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CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has launched a new awareness campaign called ’ Tis The Sneezin’ to remind residents to vaccinate against the fall and winter triple threat: the flu, COVID and RSV. The announcement comes as data indicates six counties in the state are at an elevated level for COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to the CDC’s national COVID Data Tracker as of the week ending October 14. However, the total number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the state has been trending downward in recent weeks, with 503 hospitalizations for the week, down 8% from the previous week. Also this week the CDC issued an alert to healthcare providers advising of a shortage of a medication called nirsevimab which is used to protect infants from RSV. The CDC is recommending that doses should be prioritized for infants under 6 months and those with certain risk factors. The CDC also recommended that expectant parents talk to their healthcare

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EDWARDSVILLE - Putting students first, a high quality of teaching and learning and a collaborative culture are a few reasons Jennifer Hookstra, BSPharm, PharmD, MBA, CDECS, FNAP, wanted to work at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s School of Pharmacy (SOP). Professor Hookstra, who started at the University a month ago, is the new chair of Department of Pharmacy Practice. “So far, I would give us an A for our approach to teaching and desire to create a supportive environment for students,” said Hookstra. “The department is made up of so many hard-working individuals. I chose to come here because the faculty and staff are authentic and unabashedly dedicated to being student-centered, and it shows in their graduates.” Hookstra has already formulated some ideas for the SOP, but she says collaboration is key to developing a roadmap. “I would like the vision for our department to be co-created together based on our strengths and talents,”

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ROXANA - Roxana's Ridley Allen has continued to improve throughout the girls' cross-country season for the Shells. She posted a time of 27:05.8 for the Shells in the Mississippi Valley Conference Meet for 28th place. She also recorded a time of 27:06.3 in the Trenton-Wesclin 1A Regional Cross Country Meet this past weekend. Ridley is a Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for the Shells. Ridley said she was "exhausted" at the end of the regional but wanted to keep pushing for her team's senior Riley. "It means a lot to me to be where I am now," she said. "This is only my second year of running. The girls are like family and everyone goes through the same type of thing when they compete." Ridley, a junior, said she looks forward to coming back next cross-country season for the Shells. Again, congrats to Ridley Allen on her recognition as a Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for Roxana.

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GRANITE CITY - The Harris family has had quite an impact in Granite City girls' and boys' cross-country circles this fall. Lydia Harris, the sister, of freshman cross country sensation, Landon Harris, qualified for sectional this week in Alton by clocking a time of 20:43.90 for three miles. She said in an earlier interview that she has been putting in the miles and “it has paid off,” this season. Lydia is a Stillwater Senior Living Female Athlete of the Month for the Warriors. Lydia’s girls cross country coach Aaron Werths said Lydia has dropped her time significantly over the season and he is quite proud of her. “I could see her breaking 20 minutes by the end of the season,” he said a few weeks ago after the Alton Invitational Cross Country Meet. She was close to 20 minutes for three miles this past weekend in the regional at Alton. “Lydia has carried her success during track and field to cross country,” her coach said. Lydia says she

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This Trade Spotlight is sponsored by the Home Builders & Remodelers Metro East Association. EAST ST. LOUIS - Teens Against Killing Everywhere (T.A.K.E.) is a nonprofit that provides housing revitalization and construction, job training, and more to the community of East St. Louis. Through its various programs, the organization also provides local youth with scholarship opportunities and more while teaching them valuable trade skills. Shannon Stelling, executive officer of the Home Builders & Remodelers Metro East Association , has nominated T.A.K.E. for a Trade Spotlight for October for their work promoting the positive impact that the trades can have on the community. T.A.K.E.’s partnership with AmeriCorps helps with scholarship opportunities for local youths ages 16 to 24 who are part of T.A.K.E.'s Tomorrow’s Builders YouthBuild Charter School or the YouthBuild Construction Trades Training program from another partner, the Emerson Park Development Corporatio

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EAST ALTON - The old Citizens Savings and Loan Building, which is owned by the Village Of East Alton, is set for demolition on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. East Alton Village Mayor Darren Carlton said if the weather cooperates, the old savings and loan building will be torn down next week. “We will probably start to put up a fence on Monday and then the demolition will start on Wednesday if nothing happens,” Carlton said. “We have been trying to get it down since 2017. Some things happened, but the old Citizens Savings and Loan building demolition project started moving about two to three months ago.” Carlton said the village will work to see if there is someone interested in purchasing the property of the Old Citizens Savings and Loan once it is demolished and will make good use of the location. Carlton said there are some other derelict buildings that he hopes will either be repaired or torn down and hopes this will spark movement on those properties. An abov

