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MADISON COUNTY - Although significant enhancements are being made to the 138 miles of scenic Madison County Transit (MCT) Trails this year, progress will create temporary closures. Visitors should prepare to take alternate routes to avoid closures as work on the MCT Schoolhouse Trail and MCT Nature Trail will close segments between now and the end of the year. The projects will temporarily reduce access to several loops, a beloved feature of the MCT Trails. MCT Schoolhouse Trail Tunnel Work on the highly anticipated MCT Schoolhouse Trail tunnel under IL-157 in Collinsville has officially begun. The crossing on IL-157 near Horseshoe Lake Road requires trail users to cross multiple lanes of traffic, forcing bicyclists and pedestrians to stop and wait for a safe time to cross the state highway. Currently, the MCT Schoolhouse Trail is closed from Keebler Road to an area just east of the Metro East Parks and Recreation District (MEPRD) office, however construction crews may be present

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ALTON/ST. LOUIS - Jonathan Wickenhauser and Kevin Sullivan with the Veteran Golfers Association appeared on a recent episode of Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com to discuss the VGA’s upcoming golf tournaments, the therapeutic effect of golfing for veterans, and more. “The Veterans Golf Association is a golf tour set up for veterans, active duty service members, and their families. It’s a spot for all of us to basically be with people who have gone through the same stuff we’ve gone through, and it gives us a chance to experience the same camaraderie and the brother-and-sisterhood that we had in the military,” Sullivan said. “We care for each other, we travel to different tournaments together. “Overall, it is still competitive, but we do have a lot of fun and we make sure that we pick up our fellow brothers and sisters too. So it’s a great way to kind of experience that camaraderie, but also a little bit of therapy through the game

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EDWARDSVILLE — Metro East Humane Society is pleased to have received a Rachael Ray Save Them All grant from Best Friends Animal Society for its Madison County Animal Care & Control & MEHS Unicorn Foster Program to help save the lives of more adoptable pets living in Madison County. “This grant allows us to include the Madison County Animal Care & Control & MEHS Unicorn Foster Program in our work finding more homes for the pets in our care,” said Anne Schmidt, Director of Metro East Humane Society. “Our goal will be to adopt out 62 dogs pulled from our local animal control to loving families. We appreciate the support of Best Friends Animal Society in making this program possible.” Metro East Humane Society is an active partner in Best Friends Network which offers help and support to shelters, rescue groups, and other animal welfare organizations working to save lives in their communities. “When you choose to adopt your next

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GODFREY - Lewis and Clark Community College Athletics is postponing Thursday's Trailblazers Trivia Night until the fall. The trivia night was scheduled for Thursday, March 23, in the Common on the Godfrey campus, as a fundraiser for The Trailblazers. The event was supposed to have eight rounds, 10 questions per round.

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SHILOH - In an unusual case, at 9:58 p.m. on Sunday, February 9, 2023, Shiloh Police were dispatched to the 2400 block of Parkland Boulevard in reference to a report of eavesdropping. Upon arrival, Shiloh Officers met with the victim who found a recording device in her residence that had been placed there without her knowledge. Shiloh Police said the individual responsible for placing the device in the residence was an acquaintance known to the victim. "All conversations on the device had been recorded without her consent. Shiloh Officers took the device, and the case was submitted to the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office for review," the Shiloh Police Department said. "On Wednesday, March 22, 2023, St. Clair County State’s Attorney Elizabeth Nester issued a four-count warrant #23CF0049901, #23CF0049902, #23CF004903, and #23CF004904 for Eavesdropping, all Class 4 Felonies, each charging Shawn Joseph Hagan, 51, of the 300 block of Warrensburg Drive in Belleville,

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HARDIN - An Elsberry, Mo., man was arrested after a traffic stop at 4:52 p.m. on March 18, 2023, near the intersection of Park Sreet and Barry Street in Hardin. Subsequent to a Calhoun County Sheriff's Office investigation, a passenger, James A. Jackson, age 43, of Elsberry, Missouri was arrested for the following offenses: Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine Missouri Department of Corrections Parole Warrant Jackson was arrested without incident and lodged in the Greene County Jail. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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EDWARDSVILLE — R.P. Lumber was recently named as the City of Edwardsville, IL’s 2022 Large Business of The Year. On March 7, 2023, President & CEO of R.P. Lumber, Robert Plummer, accepted the award as presented by Mayor Art Risavy at the city’s annual economic forecast breakfast. Plummer was joined by his wife, Donna, other family members, and members of R.P. Lumber’s leadership team. R.P. Lumber employs over 700 people in communities across Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, including over 100 in Madison County, IL alone. The hardware and building materials retailer also supplies dozens of local homebuilders, remodelers, and handymen with the supplies they need for both commercial and residential building projects. “It’s always nice to be recognized for our contributions to the communities we serve,” said Plummer. “We are honored to accept this award on behalf of our great team members, customers, vendors, and other partners.

