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ALTON - The Annual 2023 Alton Tree Lighting Ceremony was again one to remember with mild weather and a packed contingency gathered to kick off the Christmas season in Downtown Alton on Friday night, Nov. 17, 2023, at Lincoln Douglas Square. The Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club and Alton Main Street partner to put on the tree lighting event on each year. The Salvation Army also kicked off its Annual Bell-Ringing Campaign in Alton on this special night. There are also several sponsors of the event, shown here in a photo. Riverbender.com and Big Z Media partnered to broadcast the Tree-Lighting Ceremony live on Our Daily Show! with CJ Nasello and Mike Roberts, a former KSDK meteorologist, as the night’s hosts. Mark Ellerbracht of Big Z Media was the master of ceremonies for the event. In an interview with CJ Nasello, Roberts said the Alton community is always one that comes together so well and the Tree Lighting Ceremony and The Salvation Army bell-ringing campaign are just example

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EDWARDSVILLE - Principal Partner and Owner Beth Gori, Managing Partner Sara Salger and Partner Jason Epps of The Gori Law Firm were recently invited to join The National Trial Lawyers – National Asbestos/Mesothelioma Top 10. This specialty organization comprises the nation's top trial lawyers from each state or region. Members of the organization demonstrate qualities of leadership, reputation, influence, stature and public profile. “This invitation is an incredible honor,” said Salger. “Throughout the years, our goal has always been to better serve individuals and families who have been affected by asbestos exposure or a mesothelioma diagnosis. This recognition is a testament to our firm's work and offers us more opportunities to showcase that work to our clients.” The Asbestos/Mesothelioma Top 10 is one of the 20 specialty organizations by The National Trial Lawyers. These organizations cover almost every area of the legal profession, including clas

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GRANITE CITY - Megan Sykes, a sophomore forward for the Granite City High girls basketball team, started off the new season by scoring five points in the Warriors' 70-24 loss to Collinsville in the season curtain-raiser on Nov. 16 at Memorial Gym. Granite worked hard, never surrendered and didn't give up throughout the entire 32 minutes, a trademark of a Warriors' athletic team, and it's something the team can hang its hat on for the season opener. "The game was definitely rough," Sykes said during her postgame interview, "but I think we tried to give all of our effort, and at points, we were kind of down. But we brought ourselves back up and we tried our hardest." Megan is a Stillwater Senior Living Female Athlete of the Month for the Warriors. Despite the odds, the Warriors kept striving, which is something the team will be doing throughout the season. It's something that can bring positive results down the road and one never knows what could happen in a particular game. "Yeah,

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ROXANA - The Roxana High School Shells football team is coached by Wade DeVries - but even off the football field, they’ve been coached, supported, and inspired by teachers, faculty, and staff members over the years. Players recently gave their jerseys to teachers, faculty, and staff members who made a positive impact on them during their journey to what’s been a remarkable season so far. The Shells have been undefeated on the field this season. In addition to being named conference champions , the Shells play in the state semifinals this Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023 with a chance to play for a state championship. Jersey recipients were asked to wear their jerseys at Friday’s pep rally and at the semifinal playoff game on Saturday. Roxana High School Senior Keylon Caruthers gave his jersey to Sandy Witt, who was his sixth grade teacher at Roxana Junior High School. Witt said she was “moved and honored” to be recognized for her impact on him. “I

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GLEN CARBON - Father McGivney Catholic forward/guard Sami Oller returns to her senior season as one of the most highly regarded area girls' basketball players. Oller, a star in basketball, girls volleyball and track and field in the shot put and discus, will be one of the key components for the Griffins as the 2023-2024 season unfolds. She is feeling very confident about how the season will go this year. Last year was a very successful campaign for the Griffins, who went 29-4, but were upset in the IHSA Class 1A regional by Carlyle 52-46 at Metro-East Lutheran's Hooks Gym. The loss didn't dim anything from Oller's season, as she played brilliantly, averaging 14.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, shooting 59.6 percent from the field, 25.9 percent from behind the three-point line, and 71.2 percent from the free throw line, and also contributed 55 assists, 87 steals and 25 blocks. McGivney is already off to a good start, having defeated Belleville East 57-47 in their opener at the

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GLEN CARBON - Nick Franklin, a hard-hitting catcher who has contributed much to the success of the Father McGivney Catholic baseball team in spring 2023, signed a letter of intent to attend Longwood University in Farmville, Va., for the 2025 season. Franklin, the starting catcher for the Griffins the last two years, last season hit .361 with two home runs and 28 RBIs, also having an on-base percentage of .531 and stealing seven bases. He's also the regular catcher for the Griffins' pitching staff and has developed a great rapport with them. Franklin is a Byron, Carlson, Petri and Kalb Male Athlete of the Month for Father McGivney Catholic. The decision to sign with Longwood and play for the Lancers was an easy one for Franklin. "When I first went out there, for the catching camp, the coaches were really good," Franklin said during a post-ceremony interview, "they talked a lot about how they push us, not only academically, but on the field too. And (head coach Chad Oxendine) gotten

