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ROXANA - Lead Pastor Rodney Durr invites community members to Roxana Church of the Nazarene for an early, cozy Christmas celebration. The Nazarene Community Theater, located at 400 Central Avenue in Roxana, will have a free showing of “The Polar Express” at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 10 and 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. Hot chocolate will be provided and pajamas are encouraged. “Part of what we want to do through the theater is to provide family friendly, affordable entertainment in a Christ-honoring atmosphere,” Durr explained. “So you don’t have to question whether or not you can bring your kids there or not. It’s always going to be appropriate and also affordable. We want to enhance the quality of life through the Metro East in this way.” The theater is owned by Roxana Church of the Nazarene, located down the street at 500 N. Central in Roxana. In addition to the free hot chocolate at “The Polar Express” showings

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police Department Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating a homicide in the 11600 block of West Florissant Avenue that resulted in the death of an adult male. St. Louis County police officers from the North County Precinct responded to a call for service for a shooting in the 11600 block of West Florissant Avenue. Responding officers located an adult male inside a business suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. The male was transported to an area hospital for treatment but later succumbed to his injuries. A suspect was taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit. The investigation is ongoing. Additional information will be disseminated as it becomes available. Deceased Identified In Homicide In St. Louis In a different case where someone suffered fatal gunshot injuries, the deceased has been identified as Carlos Strickland, 37 years of age, of the 8800 block of Torii Drive in St. Louis, Missouri 63121. St. Louis County

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ALTON - OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center Psychological Services department, in cooperation with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) - Southwestern Illinois, will be sponsoring Family Support Groups in Alton. NAMI Family Support Group is a safe place for family members, significant others, and friends of people with mental health conditions to share feelings, coping and communication strategies. The Family Support Group will meet monthly and attendance is open to the general public. Meetings will be held on the third Thursday of every month: 7-8:30 p.m. OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center 3 West Meeting Room 1 St. Anthony’s Way Facilitators for the Family Support group meetings are Diane and Paul Borawski who possess more than 10-plus years of lived experience in supporting families. To register or for questions please contact Kelly Jefferson at kelly.nami.swi@gmail.com or 618-798-9788. About OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center

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BETHALTO - After an intense police investigation, two are in custody after charges issued by the Madison County State's Attorney's Office. The story begins as follows: on the morning of October 30, 2023, the Bethalto Police Department responded to several vehicle burglaries on B Street in Bethalto, with a total of five incidents in the area. At approximately 4:30 a.m. on October 31, 2023, Bethalto Officers responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the 200 block of Gabrielle Circle. Upon investigation, they located the vehicle on Route 140 at Sheridan Street. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, it refused to comply and continued westbound on Route 140. During the pursuit, between the intersection of North Williams Street and Cottage Avenue, the officers believed they heard multiple gunshots. Due to safety concerns, the pursuit was discontinued. The abandoned vehicle was later found in Alton, on Morrison Street near South Rodgers Street. The passenger side o

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EDWARDSVILLE/GLEN CARBON- Three local businesses are hosting their second annual Miracle on Main Street event to kick off the holiday season. The free event runs from 5–9 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. Boheme Boutique, Seams For The Soul Boutique and The Gingham Buffalo organized the evening, to be held at The Gingham Buffalo at 214 W. Main Street in Glen Carbon. Attendees can enjoy free carriage rides, pictures with Santa and more. “Our community is coming together to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year, and we’ve got a lineup of activities that you won't want to miss,” the three businesses said in a statement. All of the evening’s activities are completely free. Carriage rides will be provided by 312 Carriage Company. Families can get professional photos taken with Santa Claus and enjoy a complimentary hot chocolate bar. There will also be firepits, carolers from Tessitura Music, face-painting and plenty of crafts for kids to get into

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COLLINSVILLE - The Collinsville Police Department and Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis announced that two male subjects have been taken into custody for first-degree murder after an investigation into a male found deceased with a severe laceration of his torso in the 500 block of Loop Street in Collinsville. The Major Case Squad and Collinsville Police said the case was presented to the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office and charges were issued against Carlos G. Mosley, 23, of Belleville, and Amari O. McGee, 22, of Belleville. Both subjects were charged with two counts of First Degree Murder, a Class M Felony. The Honorable Judge Timothy Berkley signed the arrest warrant and ordered both defendants remanded to the Madison County Jail for an initial appearance. At 10:44 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, the Collinsville Police Department responded to a call about an unresponsive male found by neighbors lying in a ditch in the vicinity of 521 Loop St. in Collinsville.

