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CHICAGO - Today, Governor JB Pritzker and allies announced the formation of Think Big America, a new organization focused on protecting and expanding reproductive rights. Think Big America (TBA) builds on the progress that Governor Pritzker’s administration and its allies have made in Illinois and takes the fight to right wing extremists all across the country. By helping to support initiatives that expand rights and make life better for working families, TBA will get big things done for all Americans. “From attending rallies and marching with my mother as a young boy, to codifying the right to choose into state law before the fall of Roe v Wade, my commitment to protecting and expanding reproductive rights has been lifelong,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Think Big America is dedicated to ensuring the fundamental right of reproductive choice for individuals everywhere––regardless of their state of residence, religion, race, or socioeconomic status.”

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced that Illinois, along with 49 other attorneys general, has reached a bipartisan settlement with a subsidiary of payment processor ACI Worldwide Corporation (ACI) concerning a testing error that led to the attempted unauthorized withdrawal of $2.3 billion from the accounts of 477,000 mortgage holders. Under the settlement, ACI has agreed to take steps to avoid future incidents and pay a $10 million fine. Illinois will receive $519,501.61 from the settlement. “The settlement with ACI not only imposes a significant fine but also holes the financial company accountable so that consumers are protected in the future from erroneous charges,” Raoul said. “My office’s Consumer Protection Division will continue to protect consumers and hold accountable bad actors that do not responsibly handle Illinois residents’ hard-earned money.” The settlement resolves allegations ACI erroneously attempted to collect

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EDWARDSVILLE – North Myrtle Street will be closed to all traffic for several days starting Monday, October 23, while the existing asphalt pavement is removed and replaced. North Myrtle Street runs between St. Louis Street and Randle Street. Weather permitting, the project will get underway about 7 a.m. on Monday, October 23. North Myrtle Street is expected to reopen sometime on Wednesday, October 25. The City appreciates everyone’s patience and cooperation while the project is ongoing. While City crews and equipment are on site, drivers in that area are asked to please use caution. Anyone with questions about the project can call the City’s Public Works Department at 618-692-7535.

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ALTON - The Alton School District Board of Education named the next Director of Financial Services at their regular meeting Tuesday night, Oct. 17, 2023. The Board approved Kimberly Y. Nixon for the new post beginning July 1, 2024. Nixon will replace Mary Schell who is retiring at the end of June 2024. Nixon moves into the role with significant experience in school finance and fiscal management. She currently serves as the Assistant Business Manager and Board of Education Treasurer for the District. Her background includes experience in payroll, bookkeeping, audits, budgets, insurance, grant management, accounts payable, employee benefits and quality control. Prior to the Alton School District, Nixon also worked in school finance for the Bethalto and Collinsville School Districts. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Lindenwood University and a Master’s Degree in School and Business Management from Northern Illinois University. She also holds Chief

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EDWARDSVILLE - At their first meeting since the passing of Alderman Jack Burns , members of the Edwardsville City Council, Mayor Art Risavy, and other city officials spoke kindly of the late alderman, recalling his sense of humor, mentorship, and more. “Jack was a trusted friend - somebody I respected, cared about. He was an advocate for the people in his ward and the people of the City of Edwardsville,” Mayor Art Risavy said. “He was a veteran, he was a successful banker, he was a Main Street Community volunteer, and he was a Scott Air Force Base honorable commander representing the City of Edwardsville - and most recently, I learned that he actually tried out for the St. Louis Cardinals. “No one can replace Jack. I personally will never forget the impact he’s had on my life.” Each of the aldermen had something positive to say about their time serving with Burns on the City Council, whether for years or just a few months. “Jack

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RIVERBEND - Halloween is creeping up on us, but it’s all treats — no tricks — this spooky season. Several parades are scheduled over the next two weeks, and your little monsters can enjoy trick-or-treating across the region. Check it out! PARADES ALTON: With one of the longest-running Halloween parades in the country, Alton’s 106th annual celebration will run from 7–10 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023. The parade begins downtown at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Broadway and will continue on Broadway to Piasa Street, where it will end at 9th Street. There are over 40 parade participants registered already. If you are unable to get out to view the Alton Halloween Parade in-person, keep an eye out for the live stream on Riverbender.com. BETHALTO: Bethalto Rotary will host their annual Halloween parade on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. Floats will line up at 6 p.m. at Rose Lawn Cemetery on Erwin Plegge Boulevard. To register your float, contac

