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SPRINGFIELD – The unemployment rate in April 2022 stood at 5.6 percent in Alton compared to 8.3 percent the same month in 2021 and in Edwardsville remained stable at 3.4 percent to the same 3.4 percent a year ago. Granite City's rate was 4.2 percent compared to 6.7 percent in April 2021. East St. Louis has made considerable progress, moving from 12.1 percent in April 2021 to 7.7 percent in April 2022. Jersey was the lowest in the region in April 2022 at 3.7 percent compared to 4.3 percent in 2021, while Macoupin County was at 4.0 percent compared to 4.5 percent in April 2021 and Madison County was 4.1 percent in April 2021 and was at 4.9 percent in 2021 during the same month. Greene County also had a 4.1 percent rate in April 2022 and was listed at 4.9 percent in April 2021. St. Clair County is now at 5.2 percent in April and was 6.3 percent in 2021. The unemployment rate decreased over the year in all fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas in April according to preliminary data

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GLEN CARBON – Heather Hall, a fourth-grade teacher at Albert Cassens Elementary School in Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7, has received a $300 grant through WGU’s “Fund My Classroom” initiative. The funds will be used to purchase Tinker Crates to spark creativity and curiosity using STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) principles for her fourth-grade students. Hall learned she was selected for the grant on May 5 when WGU staff surprised her with a check presentation at her school. The Tinker Crates will feature engaging, hands-on learning activities designed to help students discover, explore and create things in the world around them. Hall believes this method of learning is the best way for her students to acquire and retain information, while having fun doing so. The grant money received from WGU will allow Hall to add Tinker Crates to her classroom, enabling her fourth graders to use STEM learning as a key to creative problem solvin

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EDWARDSVILLE - Glen Carbon Mayor Bob Marcus made a very positive impression on St. Mary's student, Lucas Frohnert, who was recently Mayor for the Day for the Village of Glen Carbon. Mayor Marcus shared his valuable time and energy in creating what event chair Elizabeth Moody described as an "incredible experience." Frohnert, was Mayor for the day for The Villiage of Glen Carbon. He won this experience at the 2022 St. Mary’s School PTC Auction. "Thank you Mayor Bob Marcus for donating this amazing experience," Moody said. "It is incredibly generous of Mayor Marcus to not only donate this incredible experience but to take the time to plan such a meaningful and neat day for one of our students. Experience-based items like what Mr. Marcus donated are what make our auction successful, fun, and memorable." Moody concluded by saying: "With the help of Mayor Marcus and so many other local businesses, parents, donors, and school and parish families the St. Mary’s Auction was

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EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy’s (SOP) Khushali Sarnot has been recognized nationally with the 2021-22 American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Student Leadership Award. The award honors Sarnot’s interest in pharmacy practice in health-systems and her successful track record as a leader. Sarnot’s exceptional attributes and leadership accomplishments were recognized among the pool of 12 contestants in a “rigorous and competitive selection process,” according to ASHP. As a second-year student, Sarnot, of Manchester, Mo., holds several leadership positions, including class vice president, Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists (SSHP) president-elect and social chair for the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP). She participated in a 2021 ASHP Summer Internship, which provides pharmacy students with an opportunity to gain association experience in membership

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CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 36,843 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 45 deaths since May 20, 2022. According to the CDC, 15 Illinois counties are now rated at High Community Level for COVID-19, an area that includes Chicago, Cook County and surrounding counties in northeastern Illinois as well as counties around Peoria. An additional 30 counties in Illinois are now rated at Medium Community Level, the CDC reports. Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 3,286,377 cases, including 33,806 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois since the beginning of the pandemic. As of last night, 1,136 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 123 patients were in the ICU and 35 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators. The preliminary seven-day statewide case rate is 289 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 Illinoisans. The counties listed at High Community

