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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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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate increased +0.2 percentage point to 4.6 percent, while nonfarm payrolls decreased -15,000 in October, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and released by IDES. The September revised unemployment rate was 4.4 percent, unchanged from the preliminary September unemployment rate. The September monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from +9,500 to +11,400 jobs. The October unemployment rate and payroll jobs estimate reflect activity for the week including the 12th. In October, the industry sectors with the largest monthly payroll job declines included: Professional and Business Services (-6,700), Manufacturing (-5,300), Financial Activities (-2,900), and Educational and Health Services (-2,900). The industry sectors with the largest over-the-month job gains included: Government (+4,200), Leisure and

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SPRINGFIELD - Today, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias unveiled the monarch butterfly decal license plate, a project seven years in the making that will support the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ (IDNR) Monarch Habitat Fund. Funds from the decals will directly support Illinois’ efforts to foster habitats that support butterflies’ migratory journey south to Mexico each fall. In partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Illinois Environmental Council, Sierra Club Illinois’ Monarch Team proudly advocated for this project starting in 2016. Thanks to the grassroots advocacy efforts of thousands of pollinator enthusiasts, Illinois lawmakers passed a bill in 2016 that put this project into motion. In response, Sierra Club Illinois Director Jack Darin released the following statement: “We applaud Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias for his leadership in cutting through years of red tape to finally

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EDWARDSVILLE - Community members gathered for a panel discussion on homelessness and the new Overnight Warming Location in Edwardsville. On Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, the League of Women Voters of the Edwardsville Area (LWVEA) sponsored the discussion at St. John’s Methodist Church in Edwardsville. Panelists included Michelle Babb, Director of Servant Ministries at St. John’s; Cornelia Smith, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 (ECUSD7); Lindsey Apple, pastor at Newsong Fellowship Church; David Kerr, with Madison County Community Development (MCCD) ; and Peter Hough, the minister who oversees the Overnight Warming Location in Alton. The discussion was moderated by John Harvey, a LWVEA member and organizer with the Edwardsville Community Housing Alliance. The panelists discussed the rate of homelessness in the Edwardsville area and some of the assistance programs available through Madison County. They also

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EDWARDSVILLE - Realtor Lisa Webb with Third Street Realty said the current real estate market is in good shape, even with looming headlines of higher interest rates and question marks around the market. Citing statistics from the latest National Association Of Realtors (NAR) report, she said numbers paint a more optimistic picture of the market. “There’s so much going on right now in the news about the interest rates … is the market crashing? Is it a bad market? A lot of agents are leaving the industry because they feel like it’s a bad market,” Webb said. “I just want people to understand that it’s a good market.” Webb cited the NAR’s 2023 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers , which found the number of first-time home buyers is on the rise: 32% of homebuyers were first-timers this past year, up from last year's 26%, but still below the 38% average seen since 1981. She also noted that despite overwhelmingly negative

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CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today announced $25 million in available grant funding through the Back to Business (B2B) NewBiz program. Following state recovery programming for businesses totaling $1.5 billion, the latest American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)-funded opportunity is designed to provide additional support for businesses in hard-hit sectors who launched during the pandemic. Businesses that launched in 2020 or 2021 and remain in operation have faced significant impacts during the pandemic, but they have not been eligible for other federal or state relief programming since they were not operational prior to the pandemic. To provide hands-on support and raise awareness about the program, the State has mobilized a network of nearly 100 community navigators across Illinois. Applicants are encouraged to visit b2bnewbiz.com to learn more and apply. “Small business owners contribute to our thriving

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Rotary Club has chosen to honor Edwardsville High School student Ameenah Abdul-Rasheed with the Student of the Month Award for the month of November. Ameenah Abdul-Rasheed was nominated by Social Sciences teacher Erin Kloster of Edwardsville High School. Ameenah is the daughter of Jocelyn B. and Hakeem Abdul-Rasheed. She is very involved in her extracurricular activities, where she is the Head of Documentation for the EHS Robotics Club and is also president of the Rhoer Club, which is an affiliate group of the sorority Sigma Gamma Rho. This group benefits the community by helping young women learn about leadership and how to give back to their community through community service. Additionally, Ameenah is also a member of National Honors Society, National Science Honors Society, National Math Honors Society, National English Honors Society, and National Music Honors Society. As well as being very involved in the school and community, she has also been