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ALTON - Due to the impending rain over the next several days, Alton Memorial Health Services Foundation has rescheduled the Ribbon of Strength unveiling. The new date is 4-6 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, at Rolling Hills Golf Course in Godfrey. If you have any questions, please call the Alton Memorial Hospital Development Office at 618-463-7701. Proceeds from this year’s Ribbon of Strength campaign will be used to help cancer patients at AMH experiencing financial hardships, as a result of their diagnosis or treatment, to pay for the essentials – gas, car repairs, rent, mortgage, and utility bills – so they can focus on treatment, healing and recovery. Many from the community have purchased a ribbon customized with a message memorializing someone who lost his or her life to cancer, or sending well wishes to someone battling the disease, or celebrating someone who won the fight. The ribbons will be laid end to end to form one giant ribbon at Tuesday’s event. “The

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GREENVILLE - A quintet of classical musicians from Taiwan will perform at Greenville University on Sunday, April 2, as a part of the group’s tour of the United States. The 4 pm concert by the Muen Ensemble will be held in the Whitlock Music Center at the intersection of College Avenue and Elm Street. Since the concert is being performed on Palm Sunday, it will include several Easter songs in addition to classical music numbers. Though the members of the ensemble are Taiwanese natives, they are familiar with the United States since they all earned advanced degrees in musical performance from U.S. universities. The group includes three violinists, one cellist, and one pianist. The leader of the ensemble is Oliver Shon. Brother and sister Greenville College alums and retired music professors, Joe and JoAnn Noble, were instrumental in bringing the ensemble to Greenville. Joe worked with Shon to form the group in 2014 when he was working in Taiwan. The purpose of the group is

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PIASA - Southwestern Middle School recognized its PBIS Students of the Month for February. From left to right, front row: Sydney Dwiggins, Knox Miller, and Zaylen Sanford. From left to right back row: Olivia Alward, Ellie Myette, Maci Lloyd, Chloe Holden, and Patrick Buis. They were nominated according to the word of the month. Acceptance. Also, for being Respectful, Responsible, and Safe. They all received a Dairy Queen lunch of their choice.

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SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Community College System has recorded its largest year-over-year enrollment growth in nearly 15 years. Opening Spring 2023 enrollment increased by 7.2 percent from the previous spring according to the Illinois Community College Board’s (ICCB) Spring 2023 Enrollment Report. “This upward enrollment trend is encouraging and continues to signal a shift towards pre-pandemic levels. This data furthers our confidence that efforts to expand learning opportunities and increase access to a community college education are working,” said ICCB Executive Director Brian Durham. The 2023 Spring Enrollment Report shows the first Spring-to-Spring semester increase in the last five years. It’s also the second largest enrollment increase in nearly 15 years (7.8 percent increase between Spring 2009-2010), and the second consecutive semester of growth for the nation’s third-largest community college system. Significant findings from the Spring

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Seniors - High Honor Roll Joseph Aiello Michael Attebery Jacob Baker Gabriel Bays Evangelynn Beasley Hailey Becker Carter Bloodworth Hayden Bodwell Jade Bowker Anaya Braggs Jace Brawner Ellah Brown Sophee Brown Gabrielle Bryant Dalton Buhs Caleb Butler Lauren Carpenter Jocelyn Combes Alexis Cox Madelyn Daniels Isabella Dugger Olivia Durbin Carter Ehlers Maireli Figueroa-Santana Nicholas Fiorino Zachary Fitzgerald Jynnifer Floyd Brady Geisler Kylee Golden Olivia Goodman Haley Greeling Dathan Greene Addilyn Hadley Journey Hammons Logan Hanner Ryleigh Haynes Hayley Hicks Laura Hicks Dylan Hoffmann Cael Huber Noah Huth Tyler Jenkins Isabella Kallal Jacob Knight Travis Kramer Caitlynn Laird Jarrett Lamb Hannah Laper Adelaide Liljedahl Myah Lindley Alyssa Mann Hannah Meiser Ethan Miller Benjamin Morris Baylea Nickle Emma Niemeier Kaitlyn Pfeifer Aurora Phillips William Piening Peter-James Postlewait Kaitlyn Rider Alivia Roark

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Thomas A. Haine announced Tuesday that an Alton man has been convicted of predatory criminal sexual assault and child pornography, resulting in a 45-year prison sentence. Ryan M. Nation, 39, received the sentence for convictions on one count of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and one count of child pornography. Nation pleaded guilty Tuesday to committing sexual acts with a child on March 15, 2022, and using a phone to make a recording of the assault. “We will continue to work with law enforcement and use any available resources to investigate and prosecute those who prey on children,” Haine said. “I commend the diligent work of law enforcement and the prosecution team in our Children’s Justice Division, who worked hard to ensure this offender will no longer be a threat to our children and our community.” The Madison County Sheriff’s Office spearheaded the investigation, which