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ALTON - Alton-Godfrey Rotarian Tim Hinrichs and members and friends of the Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club once again showed their dedication to the community. Hinrichs, shown above, left, recently delivered a truckload of coats plus $625 in cash to Gene Howell of Riverbend Head Start before the onset of the Christmas season. The coats project is one Hinrichs works on every year once the weather begins to turn cold. Hinrichs said he is "always delighted by the generosity of the Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club members." Head Start distributes the coats to area children and uses the cash to buy additional coats. Howell was ecstatic about the significant donation: “This is the largest donation we have ever received,” the president and CEO of Riverbend Head Start said. “We serve about 1,000 kids, and they are always proud of their coats."

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COLLINSVILLE - The Collinsville Police Department, working collaboratively with the St. Louis County Police Department, has taken into custody a suspect in a recent armed robbery at the Sav-On Liquor Store at 809 St. Louis Road in Collinsville. Collinsville Police received a call at 8 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, about an armed robbery at the Sav-On Liquor store. “Upon arrival, officers learned that a black male described as being short in stature with long dreadlocks, entered the establishment and approached the counter and demanded the money from the register while displaying a black handgun,” Major Brett Boerm of the Collinsville Police, said. “After retrieving the money from the register, the suspect fled the store on foot toward the rear of the business. “Investigators from the Collinsville Police Department responded to the scene and assumed control of the follow-up investigation. A suspect vehicle description was received and within a short period

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BETHALTO - The Bethalto Police Department reported on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, that the Village of Bethalto has continued to see a spike in vehicle burglaries throughout the community. "In most of these incidents, the vehicles are being left unlocked with some others having keys left in the vehicle. We have also taken several reports of vehicles being broken into by breaking windows," Deputy Chief Scott Hale said. "We ask everyone to please remove any valuable items (or at least out of view), including the vehicle keys, and lock your car doors. "We believe that there are at least two people involved and will primarily travel on foot. They may have a vehicle parked in the vicinity or a driver driving around waiting to pick them up. We have reports of these occurring in the early morning hours, between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. "On the nights that the burglaries occur, they may hit more than one area. If you have cameras, please check your cameras for any type of suspicious activity or persons

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In a sweeping rebuff of four different utilities, Illinois regulators have sharply curtailed record rate hikes proposed for more than 4 million gas customers across the state, while also blocking most spending on a controversial pipe-replacement program that has fueled a heating affordability crisis for consumers in recent years. Under the rulings by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) Thursday, customers of Peoples Gas, Nicor Gas, Ameren Illinois and North Shore Gas will still incur a rate increase, putting more stress on already struggling families – a pattern consumer advocates have said they are determined to stifle in coming years. Nonetheless, the decisions significantly limited the size of the rate hikes that the utilities threatened to inflict on consumers, and they collectively signaled that the regulatory climate in Illinois may be shifting decisively in the direction of stronger consumer protections. In each of the cases, the ICC’s reduction to the rate hik

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WOOD RIVER - Riverbend Family Ministries (RFM) is thrilled to announce an impactful donation of $50,000 from Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery. This generous contribution will directly support the vital operations of RFM’s Client Service Department, dedicated to providing personalized support to individuals and families in crisis throughout Madison County. This gift will play a vital role in delivering personalized support for children, youth, and families who’ve experienced trauma, most often due to violence, addiction, poverty, and homelessness. RFM’s Client Service Department supports clients and their families with resources such as rental and utility assistance, job coaching, interview skills, resume writing, financial fitness, social service navigation, rehabilitation connections, laundry, showers, and more. RFM is also home to 9 additional non-profit agencies, providing convenient access to additional resources and support services clients may require. All service

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), founder of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Ethylene Oxide Task Force, today issued the following statement on the report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) evaluating the public health impacts of the ethylene oxide (EtO), a cancer-causing agent, emitted from the now-closed Sterigenics medical sterilization facility in Willowbrook, Illinois. The report, which was released today for public comment until January 3, analyzed EtO concentrations measured in Willowbrook from November 2018 to March 2019. In the report, ATSDR concluded that, prior to February 15, 2019, long-term breathing of air within one mile of the Sterigenics facility is a concern

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GRANITE CITY - Dr. Justin Warren's Vocational Culinary Arts class at Granite City High School tied with Reigning Champions East St. Louis for first place overall in the Sixth Annual Platinum Chef Competition held Thursday at SWIC. It was a true group-effort win by the team, led by Madison Kie. The team consisted of Kie, Desirae Dobrynski, Johnnie Smith, Aiden Wylie, Xander Watkins, Courtney Cochran, Taylor Carson, Luke Stepanek, Crystal Womack, and Audrey Whitehead. Dobrynski was named the MVP of the competition, while the team also won Best Table Display. The Vocational Competition team beat out very skilled teams from Highland, Collinsville, Edwardsville, Civic Memorial and Triad. The hard work and dedication of the students in Dr. Warren's class truly shined positively on Granite City. For more information about Granite City School District #9, visit www.gcsd9.net .