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EAST ST. LOUIS – In October 2023, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office (SCCSAO) filed 53 charges in Illinois State Police (ISP) Zone 6 Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG) cases, 44 felony and nine misdemeanor charges. PSEG is a joint effort between ISP and the East St. Louis Police Department (ESTLPD) for violent crime investigations. PSEG was created to provide more highly trained resources in East St. Louis to help solve and reduce crime. SCCSAO charged the following cases in October. The dates listed are the dates the incident occurred. On April 13, 2023, PSEG agents responded to a shooting in the 1400 block of 39 th Street in which an 11-year-old male was shot while inside his residence. As part of an ongoing investigation where three other individuals had previously been charged, the SCCSAO charged a fourth person in the case. SCCSAO charged a 15-year-old female with Aggravated Battery with a Firearm, Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm,

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MATTOON — First Mid Bancshares, Inc. (First Mid) is proud to announce they have earned two 2023 Top Workplaces Culture Excellence awards, just a few months after receiving the prestigious 2023 Top Workplaces Industry award. Energage, a purpose-driven organization that builds and brands employers of choice, determines the awards. The Top Workplaces program has a 17-year history of surveying and celebrating people-first organizations nationally and across 60 regional markets. Top Workplaces Culture Excellence awards recognize organizations that excel in specific areas of workplace culture. First Mid received an award for Employee Well-Being, which celebrates organizations who put the health and wellness of their employees at the center of their workplace culture. First Mid also received an award for Professional Development, which celebrates organizations who focus on developing their employees’ careers and enable them to grow professionally. “Being recognized with Culture

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O’FALLON, Ill. — New moms, moms-to-be and families are invited to attend “Bundles for Babies,” HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital’s special holiday community event on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 10 a.m. to noon in the main hospital lobby at 1 St. Elizabeth’s Blvd., O’Fallon, Illinois. Guests will meet St. Elizabeth’s Women and Infants Center staff, receive health and safety information and learn about services available to help them welcome their bundle of joy. Guided tours will also be offered of the Women and Infants Center. The tours will be limited to small groups to respect current patients’ privacy and safety. Christmas activities are also planned for children, including free photos with Santa while sharing cookies and milk and creating a fun holiday craft project to take home. Each family attending will receive a ticket to win an attendance prize. Additional tickets will be available for a $1 donation. All funds collected wil

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ROXANA - The Village of Roxana Street Department will once again light up the town for the holiday season. But this year, the lights will turn on early to celebrate the Roxana High School Shells football team. The Village of Roxana will turn on their Christmas lights on Friday night, Nov. 17, 2023, to prepare for the Shells’ playoff game at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, at Roxana High School. “Everybody around here is stoked. Football is the word on the street,” said Ken Hoxsey, Roxana Street Superintendent. “This year, in honor of our football team that’s doing so well, we are going to light them early. We’re actually going to light them Friday night and have them on for the football game here in town, the playoff game. We’re hoping that as people come to and from the game, they get to enjoy those .” Hoxsey explained that lights will be hung along Highway 111, which runs through Roxana, to Roxana Park. Hubbard Memorial Park

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GLEN CARBON – The Village of Glen Carbon kicked off their inaugural Hometown Heroes Banner Program by hosting a social hour at the Glen Carbon Fire Station on Wed., Nov. 15. Families that purchased Veteran banners were invited to attend, along with the Veterans being recognized. Banners will adorn Main Street in Glen Carbon for two consecutive years, during the Veterans Day and Memorial Day holidays. Local businesses showed their support for area Veterans by donating refreshments. Sam’s Club donated a sheet cake and Scooter’s Coffee treated guests to hot cocoa with whipped cream. Scooter’s also donated gift cards as attendance prizes. Over 50 people attended the event and many were lifelong Glen Carbon residents. Fire Chief Jason Whitaker, Village employees and Mayor Bob Marcus were also in attendance. Mayor Marcus was impressed by the event’s turnout. “It’s nice to see so many of our community come together tonight and visit. Many people her

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CARROLLTON - Several drug and alcohol-related charges were filed against individuals in Greene County over the past week, according to the latest Jail Booking Report from the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. Sheila M. Taylor, 43, of Jacksonville, was charged with adult use of cannabis in a motor vehicle, driving under the influence of drugs, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was arrested on Nov. 15, 2023, by the White Hall Police Department and was released with a Notice To Appear in court. Jill N. Coates, 44, of Carrollton, was charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of a narcotic instrument. She was arrested by the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department on Nov. 9, 2023, and was released with a Notice To Appear in court. Kayla A. Hill, 34, of Carrollton, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was arrested by the Carrollton

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Fire Department quickly extinguished a rooftop blaze ironically on the old Edwardsville Fire Station in the 400 block of Main Street. Edwardsville Fire called a Box Alarm and other area departments responded but they were called off when the fire was extinguished in what Fire Chief James Whiteford described as "a quick hit." Whiteford said they could see smoke from the old fire station from the new fire station. He commended his firefighters for their fast response to what could have been a very serious fire. "The building is undergoing a major renovation right now to be a new commercial space," he said. "We knew it was undergoing construction, so we weren't concerned about residents in the building. Our firefighters got the water up there quickly and put the fire out right away. We are doing some finish work right now and once we are done we will do an investigation to see what caused it."