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GLEN CARBON - Gus Range is following a family legacy in athletics at Father McGivney Catholic High School. Gus' sister, Mia Range, is a standout in multiple sports at McGivney. She has been a state qualifier in the high jump and is an outstanding sprinter in the area. Gus is also a soccer player and as a freshman has cracked 19 minutes for three miles. Gus' best time was Sept. 14, 2023, in the Massac Patriot Invite (18:30.1) for three miles. He ran a time of 18:49.4 on Oct. 10, 2023, at the Gateway Metro Conference Championships at Father McGivney in Glen Carbon. Gus Range is a Byron, Carlson, Petri and Kalb Male Athlete of the Month for Father McGivney Catholic. The McGivney freshman said his sister, Mia, has been a strong influence on his competitive nature and approach to his various sports. Gus said he was very pleased with his race in the conference setting at McGivney and believes he is ready to hit his peak as the postseason ensues. "I am ready for the postseason in cross

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WOOD RIVER - The new Sports Barn business is starting to go in the air on Old St. Louis-Alton Road close to I-255 and Illinois Route 143. Concrete footing work appears to be set and now the walls are being constructed at the new 37,500-square-foot structure in Wood River. The new Sports Barn will feature batting cases, pitching development, a turf infield, and more inside the training facility for baseball and softball players. The Gators Baseball Academy a baseball and softball club for ages 6 to 18 will be the prime occupants of the new facility.

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GLEN CARBON – Kaitlyn Hatley is one of a group of runners who have become a treasure for Father McGivney head cross country and track coach Jim Helton and the school in recent years. Kaitlyn and her close friend and teammate Elena Rybak have scorched about every course they have run on this year, running away from the other competitors at nearly every meet. Kaitlyn was second at the recent Gateway Conference Meet at Father McGivney on Oct. 10, 2023, with a time of 18:04.2 on the three-mile course. She was second in the Madison County Invite on Oct. 3, 2023, with a time of 18:25.7. Kaitlyn is a Byron, Carlson, Petri and Kalb Female Athlete of Month for the Griffins. Hatley has also had a remarkable track and field career at McGivney and ran a 2:16.31 at the IHSA State Meet last year in the 800 meters and was a member of the second place 4 x 800 relay team that finished in a time of 9:35.35 for second at state. She broke 60 seconds (59.68) at last year’s Madison County outdoors

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EDWARDSVILLE - Parker McMillian a junior midfielder for the boys' soccer team at Edwardsville High has provided a spark for the Tigers late in the season. McMillan scored the only goal for the Tigers in a 6-1 loss to traditional power CBC on Sept. 30. At the time, the Tigers were 8-5-1 after the loss, but in their final week of the regular season, Edwardsville won three in a row to make the final regular season record 11-5-1 as the Tigers start their postseason journey Oct. 17 at home against Alton in their own IHSA Class 3A regional. In a post-match interview that followed the loss to the Cadets, McMillian saw the game as a learning opportunity for the Tigers and a chance to improve. "I think we can still make a good turnaround and there's a lot of good spirit on this team," he said that night. "And I think if we can come together, we can have a good rest of the season and have a good playoff season." McMillan is a Johnston Law Firm Male Athlete of the Month for the Tigers. McMillan's

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GRANITE CITY – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that road repairs will require lane closures in both directions of Interstate 270 between Illinois 3 and Riverview Drive in Missouri starting, weather permitting, Friday, Oct. 20, at 9 p.m. One lane will always remain open. All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 23. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this closure. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all construction signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling through the work zone. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.

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EDWARDSVILLE - On October 12, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s National Corn to Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) commemorated its 20 th year with an annual meeting and luncheon. In addition to being National Farmer’s Day, there was plenty to celebrate: NCERC reported 100% employment of students in the private sector, profits of $1.9 million for the fiscal year, and proprietary research in the fermentation lab securing its place as a lead partner in the biofuel industry. NCERC reinvests more than 80% of its surplus and attracts both grant-funded and sponsored research, leading to contracts in agricultural innovation. “America’s farmers feed, fuel and clothe the world,” said John Caupert, a farmer and the executive director of NCERC. For fiscal year 2023, NCERC launched a new program titled “Careers in Biotechnology.” Caupert champions the center as a significant contributor to the economic development in the region and

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JERSEYVILLE - The Jerseyville Downtown Country Christmas festival is “very close to a Hallmark movie.” Michael Ward, the president of the organization, has heard this sentiment more than once in the nine years since the festival began. Scheduled for Nov. 25, 2023, the event brings families to downtown Jerseyville for a completely free day of Christmas crafts and games — and a special jolly visitor. “Our family was very big on Christmas and family tradition, so it’s nice to be able to pass that stuff along to other families,” Ward said. “The biggest thing is that it’s for the kids. No matter the social standing or financial standing of the family, the kids can participate, and that’s what we really wanted to create.” The day starts at 1 p.m. with Santa’s arrival at Lions Club Park. He will set up his chair at Royal Bank downtown so kids can visit and take free photos with him throughout the afternoon. At City Center