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ST. LOUIS — How do you plan to enjoy this summer? Whether your plans include fun in the water, camping or grilling your favorites, the American Red Cross of Greater St. Louis has some resources you can use to help you have a safe summer. And don’t forget your furry friends — there are even some safety tips to follow to help protect your pets as the weather warms up. “Summer is a great time of year to get outside and have fun with your friends and loved ones,” said Beth Elders, executive director, American Red Cross Greater St. Louis. “But there are dangers if you don’t swim, camp or grill properly. We here at the Red Cross want you to have a safe summer and offer these steps you can follow.” WATER SAFETY Every day, an average of 11 people die in the U.S. from unintentional drowning — and one in five of those are children 14 or younger according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Red Cross wants

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JERSEYVILLE - Jerseyville Public Library now offers Explore More Illinois, a cultural pass program that provides discounts and other offerings from museums, historical societies, performing and visual arts centers, and other attractions across the state of Illinois. The program is free for adults 18 years and older who have a library card from a participating library. Offerings differ by attraction and include free or reduced admission, free parking, discounts at attraction shops, and more. Explore More Illinois is available 24/7 from any computer, tablet, or smartphone. Visit www.jerseyvillelibrary.org, click on the Explore More Illinois graphic on the home page, and log in using a valid library card number and password to review and reserve offerings by attraction and specific dates. Current attractions include the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (Springfield), Chicago Children’s Museum, Discovery Center Museum (Rockford), and the Gateway Grizzlies (Sauget).

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URBANA – Life does not exist without water. Gardens don’t grow without water. But what happens when there is too much of a good thing? Or when that good thing is mismanaged and becomes a misfortune. Or when there are prolonged periods of drought? “The tale of stormwater is more frequently a story of feast or famine,” says Emily Swihart, University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator. “Managing this resource onsite can have ripple effects downstream and throughout the watershed.” Rain gardens, bioswales, and permeable pavement, are all methods to slow stormwater and prevent floods. Before Illinois was settled, it was covered in diverse ecosystems of prairies, woodlands, and wetlands. These features were connected through a vast network of river valleys and stream corridors. When rain fell, nearly all the water was absorbed into the soil where it was available for plant use or slowly percolated into groundwater. Water that travels through

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PIASA - AmyDee Bachman just concluded an exceptional track and field career with the Southwestern Piasa Birds girls track and field team at the IHSA State Track and Field Meet in Charleston. AmyDee is an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for Southwestern. She recorded a jump of 9.05 meters at state. The Southwestern coaches said AmyDee has excellent leaping ability and has been a very hard worker throughout the season. Often on weekends, she wanted to be out there practicing and in the end, it resulted in her qualifying for the state meet from the sectional. AmyDee set a goal to clear 30 feet in the season and she did with a 9.42 meters jump, a 30-11.5 result in inches. “It was just fun,” she said of the track and field season. “It meant a lot to me to compete at state. "I had not been to state before in high school or middle school and it was fun to be able to do it my last year." AmyDee said other than competing at O'Brien

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GREENVILLE, Il. – Greenville University and the University’s Alumni Association are pleased to announce the University’s 2022 alumni awardees. The following will receive honors at GU’s Homecoming weekend October 14-15, 2022. Distinguished Alumnus Greg Groves (Class of 1980), longtime youth pastor, church leader, and mentor to countless young people in the Greenville area Outstanding Young Alumna Katie (Rathgeb ’05) Myette, founder and executive director of The Restore Network, an organization working to care for vulnerable children and change the culture of foster care. The Gene A. Kamp Loyalty Award recipients Jack (Class of 1969) and Susan (Bourne ’68) Chism, former and current GU faculty and continuous supporters of the University and GU students The adventure of ministry Greg Groves, youth pastor at the Greenville Free Methodist Church has ministered to youth and their families for over 40 years. He continues to organize and

