a staggering $1.5 billion for Saturday night’s drawing, and quickly approaching the world record $1.586 billion jackpot. If a player wins Saturday night’s massive grand prize, it would be the second largest Powerball jackpot and the third largest lottery jackpot won in U.S. history. No winner matched all six numbers to win the jackpot last night. The winning numbers were: 2-11-22-35-60 and the Powerball is 23. However, several Illinois Lottery players woke up this morning a whole lot richer after last night’s drawing! Three players matched four numbers and the Powerball with Powerplay to win $100,000 each, and nine local players matched four numbers and the Powerball to win $50,000 each. The majority of the winning tickets were purchased at retailers across the greater Chicagoland area.

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