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CARROLLTON - Several individuals have been charged with a wide range of crimes in Greene County over the past week, including one man who faces 11 separate criminal charges. These and other charges were included in the Greene County Sheriff’s Department’s latest Jail Booking Report. Jermaine M. Moffitt, 46, of Evansville, faces the following 11 charges: Armed violence Aggravated battery of a peace officer Aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in a vehicle Possession of a stolen firearm Illegal possession of a weapon by a felon Criminal damage to state property Aggravated driving under the influence, having been charged with three or more prior DUIs Aggravated fleeing or eluding officer Obstructing justice Violating the state’s transportation of alcohol provisions Possession of cannabis Moffitt was arrested by the Carrollton Police Department on Nov. 11, 2023 and remains in custody. David A. Clark, 52, of Jacksonville, was charged with

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ALTON - The 29th Annual Community Tree Lighting at Lincoln-Douglas Square is a fun event for Riverbend residents, but if you can’t make it out, you can still be a part of the celebration on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023. RiverBender.com has partnered with Big Z Media to stream parts of the tree lighting ceremony. Our Daily Show! host CJ Nasello will team up with Mike Roberts, former KSDK meteorologist, to host the broadcast. “It is really the official kickoff of Christmas in this area when the lights on that tree come on. It is maybe the earliest and biggest tree in the area,” Nick Darr, owner of WBGZ Radio, said. He added that he is excited about the collaboration between RiverBender.com and Big Z Media. “It has been a good partnership over the years. We obviously compete on some things, but we have been able to work on a lot of things together.” The broadcast will start at 6 p.m. when Santa Claus arrives at Lincoln-Douglas Square in downtown Alton.

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ALTON - The Alton Police Department and Alton Fire Department were dispatched to a two-vehicle crash at 3:56 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023, at Homer Adams Parkway and College Avenue. Alton Police Lt. Seth Stinnett said a total of five occupants from both vehicles were transported to local hospitals for non-life-threatening injuries. "Due to no witnesses and no evidence of right of way, no citations were issued," the lieutenant said. "Officers determined a vehicle was turning north onto Homer Adams Parkway from College Avenue when the front bumper of a vehicle traveling west through the intersection struck the passenger side door of the turning vehicle," he added.

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EDWARDSVILLE — The Madison County Board on Wednesday approved a $182.5 million budget and a zero-growth property tax levy for the seventh straight year. The board voted, 26-0, to approve the upcoming Fiscal Year 2024 spending plan that starts on Dec. 1, along with a $30.8 million property tax levy. The levy is the amount requested from property taxes used to help finance the county’s budget. “In 2017, we reduced the levy from $32.6 to $30.8 million, and we haven’t raised it since,” Chairman Kurt Prenzler said. “Keeping the levy amount the same, against the backdrop of increasing real estate assessments, has caused the county’s total levy rate to decrease to $.48 per $100 of assessed valuation from $.73 — what taxpayers paid in 2015. That’s a 34 percent decrease in the rate, and the rate will be even less next year.” Chairman Pro-tem Mick Madison said the county reduced it’s levy by 1/10 of a percent. “It may no

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BELLEVILLE – With Thanksgiving around the corner, state Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, is joining Meridian Health and state Sen. Christopher Belt, D-Swansea, for a free turkey and ham giveaway this upcoming Tuesday, Nov. 21 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Downtown Belleville YMCA, located at 200 S. Illinois St. “The holiday season is always an exciting time, and we want families to have access to a nice turkey or ham for Thanksgiving dinner,” Hoffman said. “Thanksgiving gatherings provide some of the most memorable moments for people, and we’re happy to help play a small part in it for local families this year.” Attendees are encouraged to arrive early before supplies run out. There will be 125 turkeys and 125 hams available for residents courtesy of Meridian Health. For more information, please contact RepJayHoffman@gmail.com . Who : State Rep. Jay Hoffman, state Sen. Christopher Belt, Meridian Health What : Holiday Turkey and Ham Giveaway

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