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ALTON - Riverbender Radio is once again celebrating Halloween with a spooky soundtrack of traditional Halloween favorites and music from classic horror films and tv for the residents of the River Bend and beyond. Special programming will run on The Bridge station only from 6 p.m. to midnight on Oct. 30, 31. This is The Bridge station's third year providing special Halloween programming. And, leading up to Christmas, The Bridge will once again shift its sound to seasonal favorites. So tune in and enjoy popular songs I Put A Spell On You by Creedence Clearwater Revival, Monster Mash by Bobby Pickett, This Is Halloween by Michel Elias, Thriller, and Ghosts by Michael Jackson, Abracadabra by Steve Miller Band, Somebody's Watching Me by Rockwell, Dead Man's Arms by Bishop Briggs and more, while trick-or-treating and party-going this Halloween. And remember, Riverbender Radio is available on your Amazon Alexa. If you have an Amazon Alexa device in your home you can say 'Alexa, play

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PONTOON BEACH - After three years of struggling with a driver workforce shortage, the Madison County Transit (MCT) Board of Trustees approved service reductions which will take effect on December 3, 2023. Despite ongoing efforts to recruit and retain drivers, a double-digit workforce shortfall remains, necessitating mandatory overtime and posing a risk of driver fatigue and compromised service reliability. An initial service reduction plan was presented at eight public meetings throughout Madison County over the course of the last month. Following a review of the public comments received, MCT modified the original proposal accordingly. The following changes will take effect on December 3, 2023: #7 Alton-Edwardsville : Reduce frequency from 30 to 60-minute service. Serve Alton Regional Multimodal Transportation Center (ARMTC) but not Alton Square Mall on weekdays to allow for better transfer opportunities to the #8 and #10. Remove the SIUE trip from the schedule. #8 Central Shuttle

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GRANITE CITY – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that road repairs on westbound Interstate 270 between Illinois 3 and Riverview Drive in Missouri will require lane closures starting, weather permitting, at 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27. One lane will remain open at all times. All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 30. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this closure. 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. 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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EAST ALTON - The Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs East Alton office hosted an open house to inform veterans about the services available to them in Madison County. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023, Veterans’ Service Officer (VSO) Douglas Figge and Southern Region Supervisor Jeff Lewis welcomed veterans at the new East Alton office, located at 606 W. St. Louis Avenue. The office opened in April after moving from its previous location at Lewis and Clark Community College. “This is a great idea. The county that we’re covering is Madison, and so we wanted to make sure this area was covered, and this East Alton office is perfect for that,” Lewis said. “That’s a very important thing, that veterans are informed. To make sure they’re aware, that they know who their local VSO is and then make sure they make at least one contact with them. More if possible, but at least one so that can tell them, ‘Hey, this is

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ALTON - People who have cardiac arrests may benefit from CPR, yet many people who witness cardiac arrest do not perform CPR. That’s why OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center (1 St. Anthony’s Way, Alton) is hosting an upcoming first aid and CPR training class so Riverbend area residents are prepared to take action if necessary. The first aid and CPR training class will be held on Monday, November 13, 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. in the hospital’s Perpetual Help Center and led by a certified instructor. Space is limited and the deadline to register is Friday, November 10. The cost is $65.00/person. Registration can be completed by calling (618) 920-6816 or by email at susiesweetman22@gmail.com. “Knowing CPR and first aid can help save lives,” says Dennis E. Sands, MD, Chief Medical Officer, OSF Saint Anthony’s. “If your child or loved one isn't breathing, knowing how to do CPR could mean the difference between life and death. Emergencies ca

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ST. LOUIS, MO. – The season of giving is here and the United Way of Greater St. Louis is releasing the free Holiday Volunteer Guide, an online tool featuring local volunteer opportunities during the holiday season. The Guide can be found at STLVolunteer/hvg.org. "Volunteering during the holiday season is the perfect way for people throughout the region to lend their time and talent to lift our communities and celebrate United Way's Volunteer Center's 90th anniversary," said Rick Skinner, Vice President of United Way's Volunteer Center. All of?the opportunities listed are through?reputable?nonprofit agencies throughout the St. Louis region in Missouri and Illinois. There?is?a wide array of volunteer?opportunities?that people?can explore?by?location,?age, skillset,?passion and keyword.?Additionally, there are in-person, virtual and do-it-yourself at-home opportunities available through the Guide.?? ? Current examples include creating holiday goodie bags for local children, deliverin

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ST. LOUIS - Schnuck Markets, Inc. today announced that, in total, Schnucks customers donated $110,131 to support United Way of Greater St. Louis as part of the company’s Sept. 20 - Oct. 3 Round Up at the Register campaign at all Schnucks store locations in the St. Louis metropolitan area. One hundred percent of customer round-ups will benefit United Way of Greater St. Louis and will contribute to the organization’s campaign to build a strong foundation for our region now and in the future as they help 1 million people in the St. Louis community each year throughout their 16-county region in Missouri and Illinois. Proceeds will also support United Way’s 2-1-1 helpline, a free and confidential resource available 24/7 for up to 250 different languages. “We thank our customers for joining us on our mission to nourish people’s lives and for uniting with us as we lift and strengthen people, families, and neighborhoods across the St. Louis area,” said