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GODFREY - The Godfrey Village Board of Trustees approved several items at their March 21 meeting, including funding the creation of a new “Welcome to Godfrey” tourism website for the village from Riverbender.com. Economic Development Director Jim Mager said that while Godfrey’s current municipal website works well for municipal purposes, it doesn’t showcase the amenities or assets of the village to visitors or current residents. This new website would help promote the Godfrey Business District and other aspects of the village without replacing the municipal website. Trustee Sarah Woodman said that if the “Welcome to Godfrey” website is comparable to the St. Charles visitor website, “it’s a phenomenal marketing piece for the money.” Mager said that based on his conversations with Riverbender.com Owner John Hentrich, that is the goal. Trustee Virginia Woulfe-Beile added she thought it was a “good idea” to have separate

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ROXANA - 2nd Generation Distribution is a wholesale retailer of everything from Little Debbie products and other snacks to custom woodwork gifts, furniture, electronics, appliances, and more - all at heavily discounted prices. At their small storefront at 301 S. Old Edwardsville Road in Roxana, customers can avoid the long lines and price markups of bigger stores. “The biggest thing that we push is we’re family-owned and we’re local,” 2nd Generation Distribution Owner Brad Pence said. “We really try to offer as much as we can to people at a low price, while also trying to keep things local - small businesses, that kind of stuff - so we can pass off savings to consumers.” In addition to a wide range of Little Debbie snacks (some of which are available earlier than they are in regular stores), customers can also find locally made and customizable woodwork gifts from 618 American Flag WoodWorking , liquidated merchandise at 60% off from big-bo

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ALTON - Chloe Plough, a senior at Alton High School, has signed on to play tennis for Illinois College this fall. Plough is a three-year letter winner for the Redbirds and in 2022 she was named second team all-conference in the Southwestern Conference and was named to the Academic All-Conference Team. She was also named team MVP and served as a captain her senior year for the Redbirds. Chloe is the Auto Butler Female Athlete of the Month for the Redbirds. Alton High head coach Jesse Macias said: “Chloe came out as a sophomore and was a complete newbie to the game. But, she is a perfect example of what hard work and the right attitude can do for you. She works on her game year round and that transformed her from someone who likes playing tennis to someone who now gets the chance to compete at the college level. "Chloe played tournaments and did clinics in the winter and summer and she showed up for every off-season workout we had. She leads by example and we are excited that

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GLEN CARBON - Spring break and vacation season are approaching and Ooh La La AntiAging & Wellness’ Director of Wellness and Nutrition, Robert Wise, D.C. is helping people feel and look their best. Dr. Wise has more than two decades of experience with nutritional counseling. He says this time of year he sees more patients interested in new ways to feel confident about their bodies before summer. “We often see people struggling with weight loss because the diets and exercise that once worked can change as you age,” said Dr. Wise. “It’s normal and natural that as we get older our bodies age and can go through some changes. When people come to Ooh La La, we look at their lifestyle as a whole, not just what they eat or how often they exercise. Together, we create a sustainable, healthy lifestyle plan that people can use throughout all stages of life that doesn’t just fade like a trendy diet.” Dr. Wise said they don’t push harsh diets and intens

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ALTON - Jerrick King has organized a GoFundMe for his mother, who lost her house on Holly Hill Drive in Alton Monday, March 20. "On March 20th, a gas leak sparked a fire that ruined my mother’s house," King said. "Thankfully, she was able to get herself and three of her grandchildren to safety. Although no one was physically hurt, her belongings and her home have been ruined. "If you would like to donate and support, allocate funds will go to the family. Thank you." To view the GoFundMe, please visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/q4rn2-rebuild-after-a-fire

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Rotary Club has chosen to honor Edwardsville High School student Paolo Demchenko with the Student of the Month Award for the month of March. Paolo was nominated by Edwardsville high school math teacher, Mrs. Tiffany McBride. Paolo is the son of Alexei Demchenko and Cristina DeMeo. Paolo is an aspiring entrepreneur and currently runs an online store and he is involved with Ecommerce and affiliate marketing. In his free time, Paolo enjoys lifting weights, playing soccer, and spending time with friends. Paolo hopes to grow his business and become a full-time entrepreneur in the future. The Edwardsville Rotary Club recognizes a student each month September through April. Each May, Edwardsville High School staff chooses one of the monthly winners to receive the $1,500 Edwardsville EHS Rotary Scholarship. The awards have been given since 1996 and the Edwardsville Rotary Club has given out over $35,000 in scholarships to date.

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GLEN CARBON – Giving residents a substantial amount of time to comply, the Village of Glen Carbon is sending out letters notifying residents of proper boat storage and parking options. Effective September 5, 2023, storage and parking of boats must be in the side or rear yard of Village residences. This ordinance enforces Section 10-13-1, Subsection 10 (d) regarding boat ownership. In addition to a proper storage location for boats within Village limits, Subsection H also requires that the storage and parking space be a solid surface and paved with concrete, asphalt or brick. Parking surfaces that are durable and allow for proper drainage within the area must be at a standard approved by the Village. Over the past several months, Village Administrator, Jamie Bowden, reviewed current ordinances with the chief of police and public works director and noted some improper boat storage and parking in the Village. Although the indiscretions were minor, it was decided that a letter

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