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CHICAGO — Governor Pritzker signed a Medicaid omnibus (HB4343) today that includes a range of measures aimed at increasing access to quality health care services, preserving existing health care coverage, and continuing to create a more equitable health care system in Illinois. The legislation would provide continuous eligibility for adults enrolled in Medicaid, increase reimbursement rates for prenatal and postpartum health care coverage, and expand equity in coverage. “This legislation sends a clear message: in Illinois, healthcare is a right—not a privilege,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Throughout my administration, it has been our priority to create the most equitable healthcare system in the nation. Today, we continue to make that idea a reality. I am proud to sign this bill into law to ensure that all Illinoisans have access to quality healthcare no matter their gender, race, age, or zip code.” “As chair of the Council on Women and Girls

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WOOD RIVER - Two local high school students, Kianna Jackson, and Thomas Strohmeier, were each awarded a 2022-23 Delta Theta Tau Sorority, Inc. college scholarship by Anita Dawson, President of the local chapter, Kappa Omicron in Wood River. Kianna is the granddaughter of Mary Campbell of East Alton and is a Senior at Roxana High School. She will be attending Quincy University in Quincy, IL and majoring in Forensic Science. Thomas is a Senior at Roxana High School and plans to attend Missouri University of Science & Technology. He will be majoring in Aerospace Engineering. Thomas is the son of Jeremy & Katherine Strohmeier of East Alton. Delta Theta Tau Sorority, Inc. is a national philanthropic women’s organization with chapters throughout the United States. In addition to the scholarship program, the local Kappa Omicron chapter awards philanthropic dollars and volunteer hours toward various community needs.

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GRANITE CITY - 50 years of service to Granite City Community Unit School District #9 has not stopped Mary Ruth Snelson from continuing to give back to her hometown. Snelson, 72, works as a building aide (reading interventionist) at Frohardt 3-4 Education Center when she is not subbing as a teacher or a Paraprofessional, and on Thursday, she completed her 50th year in the district. "I feel I still have something to offer and I can be a benefit to these children," Snelson said. "I love seeing a child with a smile on their face because they have accomplished something new." Snelson knew at the age of 8 that she wanted to teach. She also knew as an 8-year old that she wanted to work with children of special needs. "This is what I was put on this earth to do. And I truly believe that," Snelson said. One of the things Snelson is most proud of is the fact that her oldest daughter, Jamie (Snelson) Mihu, followed in her footsteps and is a 3rd grade resource teacher at Frohardt. Since

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ST. LOUIS - A 60-mile stretch of Illinois (IL) Route 3 generates $16 billion in annual business revenue and supports 221,881 direct and indirect jobs, according to a new economic impact study commissioned by the St. Louis Regional Freightway. The Route 3 corridor in southwestern Illinois is parallel to St. Louis, Missouri along the Mississippi River and Interstate 255, and goes from Waterloo, Illinois, in the south to Godfrey Illinois, to the north. It is gaining recognition as a premiere heavy industry and warehousing corridor with distinct advantages over other areas around the country, such as the percentage of the direct jobs in manufacturing, transportation and warehousing that greatly eclipse the regional and national averages for jobs in those sectors. “These concentrations and logistical connections make it a unique asset in the Midwest from a site selection point of view,” said Doug Rasmussen. “We do a lot of work throughout the country and in the Midwest,

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that lanes that have been closed for construction will reopen, where possible, for the Memorial Day weekend to minimize travel disruption. Non-emergency closures will be suspended from 3 p.m. Friday, May 27, to 11:59 p.m. Monday, May 30. The following lane closures will remain in place during the holiday weekend. Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through these areas. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices and stay alert for workers and equipment. At all times, please buckle up and drive sober. District 1 City of Chicago Northbound Pulaski Road between 76th and 77th streets; lane reductions continue. Cicero Avenue (Illinois 50) between 67th and 71st streets; lane reductions continue. Inbound Bishop Ford Freeway (westbound Interstate 94) ramp to westbound