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College celebrated the annual Art Faculty Exhibition with an opening reception, Friday, Oct. 20, in the Hatheway Gallery on the Godfrey Campus. The exhibition runs until Nov. 18, with gallery hours from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday. This ongoing event showcases the artwork of the art faculty at L&C, who are unique because they not only teach – they are also working artists who actively create and show their work in galleries across the country. This year’s exhibition features eight faculty members and their work. “Art exhibitions are a wonderful community outreach event,” said Fine Arts Program Coordinator and Gallery Director Angela Hung. “We welcome the entire community to join us in celebrating the talents and mission of the Art Department.” This year’s artists include Hung, Graphic Design and Web Development Coordinator Louise Jett and Jordan

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is encouraging Illinoisans to take advantage of events taking place on Saturday, October 28th, as part of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. IDPH is joined in the awareness effort by Chicago High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA), and the Overdose Response Strategy program, led by the CDC Foundation and the national HIDTA program. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and various local organizations are hosting events around the state to collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other forms of prescription medication that may be outdated or are no longer needed. Such medications should not be disposed of in the trash, so the collection events offer a free, safe, and convenient means of disposing of such drugs. “Prescription drugs that are still in the house after they are no longer needed pose a clear and preventable safety risk,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “Those medications

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ALTON - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rivers Project Office, will be celebrating 20 years since the opening of its National Great Rivers Museum. The celebration will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, November 4 and will include informational tables and children’s activities at more than 20 stations, as well as several food trucks. The commemoration of the National Great Rivers Museum will occur at 12 p.m. on a stage behind the museum, overlooking the Mississippi River and the Melvin Price Locks and Dam. Alton Mayor David Goins and St. Louis District Commander Colonel Andy Pannier, along with others, will be speaking at the commemoration about the importance of on-going cooperation along our Nation’s rivers. “This is truly a great day where we get to highlight the importance of the river and its many stakeholders, from the barge and agricultural industries, to recreation and tourism enthusiasts, to those interested in history and culture,” said St. Louis

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CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton joined local and state leaders today to celebrate the grand opening and ribbon cutting of Brown Sugar Bakery’s manufacturing facility. The 10,000 square-foot facility will enable large scale production on Chicago’s South Side while creating jobs for the local community. “One of the most important things I get to do as governor is help entrepreneurs start new businesses, and help small businesses become big ones. That’s the best way to create jobs and grow the economy,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I couldn’t be prouder of the Brown Sugar Bakery team as they continue to uplift the community, making a difference in so many people’s lives while bringing smiles to the faces of people everywhere.” Brown Sugar Bakery received $500,000 in grant funding from the state’s Minority-Owned Business Capital and Infrastructure Program in 2020 to support the expansion,

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GILLESPIE - Community members are invited to visit with residents and get their sugar fix at the annual trunk-or-treat at Gillespie Health & Rehab Center. From 5–8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023, kids can stop by the facility’s parking lot at 7588 Staunton Road in Gillespie. Staff members will be parked and waiting with candy, popcorn, cotton candy and “little trinkets,” said Activity Director Jolynn Hemken. The community is then invited to walk through the halls of the facility and trick-or-treat with residents. “The residents just love the kids,” Hemken said. Gillespie Health & Rehab Center is a long-term care facility with several rehabilitation programs . Director of Nursing Sara Tex explained that they have many residents who live at the facility full-time and others who live there for a few months as they recover from surgeries and similar health issues. While treatments like physical therapy are important, activity and socialization

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GODFREY - Godfrey Fire Protection District personnel responded to a report of a vehicle overturned off Clifton Terrace Road in Godfrey at 6:36 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023. Thankfully, the person involved in the crash was not seriously injured, Godfrey Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Thomas Wills said. The road was closed down for a brief period until a tow truck came and recovered the vehicle, the assistant chief said. He said there have been multiple crashes in the area and he advised that anyone driving in the area slow down to the speed limit of 35 mph to be safe.

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EDWARDSVILLE - Many parents spoke about bullying at the recent Edwardsville Community Unit School District #11 Board of Education meeting. On Monday, Oct. 23, 2023, a total of ten parents addressed the Board during the public comments portion of their regular meeting. Several of these parents shared accounts of bullying and discrimination in the school district, while one parent spoke about the district’s response to her son’s passing, which she said was mishandled. Jamie Miller was the first speaker of the evening. She shared that her son, Gavin Miller, passed away on Oct. 6, 2023. ECUSD11 sent a letter to district parents in which they did not identify Gavin, citing the family’s privacy. The district offered support to grieving students and expressed “great sadness” for Gavin’s passing. “The problem was, nobody from the district leadership or anything decided to contact our family and what we wanted,” Miller said. “My

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