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ROXANA - In 2022, Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery supported over 100 local organizations through monetary donations, company sponsored service projects, and employee volunteer efforts. Through the local charitable giving budget, the Refinery donated over $350,000 to support educational, environmental, health & safety and civic enrichment organizations and projects. Major gift recipients included: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; Audubon Center at Riverlands; Lewis & Clark Community College Foundation; Community Hope Center; Friends of Pere Marquette State Park; and Riverbend Family Ministries. The total donation amount included over $55,000 to communities bordering the Refinery property – Wood River, Hartford, Roxana, and South Roxana. The donations supported community events and programming, summer reading programs, to help fire departments purchase replacement firefighting foam, and to create a new quality of life program for residents. “Investing in our loca

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SPRINGFIELD – The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum will celebrate Lincoln’s birthday and Black History Month with activities that include a read-a-thon, two days of free admission and a play about a daring escape from slavery. “February was first chosen for Black History Month in part because it included Lincoln’s birthday,” said Christina Shutt, executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. “You can’t fully honor Lincoln without acknowledging his impact on African Americans and, in turn, their essential role in building this nation.” Black History Month opens Feb. 1 with the first of 10 performances of “Small Beginnings,” a short play about the amazing Robert Smalls. Enslaved from birth, Smalls commandeered a Confederate ship in Charleston Harbor and used it to take family and friends to freedom in 1862. He then piloted that ship for the U.S. Navy and was elected to Congress after

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The Overnight Warming Center in Alton will be activated Monday night, January 30, 2023. The center will open at 5 p.m.

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EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has been recognized as one of the best schools for online learning at the master’s level by OnlineMastersDegrees.org. SIUE’s online master’s of educational technology and criminal justice programs earned top honors for overall quality, affordability and commitment to student success. “We are very proud to receive this recognition for our graduate online programs”, said Jerry Weinberg, associate provost for research and dean of the graduate school. “Six years ago, SIUE made a strategic investment in online graduate education for which the recognition and enrollment numbers are clear indication of SIUE’s success in the online graduate education market. More importantly, the success of our graduates in obtaining positions that require advanced degrees shows the high quality of our online programs that are meeting job market needs. “ The ranking was based off of primary data points

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WASHINGTON D.C. After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued draft guidance to reduce levels of lead in baby food earlier this week, today U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08) and U.S. Representative Tony Cárdenas (D-CA-29) are once again urging FDA to take quick and significant action to reduce high levels of toxic heavy metals—including lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium—in baby food and help ensure that the baby food we provide our nation’s infants and young children is safe and healthy. While this draft guidance is welcome progress, it was announced much later than expected according to FDA’s own “Closer to Zero” initiative, the FDA’s plan to reduce high levels of toxic heavy metals in baby food, which stated that this draft guidance would be issued in April of last year. The lawmakers’ letter follows up on their June 2022 letter to FDA

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EAST ST. LOUIS – Construction and building trades will be expanded in the Metro East thanks to a nearly $700,000 investment secured by State Senator Christopher Belt. “Expanding the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship programs will bring more opportunities and jobs to Metro East residents looking for a new career,” said Belt (D- Swansea). “By providing people with support and training, we’re opening the door for Illinoisans to secure stable, good-paying careers in a high-demand industry.” The Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship was created to promote diversity, inclusion and use of apprentices in state-funded capital projects.?Comprehensive pre-apprenticeship programs help participants gain admission to apprenticeship programs, which provide a greater opportunity to obtain employment in the construction trades and secure long-term employment. A total of $13 million for the program’s second year will expand access to the program across the state

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EDWARDSVILLE - Associate Judge Maureen Schuette was reappointed to the Illinois Supreme Court Judicial Performance Evaluation Committee Associate Judge Maureen Schuette of the Third Judicial Circuit, Madison County was reappointed as a member of the Illinois Supreme Court Judicial Performance Evaluation Committee for a term commencing on January 1, 2023, and expiring on December 31, 2025. “I am honored to be reappointed and look forward to continuing to serve as an active member of the committee,” Judge Schuette said. Judge Schuette is currently an Associate Judge in the Family Division in Madison County, and the Juvenile and Family Divisions in Bond County.