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CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released a statement for the record for the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Name, Image, and Likeness, and the Future of College Sports.” Today’s hearing will examine different federal name, image, and likeness (NIL) legislative proposals and seek to establish what is truly in the best interests of college athletes. Durbin said: “College sports is a big business that generates big profits. Over the past 20 years, college sports revenue has grown from $4.3 billion to $16.6 billion—an increase of 400 percent. And that number continues to grow.” “Yet, little of this money has made its way to the athletes who made these record-breaking profits possible. Until recently, NCAA rules not only prevented college athletes from receiving compensation for their participation in sports, they also prohibited those athletes from

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CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker joined several local stakeholders today for the Illinois Medium- and Heavy- Duty Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy Bootcamp hosted by the Electrification Coalition. The event was an opportunity for Illinois legislators, companies, and environmental organizations to convene to advance Illinois’ commitment to fighting climate change with transitions to zero-emission vehicles. “As Governor, I’m working with industry partners to accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles and to fight climate change,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I’m excited to welcome the Electrification Coalition to Illinois, as our state’s manufacturing workforce is best-in-the-nation and second-to-none. Together, we have an opportunity to shape the next frontier of electrification – and it starts right here.” Governor Pritzker delivered the keynote address to kick off the day-long conference, emphasizing recent action

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SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Secretary of State employees will begin sporting brand new navy-blue vests at all 138 DMV facilities statewide as part of a rebranding effort aimed at improving the overall customer experience, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced today. As part of the announcement, Giannoulias’ office released a video displaying the new vests, which were union made in Illinois, that the more than 1,800 DMV employees started wearing today. “The vests will make it easier for all DMV visitors to immediately identify employees as they walk in while creating a sense of professionalism and approachability that will improve customer satisfaction,” Giannoulias said. “They will also help build a sense of teamwork and enhance the workplace environment for employees.” The rebranding effort will also include: redesigning DMV facilities to improve flow and functionality; negotiating new leases to enhance DMV office space, add amenities an

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PHOENIX – Sparklight® Business, a leading broadband communications provider, today announced the launch of Business Wi-Fi Plus, an always-on, mesh Wi-Fi solution tailored for small-to-medium-sized businesses that guarantees uninterrupted coverage, keeping businesses and their customers securely connected while delivering optimal speed and performance. Teaming up with eero, an Amazon company, Sparklight Business will offer the eero Pro6E to deliver comprehensive Wi-Fi coverage throughout the business, creating a wide-ranging signal that blankets the location with coverage. Powered by the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology, Business Wi-Fi Plus connects and transmits wirelessly up to 1 Gig, while eero’s patented TrueMesh technology dynamically routes data through the fastest path in the network, giving businesses a fast, reliable experience they can count on. With world-class encryption and security protocols, eero systems are compatible with the strongest security standards

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ALTON - Alderwoman Rosetta “Rosie” Brown, Founder of Socks for Tots LLC, is announcing her eighth annual Socks For Tots Drive will begin November through December 2023. "It’s time to replenish the socks inventory for our youth," Brown said. She added that her mission each year is to “Heat the Feet” of school-age children. "Last year with the help of our community, I was able to provide over 6,000 pairs of socks to schools, daycares, the Oasis Women Center, Boys and Girls Club and Catholic Children’s Home," she said. "Let’s really make an impact on the lives of our children by collectively donating toward this initiative. My goal for this year is 10,000 pairs of socks." Boxes will be placed in several venues, including the Alton and Wood River Rotary Clubs, Alton Democratic Party, YWCA, Alton City Hall, Today’s Beauty, Bluff City, US Nails, Lovettes, Athletico, New Beginning, Turning Heads, Marcia’s Daycare, Maxine’s Daycare,

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GRANITE CITY - Nick Novacich, recently appointed chief of Granite City Police, along with a public safety telecommunicator, will visit the Riverbend Head Start and Family Services Granite City South location from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 23, 2023. Novacich is a 23-year veteran of the Department and was appointed to Chief from Assistant Chief of Police in September 2023. The RHSFS Granite City South location is located at 1249 20th Street, Granite City, IL., 62040. Novacich has played a vital role in the Granite City community during his 23-plus years with the department. He said his hope in his new role as chief is to work "to build new and strengthen existing relationships with various businesses and groups within the Granite City community."

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EDWARDSVILLE - Out of the artistic strokes of varying browns, the shades of burnt orange, the canary yellows and somber grays, emerges a remarkable, pictorial story and heritage – still unknown to many – that illustrates the history of America’s oldest Black incorporated town. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Duenne Schlarman , a Master of Fine Arts candidate, long-time artist and veteran educator, recently completed a mural inside of the Senior Citizens Center in Brooklyn. “I was extremely honored to have been asked to do this mural,” said Schlarman. “I read and researched heavily for this project. It was a tremendously heartfelt and emotional experience for me.” The SIUE Successful Communities Collaborative (SSCC) allocated a portion of an Illinois Invocation Network grant to fund the mural, according to Connie Frey Spurlock, PhD, SSCC director, professor of sociology and interim director for the Southern Illinoi

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