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Name: John T. Mahoney Hometown: Alton Years of Service: 1940-1948 Branch: Army Wars: WWII Medals Earned: Purple Heart Submitter's Name: Martha Maloy

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ROXANA - Roxana Central Intermediate students had an exciting morning on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023, as they were greeted by the high school football. The younger students wished the high schoolers luck as they prepare to play in the IHSA Class 3A quarterfinal game against Stanford Olympia on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. The Shells have had an impressive season under the leadership of head coach Wade DeVries. Players noted that the support they have received from the Riverbend community has also been a big encouragement throughout the postseason. “It feels great when all the other schools from around the community are looking at you, supporting you,” said Nick Newton, defensive end. “We have students from other schools coming around to support us, like huge crowds popping out to the games and stuff. Feels great.” Friday morning’s visit to Central Intermediate seemed like the perfect morale booster as players joked with the younger students and offered hig

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EDWARDSVILLE – Lewis and Clark Community College’s N.O. Nelson Campus in Edwardsville will hold an Industrial Careers Open House on Thursday, Nov. 16. This career fair/networking event is open to both potential students and L&C alumni who would like to learn more about the careers available to them with training from L&C’s Process Operations Technology and Industrial Electricity programs. According to Assistant Professor of Process Operations Technology Paul Kuebrich, those considering an industrial career will have the chance to speak directly to professionals who are actively engaged in the industrial sector. “This will be an opportunity to ask questions, gain insights and network with individuals who have experience and knowledge,” he said. “You will be able to take a guided tour of our state-of-the-art facilities and labs, and see the environment in which you will gain hands-on skills that are in high demand by employers.” Area employers

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EAST ALTON – NGRREC, in collaboration with Route 3 Films, announces the premiere of their new documentary, “The Call of the Swamp: Investigating the State-Threatened Bird-voiced Treefrog.” The event will be held from 5:30-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 15, at The Old Bakery Beer Company in Alton. There will be a brief introduction about NGRREC, a Q&A session and a social hour to accompany the film’s premiere. The documentary will be available on NGRREC’s social media channels on Nov. 16. Research Coordinator and Assistant Scientist Jessica Mohlman was the project lead for the documentary. The film was a joint effort between NGRREC and Route 3 Films, a local video production company based in St. Louis. NGRREC’s upcoming film focuses on conservation research occurring in the bald cypress and tupelo swamps of the Cache River System in Southern Illinois, home to a threatened species of treefrog, the bird-voiced treefrog. Viewers will follow NGRREC’s

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SPRINGFIELD - State Representative Kevin Schmidt has introduced HB4128, proposed legislation set for discussion in the upcoming spring legislative session. The bill strives to honor veterans in Illinois by creating the Veterans Day Paid Leave Act. If passed, beginning January 1, 2025, HB4128 would require all Illinois employers to grant a paid day off to veteran employees scheduled to work on Veterans Day. To be eligible for this leave, employees need to inform their employer in advance and provide proof of their veteran status. The proposed bill also amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to offer an income tax credit equivalent to 100% of wages paid by the taxpayer to a veteran under the provisions of the Veterans Day Paid Leave Act. "HB4128 is a way to honor and recognize our veterans’ service and sacrifices by ensuring they can observe Veterans Day," explained Rep. Schmidt. "This bill not only acknowledges their contributions by giving them the opportunity to take the day

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Bob Casey (D-PA), along with U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-1), Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11), and Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), in leading a bicameral group of their colleagues in urging congressional leadership to renew expired funding for child care in any supplemental funding package. Funding the lawmakers passed in the American Rescue Plan to allow parents to afford child care and keep their jobs during COVID expired in September, but the child care crisis continues. Without this funding, many child care providers are struggling with how they are going to continue to operate and serve families. The lawmakers’ letter comes after President Biden’s supplemental funding request to Congress included $16 billion to address the child care crisis. “W

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and U.S. Representative Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) in reintroducing the Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act. The legislation would help protect the health and safety of pregnant, postpartum and lactating people in immigration detention by establishing a presumption of release, prohibiting any agency under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from shackling pregnant women in its custody—including those in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP)—and setting new standards of care and transparency for the treatment of pregnant women and youth. “The practice of shackling and detaining pregnant women by ICE and CBP must stop immediately,” said Duckworth. “This policy puts mothers and their infants at risk while also denying these women the

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SPRINGFIELD - Governor JB Pritzker issued the following statement concerning the passage of SB1559, the Transporter License Moratorium & Fee Deferral: “The passage of SB1559 through both chambers of the General Assembly is another step towards guaranteeing Illinois is the home of an equitable legal cannabis system that does not disregard the injustices of the past. The two-year moratorium on new transporter licenses will allow the current, smaller independent transporters to secure contracts and grow their businesses. License holders will also have a two-year holiday from paying annual fees to further aid these small businesses as the industry develops. Since day one of the fight for legalization, I have stressed that this accomplishment is meaningless without reinvestment and repair for the communities left behind by the war on drugs. Small businesses, whether transporters, growers, or dispensaries, must be able to succeed if we wish to achieve that equity. This bill is another