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CARLINVILLE, IL - Blackburn College in Carlinville, Illinois, will host prospective students and their families for an Open House on Monday, February 20, 2023, beginning at 9:00 AM. The winter event is designed to be an engaging opportunity for prospective first-year and transfer students to gather important information about the college application process. For students who bring their official transcripts, it may be possible to get an instant admission decision and find out immediately if they can attend Blackburn in the fall. Throughout the day, students and families will tour the beautiful 80-acre campus, make personal connections with current students and professors, and get to know what life is like as a Blackburn student. In addition to a complimentary lunch, they will see first-hand Blackburn’s unique approach to education as the only student-managed Work Program in the nation and discover how graduates build full resumes that will give them a four-year head start launching

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College welcomes three new faculty members for the start of the Spring 2023 semester. The new team members include a director of nursing education, an associate business professor and an assistant professor of art. “We’re pleased to welcome these professionals to Lewis and Clark,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs Sue Czerwinski. “The knowledge and experience they bring to these positions will certainly benefit our students.” Nicholas Hand, Associate Professor, Business Hand is a Godfrey native. He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Lindenwood University. He went on to graduate magna cum laude from Saint Louis University School of Law. He has experience working in the business offices of both junior and professional hockey, including a marketing role with the St. Louis Blues. His higher education experience includes work as an adjunct and full-time professor in the Plaster

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Several area schools were closed on Monday after a wintry mix hit the area, leaving behind snow, sleet, and ice-covered roads. Residents who were out on the roads and highways were advised by the Illinois State Police and Illinois Department of Transportation to "Take it slow!" Today, the forecast was for a high of 22 degrees and a low of 10 degrees Monday night. Tuesday, a high of 25 and a low of 15 degrees with no precipitation was predicted. Wednesday a high of 36 degrees is forecast and warmer temps to 48 degrees are predicted on Thursday. The forecast was for a high of 22 degrees with a low of 10 degrees Monday night. Tuesday, a high of 25 and a low of 15 degrees with no precipitation was predicted. Wednesday a high of 36 degrees is forecast and warmer temps to 48 degrees are predicted on Thursday. Click here for a list of school closings: https://www.riverbender.com/closings/

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EDWARDSVILLE/GLEN CARBON - The Edwardsville Fire Department and the Glen Carbon Fire Protection District will host a series of free CPR classes throughout the month of February as part of their “Savings Hearts for Valentines” program. The free classes will be held February 1 and 15 at the R.P. Lumber Center, located at 6289 Tiger Drive in Edwardsville, and February 11 and 25 at Glen Carbon Fire Station No. 1, located at 199 S. Main Street in Glen Carbon. Participants will attend one two-hour class. There will be a maximum of 20 people, ages 14 and older, per session. “The more people we have who are trained in CPR out in the world, the better chance that we’ll have someone close by in emergency situations who could make that life-or-death difference,” Edwardsville Fire Chief James Whiteford said. The classes will cover CPR basics, including a compressions-only version that does not require mouth-to-mouth breathing for those who are not comfortable

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GODFREY - St. Ambrose Catholic School 2022-2023 has released its second quarter honor roll. This is the honor roll list: 4th GRADE High Honor Roll Danica Dornes Rylan Estes Finn Kane Emma Kory Lydia Lara Caroline Morrissey Honor Roll Collin Cruse Charlotte Hendrickson Joey King Benjamin Osborn Jackson Osborn Neal Pichee Asa Reinersman Liam Rose Finn Stephan Isla Stevenson Ryan Terry 5th GRADE High Honor Roll Piper Adams Bennett Anderson Erin Crawford Kayli Jacobs Elizabeth King Lydia Kribs Christian Monroe Grant Pruitt Laken Wong Honor Roll Bennett Beiser Karina Chew Noah Delehanty Natalie Droste Leon Kerkemeyer Averie Kochan Charlotte Kohl Adelyn Labrenz Genevieve Merkle Grayson Sidwell Parker Williams 6th GRADE High Honor Roll Isabelle Bassett Hadley Bohn Mallory Cronin Adelyn Estes Camille Hampton Cooper Kane Nora Murray Maggie Pruetzel Caty Pulaski Noah Rose Honor Roll Carson Klasner Shane Morrissey 7th

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EDWARDSVILLE – One block of East Schwarz Street is scheduled to be closed beginning Monday, January 30, for a sanitary sewer installation project. The closure will shut down East Schwarz Street between South Buchanan Street and South Kansas Street. The intersections on both sides of the closure will remain open to traffic. The closure is expected to last from Monday, January 30, through Wednesday, February 1. The work is dependent on the weather. Signs will be posted to alert drivers to the closure. The sanitary sewer installation is a project of Pfund Construction. Please contact Public Works at (618) 692-7535 with any questions.