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ST. LOUIS - Thanksgiving and the day before are the top two days in this country for the chance of a cooking fire to happen in someone’s home. The American Red Cross of Greater St. Louis offers safety steps everyone can follow if they will be preparing their family’s Thanksgiving feast. “Cooking is the leading cause of home fires, home fire injuries and the second leading cause of home fire deaths,” said Beth Elders, Executive Director, Red Cross of Greater St. Louis.“Most happen because people leave cooking food unattended. We want everyone to have a safe, enjoyable holiday, so don’t leave the kitchen while you’re cooking.” COOKING SAFETY TIPS Follow these safety tips and visit redcross.org/fire for more information, including a fire escape plan to practice with your family. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you must leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove. Us

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today, along with her U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democratic colleagues U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Coons (D-DE), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), issued the following statement on President Biden’s meeting with President Xi. “We welcome the progress between President Biden and the People’s Republic of China’s President Xi, particularly on fentanyl, climate cooperation and military-to-military communications. These are some of the most pressing issues in our bilateral relationship and we applaud President Biden for his leadership in engaging with the People’s Republic of China to address them. While China has taken some long-overdue steps to curb the production and shipment of fentanyl and fentanyl precursors, Beijing must do much mor

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with Presidents and staff from Chicago State University (CSU) and Malcolm X College to discuss federal support for Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) in Illinois. During the meeting, Durbin and the school leaders also discussed the struggles PBIs face in securing federal investments, and expressed support for increased federal funding to help PBIs build capacity and student support services. “Predominantly Black Institutions, particularly those in Illinois, offer high-quality, educational opportunities and financial support to Black students,” said Durbin. “In speaking with presidents and staff from Illinois’ PBIs today, I reiterated my commitment to working alongside these institutions to secure federal resources for their schools and the students they serve.” Photos of the meeting are available here . PBIs serve high proportions of Black students and other minority

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ALTON - Vintage Voices' record-breaking turnout in 2023, with 633 guests, is a testament to the community's strong support and the event's growing popularity. “Each year we’ve experienced an increase in attendance and the number of sponsorships,” said committee chair Jody Basola. “We are so grateful for the community’s appreciation of this event.” A treasured October tradition, Vintage Voices features costumed actors portraying historical individuals near their grave sites in the picturesque Alton Cemetery. The unique setting and the fact that the actors write their own scripts gives guests the feeling that they are learning first-hand about the individuals' contributions to Alton’s history. While the primary mission is to preserve and share local history, Vintage Voices makes an additional impact by giving back to the community. More than $3,500 will be distributed among various local organizations, including Alton Cemetery, Boys and Girls

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GLEN CARBON - Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois is pleased to announce that Loretta Graham has been selected to be part of Team Scott’s 2025 Class of Honorary Commanders. Twenty-four community leaders from across the St. Louis metropolitan region were chosen for this prestigious honor. “I am honored and humbled to be selected as a Team Scott Honorary Commander,” said Graham, Chief Executive Officer for Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois. “The values that ground us in Girl Scouting – such as serving our country and helping people at all times – align with the values of the men and women who serve in our military. I am excited for this opportunity to work together to make our community – and the world – a better place.” Designed to educate and increase knowledge and understanding of the military and the installation, the Honorary Commanders program is a two-year in-depth orientation of the various missions, programs, and assets of Scott

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WASHINGTON, DC – After meeting with American families of hostages being held by Hamas including the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American who has not been heard from since he was taken hostage after losing his arm in the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7th despite clearly needing immediate medical attention, U.S. Senator and member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Tammy Duckworth underscored the need for all parties to remain laser-focused on the safe return of all hostages being held by Hamas while also working to enhance humanitarian pause windows and deliver humanitarian aid to innocent civilians suffering in Gaza. Duckworth issued the following statement: “Since October 7th, the civilized world has been haunted by the faces of the hundreds of innocent human beings taken hostage by Hamas and by the faces of the thousands of innocent Palestinian children buried in rubble. We’ve been haunted by the faces of all the Israelis massacred

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COOK COUNTY - Today, the Cook County Board of Commissioners approved a balanced $9.26 billion FY2024 budget which includes millions in funding for equity programs and pandemic relief without increasing taxes or cutting vital services. The budget passed unanimously 17-0, following a month of departmental hearings, commissioner questions, and amendment proposals. “We have faced no shortage of challenges but despite these many difficulties over the last couple of years, we are in a strong financial position,” said President Preckwinkle. “This is a balanced budget that provides equitable services to our residents without any tax or fee increases. I am proud of our hard work and dedication to the County’s financial management that is helping create a better Cook County for all our residents.” In the coming year, with equity as the guiding principle of the decision-making process, Cook County will continue implementation of critical projects funded in FY2023

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