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ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Persons detectives are currently investigating a homicide in the 5600 block of Janet Avenue which resulted in the death of one person. The deceased has been positively identified as Edwardo Santiago Jr., 29 years of age, of the 5600 block of Janet Avenue in Jennings, MO 63136. On May 26, 2022, at approximately 7:30 p.m, Officers from the St. Louis County Police Department City of Jennings Precinct responded to a call for service for a shooting in the 5600 block of Janet Avenue. Responding Officers were informed a male victim was shot but was transported to an area hospital in a private vehicle. The preliminary investigation has revealed the male (black male) victim was among a group sitting outside when an unknown suspect and suspect vehicle opened fire on the victim and fled the scene. The male victim was later pronounced deceased at the hospital. There were no other victims injured by the gunfire. The male is believed to be

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EDWARDSVILLE - Liberty Middle School eighth-grader A’lon Garrett is an incredible young artist. Recently, she produced a masterpiece painting on a bare wall in the school that demonstrates even in these sometimes difficult times, everyone is better together. Liberty Middle School Principal Allen Duncan said one day, young A'lon was meeting with one of his related services staff members, and she noticed that the wall was bare. "I asked her if she wanted to make the wall her canvas, thinking she’d say no," Principal Duncan said. "I was wrong, she said yes. Three days later, she provided the sketch that she wanted to be painted for my approval. I then told her to go to Sherwin Williams and pick out all of the supplies that she would need. "First thing Monday morning, she provided me with all of the paint colors, brushes, and tape that she was going to need. Now the ball was in my court, and I knew that I couldn’t let her down. I purchased all of the supplies, and over

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MADISON – The Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Police, and World Wide Technology Raceway announce several traffic and travel impacts associated with the Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR Cup Series Race the weekend of June 3rd – June 5th. For those planning to attend any of the events at World Wide Technology Raceway next weekend, there will be several traffic and parking changes implemented to enhance your travels to and from the track. Directions on the best route for each parking location have been included with each parking pass. This information can also be found on the track’s website: https://wwtraceway.com/ and will be shared with multiple mapping applications to help guide motorists to the proper access point at the Raceway. To ensure the smoothest event access, follow these directions, all signage near the track, and the directions of law enforcement on site. Even if you are a regular track patron, there have been many upgrades inside

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ALTON - Enjoy the smooth sounds of Grammy award-winning Boyz II Men as they take the stage at Liberty Bank Alton Amphitheater on Sunday, August 21, 2022, at 7 pm. “A Sunday evening on the Alton Riverfront with an award-winning group like Boyz II Men will be a great night for Alton and the region,” said Dan Herkert, Alton Amphitheater Commission Chair. Tickets go on sale on Friday, May 27, 2022, at 10 am at www.Metrotix.com and through MetroTix outlets. VIP tickets will sell for $120.00 per person, reserved tickets are $69.50 per person, and general admission tickets are $42.50 per person. A VIP ticket includes entry to the concert, assigned seating in the VIP area, reserved parking, and access to the VIP tent on the side of the stage with private concessions. A reserved ticket provides entry to the concert and assigned seating at the amphitheater while general admission tickets include entry to the venue and seating in the lawn area. “The buzz around this concert

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JERSEYVILLE - The Jersey County Historical Society is excited to announce the return of its popular wedding tour, Tying the Knot, The History of Wedding Traditions . Tickets are $10 per person, and tours will be held Saturday, June 11, 18 and 25 in the Cheney Mansion, located at 601 N. State St. in Jerseyville. Tours start at 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m. Evening tours will be offered Thursdays, June 9 and 16, at 7 p.m. The tour, which showcases nearly 30 wedding dresses, will examine how bridal styles and customs changed from the 1870s through the 1970s. It will also examine the origins of common wedding traditions, including why brides originally wore veils, why grooms had best men, and how cake became popular at weddings. Brides-to-be will find inspiration, history buffs will enjoy touring Jerseyville’s oldest home and learning about wedding traditions, fashionistas will love the historical fashions, and everyone will enjoy recalling popular wedding trends. Registration i

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