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HOLIDAY SHORES - Law enforcement says all the time that seat belts and car seats save lives, but an incident on Friday in the area showed it crystal clear. A vehicle overturned at the intersection of Illinois Route 159 and Illinois Route 140 in the Holiday Shores Protection District on Friday, but thanks to seat belts and a proper car seat, a man and young child did not have to be taken for medical treatment beyond at the scene. Holiday Shores Fire Chief Jim O’Brien said when they arrived for the call that came in at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Alton Memorial Ambulance was on the scene. The driver and child had been cared for by first responders and did not have life-threatening injuries, and no one was transported. The male did suffer some facial cuts from the accident. "The vehicle was towed away," Chief O’Brien said. The chief said all accidents are terrible, but this was the best possible outcome because no one was hurt. "Car seats are so important," he said. "The car seats

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - On Friday, January 20, 2023, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued “At Large” charges on suspect Julian Jones Sr., 48 years of age, of the 2400 block of Princess Drive in St. Louis, Missouri, 63136, for Statutory Rape Second Degree. A photo of Jones is attached. Jones is not currently in custody. The probable cause statement reads: Defendant is forty-eight years old. The victim was under the age of seventeen when she and the defendant engaged in sexual activity. The victim got pregnant as a result and had a child. Police obtained a search warrant for DNA from the victim and defendant. Paternity testing indicates that the defendant is the father of the child. St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Persons detectives are leading this investigation. Please note, charges are merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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WASHINGTON PARK - A 58-year-old Belleville man died in a two-vehicle traffic crash at 3:37 a.m. on Friday, January 27, 2023. The crash occurred on Interstate 64 eastbound at milepost 6 in Washington Park in St. Clair County. The vehicles involved in the crash were a 2010 tan Ford F250 and a 2013 white Freightliner truck-tractor. The preliminary ISP investigation indicates the following: Unit 2 (the 2013 white Freightliner Truck-Tractor) was parked on the right shoulder of Interstate 64 eastbound at milepost 6. Unit 1 (a 2010 tan Ford F250) was traveling eastbound on Interstate 64 near milepost 6, drove off the right side of the roadway, and struck the rear end of Unit 2. The passenger of Unit 2 was lying in the sleeper birth at the time of the crash and reported no injuries on the scene. The driver of Unit 1 was pronounced deceased on the scene. ISP said no further information is now available.

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EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville Police are investigating a social media posting from a non-student of EHS that created significant attention on Thursday afternoon. Edwardsville Superintendent Dr. Patrick Shelton said the following: “Late this afternoon, District #7 and Edwardsville High School became aware of a threatening photo from a non-EHS student that had been widely shared. We promptly worked with the Edwardsville Police Department to ensure the safety of all our students and have determined that there is no active threat to any of our students. “As always, the safety and security of our students, staff, and schools remain the highest priorities for EHS and District 7 and we will continue to investigate any threat." Edwardsville Police Chief Mike Fillback said: “Late yesterday afternoon the Edwardsville School District alerted us to a social media posting from a non-student of EHS. School resource officers were promptly notified and started an investigation, which

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ALTON - The past year, the My Just Just Desserts ownership, family, and employees have had a lot to handle with the death of previous owner Yvonne Campbell in a fatal traffic crash on July 9, 2022. Yvonne was beloved in the community, and her sister, Evelyn, and the others regrouped and continued on with the popular Downtown Alton eatery. Another one of those who were in the vehicle that day is now paralyzed, Evelyn said. Evelyn also suffered injuries in the accident and has had to recover since that date. On Sunday, Jan. 29, Evelyn and the others at My Just Desserts will open back on that particular day of the week with its popular brunch. Right now, My Just Desserts is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and the brunch this Sunday will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Evelyn said My Just Desserts will be open after this Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., except when they have brunch. She said they will announce the dates of their brunch in the future. Evelyn said the brunch

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today introduced the Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act , which would require school food personnel to complete a food allergy training, so that they are better equipped to prevent and respond to emergency situations involving allergic food reactions. Over the past two decades, the number of children with food allergies in the U.S. has more than doubled. Now, more than eight percent of children, about two students per classroom, have food allergies, and more than 15 percent of them will have an allergic reaction at school. Because common allergens are often present in school meals, school food personnel must understand how to prevent, identify, and respond to a food-related allergic reaction. “When parents drop their kids off at school, they should have the peace of mind knowing that their children are in a safe environment with personnel that are trained to look

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CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today awarded $13 million to 30 recipients to expand the Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program, which creates a qualified talent pipeline of diverse candidates in construction and the building trades. The program’s second year expands access to the program across the state and will serve up to 1,400 pre-apprentices – a 40 percent increase from the program’s inaugural year. “The Illinois Works program aims to break barriers down for more women and people of color to take advantage of the thousands of jobs created by our state’s nation-leading infrastructure investments, while simultaneously creating a sustainable pipeline of qualified workers for an industry that is booming,” said Governor JB Pritzker . “These are the types of strategic investments that ensure we have a workforce ready to take the jobs available right now in fields

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