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ALTON - In recognition of Veterans Day, local veterans received free comprehensive dental work courtesy of the SIU School of Dental Medicine on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023. Students and faculty members with the School of Dental Medicine saw nearly 120 veterans throughout the day. They completed as much dental work as possible for every veteran at no cost. “As a member of this community here in Alton and the Metro East, we have a real commitment to not only be a part of the community, but to be a part of solving problems,” said Dr. James T. Minor, SIUE Chancellor. “There are real stories that walk through the door here. They have a need. And what’s special about today is that we made a commitment to try to meet those needs.” Third- and fourth-year dental students saw patients under faculty supervision. They tried to address the most urgent concerns first. If a patient needed more intensive dental work, such as dentures or crowns, the school could help

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CARROLLTON – Jerry Reno, who worked as the “inside” manager of the White Hall Farmers Elevator for 25 years, will present a program on grain elevators, featuring those in Greene County, and how local elevators have trended to become the grain terminals of today. Once a place where the locals gathered to watch the markets, buy dog food and sip coffee in small towns, they now tend to be giant facilities to buy, sell and store grain. It all becomes a fascinating history of grain storage and transportation throughout the American Midwest. The meeting will begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023, with a brief business session, followed by Jerry’s presentation on the history of local elevators. Everyone is cordially invited to attend and there is no charge. The Greene County Historical Society is housed in the historic Lee-Baker-Hodges building located on the northwest corner of the Carrollton Public Square.

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WOOD RIVER — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine and Wood River Police Chief Brad Wells announced Friday that a 44-year-old St. Louis man has been charged with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI in connection with a fatal crash. The charges against Dustin L. Gilliland stem from a crash that happened June 24 on Illinois 3 in Wood River. The crash claimed the life of 18-year-old Gregory Kuehnel Jr. of Jerseyville. “Impaired driving puts everyone on the road at risk,” Haine said. “I cannot begin to imagine the loss experienced by the family and loved ones of this young man.” The charges allege that Gilliland was under the influence of alcohol when his 2021 Ford Bronco crashed into a 2023 Dodge Charger at the intersection of Illinois 3 and Illinois 143. Gregory Kuehnel was an occupant of the Charger. In connection with the death of Gregory Kuehnel, the defendant has been charged with aggravated DUI resulting in death (punishable by up to 14 year

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ALTON - The North Alton-Godfrey Business Council donated $1,000 to the Alton Memorial Hospital Services Foundation on Nov. 6 in support of the SIU School of Medicine’s Family Medicine Residency program at Alton Memorial Hospital. The Family Medicine Residency program kicked off at AMH in 2021 with its first six-member class. The program now has a full roster of 18 residents, with its first class set to graduate next summer. Dr. Nazanin Kheirkhahan, PGY-3, has signed with the BJC Medical Group and will join the AMH hospitalists staff in September. The North Alton-Godfrey Business Council is a not-for-profit organization devoted to promoting activities and projects which the communities that it serves. Alton Memorial is a member of NAGBC.

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a Metro East man prosecuted by his office pleaded guilty to disseminating child pornography. Jerry Newby, 25, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Jersey County Circuit Court to four counts of Class X dissemination of child pornography. He faces a sentence of between 24 and 120 years in prison. Newby is detained in the Jersey County jail, and his next court date is scheduled for Dec. 18. “Perpetrators who exploit innocent children must be held accountable, which helps prevent further abuse and can be critical to helping abused children and their families heal,” Raoul said. “This plea highlights the vital efforts of my Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which works tirelessly to identify and track down individuals who exploit children. I will continue to partner with local law enforcement to locate and hold these offenders accountable.” Newby was arrested and prosecuted as part of Attorney General Raoul’s

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ALTON - Alton High girls soccer standout Lily Freer has made some big decisions, but arguably none bigger than the one she just made. The AHS junior, still a grade too young to sign an official NCAA letter of intent, made a verbal agreement to continue her soccer and academic career at the prestigious Stanford University. "I'm very excited and feeling really good about it," Lily said. "It is a very competitive environment." For her accomplishment, Lily is an Auto Butler Car Wash Athlete of the Month for Alton. Stanford plays in the PAC-12 conference against other Western United States powerhouses like UCLA, USC, Colorado, and Washington State, all teams ranked in the top 25 in NCAA Division I. Stanford currently sits ranked No. 3 in the nation according to the latest United Soccer Coaches rankings and will begin play in the NCAA DI Tournament this weekend. "I was blown away because they are a top top school," Lily's former Alton High coach Gwen Sabo said. Former coach because

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