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FAIRMONT CITY – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that lane and ramp closures will be encountered on NB/EB I-55/70 beginning Tuesday, October 08, 2024, at 6 a.m. through Friday, October 11, 2024, at 3 p.m., weather permitting. The right two lanes will be closed between the I-55/70/64 interchange and IL 203. In addition, the ramp from I-64 WB to I-55/70 NB/EB and the entrance ramp to I-55/70 from 9th St will be closed. All other entrance and exit ramps in the area will remain open. These restrictions are needed to perform bridge deck repairs in the area. IDOT district 8 forces will make the needed improvements. Advance signage and electronic pre-messaging will be deployed to alert motorists to this effort. Full access will be restored as soon as possible. Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. To avoid the work area, when feasible, use of alternate routes should be considered. Drivers are urged to pay

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ALTON - On October 2, 1924, Missouri Gov. Arthur M. Hyde received a letter. The letter’s author, Noble Shepard, had killed a man and woman thirty years before, was sentenced to hang, and then escaped from the Four Courts jail building in St. Louis two days before his death sentence could be carried out. He cut a plate at the back of a cell with a saw, crawled through the hole, and then wiggled through an old sewer and out to freedom. The letter stated: “St. Louis, Oct. 1. I escaped from the St. Louis Jail in 1896 while under sentence of death for murder. I am now old and feeble and will give myself up if you promise not to hang me. I’m willing to go to the penitentiary. Put a notice in the St. Louis Post Dispatch, giving your promise, and I’ll give myself up to anybody you mention in the notice. Yours truly, NOBLE SHEPARD.” Shepard murdered Thomas George Gilroy Morton and Thomas’s fiancé Lizzie Pack Leahy on Christmas Eve, 1894,

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ALTON - Community members gathered at the Block Party for Good for free groceries, meals and health screenings. From 2–3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, at the Alton Amphitheater, the organizations Food is Love , Currency of Caring and AltonWorks hosted their monthly Block Party for Good. The St. Louis Food Bank provided free groceries, and Chef D. Rodg World Class Catering offered hot meals out of their food truck. Attendees could also complete several health screenings through the OSF OnCall Connect On the Go van. “We come in, we deliver hot food, we provide free groceries, no questions asked, produce and everything,” said John Michel with Currency of Caring. “It’s challenging to build infrastructure at places where people can get to them consistently, so we said, ‘Hey, what if we use the power of mobility?’ We started with the food truck movement to effectively replace soup kitchens, but we said, ‘What if we can

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ALTON - Community members gathered at the Block Party for Good for free groceries, meals and health screenings. From 2–3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, at the Alton Amphitheater, the organizations Food is Love , Currency of Caring and AltonWorks hosted their monthly Block Party for Good. The St. Louis Food Bank provided free groceries, and Chef D. Rodg World Class Catering offered hot meals out of their food truck. Attendees could also complete several health screenings through the OSF OnCall Connect On the Go van. “We come in, we deliver hot food, we provide free groceries, no questions asked, produce and everything,” said John Michel with Currency of Caring. “It’s challenging to build infrastructure at places where people can get to them consistently, so we said, ‘Hey, what if we use the power of mobility?’ We started with the food truck movement to effectively replace soup kitchens, but we said, ‘What if we can

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BELLEVILLE - Belleville area residents who were affected by the historic flooding in July 2024 are encouraged to attend an informational session on disaster relief assistance. The event will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at the Welcome Center of The Campus, formerly known as Lindenwood. Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) will provide details on eligibility for financial recovery assistance, application requirements, and guidance on initiating the application process. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and receive assistance directly from the representatives. For those unable to attend in person, the session will be streamed live on Facebook. Check the St. Clair Emergency Management Facebook page for more information. Additionally, support will be available at The Campus from Monday to Sunday, between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., where representatives can assist with the application

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BELLEVILLE - Belleville area residents who were affected by the historic flooding in July 2024 are encouraged to attend an informational session on disaster relief assistance. The event will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at the Welcome Center of The Campus, formerly known as Lindenwood. Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) will provide details on eligibility for financial recovery assistance, application requirements, and guidance on initiating the application process. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and receive assistance directly from the representatives. For those unable to attend in person, the session will be streamed live on Facebook. Check the St. Clair Emergency Management Facebook page for more information. Additionally, support will be available at The Campus from Monday to Sunday, between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., where representatives can assist with the application

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ALTON/EDWARDSVILLE/GRANITE CITY — More than 35 law enforcement officers participated in a deployment Wednesday evening of the Cross-River Crime Task Force, resulting in felony arrests, the apprehension of a fugitive and the seizure of various drugs. During the deployment, officers and agents from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies conducted saturation patrols in multiple areas, including Venice, Madison, Granite City, Pontoon Beach, Wood River, East Alton, Cottage Hills and Alton. The deployment was the first conducted under newly-appointed CRCTF Commander Marcos Pulido, who also is Chief Deputy at the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Pulido was appointed commander of the Task Force in August. “I’m thankful for the continued collaboration and commitment demonstrated by the officers assigned to Cross-River Crime Task Force,” Pulido said. “These high-visibility deployments are among the tools we utilize in our regional approach to keeping

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ALTON/EDWARDSVILLE/GRANITE CITY — More than 35 law enforcement officers participated in a deployment Wednesday evening of the Cross-River Crime Task Force, resulting in felony arrests, the apprehension of a fugitive and the seizure of various drugs. During the deployment, officers and agents from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies conducted saturation patrols in multiple areas, including Venice, Madison, Granite City, Pontoon Beach, Wood River, East Alton, Cottage Hills and Alton. The deployment was the first conducted under newly-appointed CRCTF Commander Marcos Pulido, who also is Chief Deputy at the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Pulido was appointed commander of the Task Force in August. “I’m thankful for the continued collaboration and commitment demonstrated by the officers assigned to Cross-River Crime Task Force,” Pulido said. “These high-visibility deployments are among the tools we utilize in our regional approach to keeping

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BETHALTO - Piston Aviation has officially opened at the St. Louis Regional Airport in Bethalto, and they’re pleased to see their flight school growing. Joe Ord, co-owner of Piston Aviation, explained that the flight school’s second location in Bethalto has expanded rapidly since they opened earlier this year. He is excited to welcome more people into the aviation industry, and he wants people to know that there are countless opportunities for a career in aviation. “There are so many different paths. Most people don’t realize how many different paths there are,” Ord said. “There are so many awesome opportunities that you can make a career out of. It’s a lifestyle thing. That’s what’s so cool about aviation. It’s a fun, fun thing to do, and if you figure out a way to do it to make money and make a life out of it, then that’s just beautiful.” Piston Aviation offers several programs to help people get their

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BETHALTO - Piston Aviation has officially opened at the St. Louis Regional Airport in Bethalto, and they’re pleased to see their flight school growing. Joe Ord, co-owner of Piston Aviation, explained that the flight school’s second location in Bethalto has expanded rapidly since they opened earlier this year. He is excited to welcome more people into the aviation industry, and he wants people to know that there are countless opportunities for a career in aviation. “There are so many different paths. Most people don’t realize how many different paths there are,” Ord said. “There are so many awesome opportunities that you can make a career out of. It’s a lifestyle thing. That’s what’s so cool about aviation. It’s a fun, fun thing to do, and if you figure out a way to do it to make money and make a life out of it, then that’s just beautiful.” Piston Aviation offers several programs to help people get their

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GRANITE CITY - Granite City School District #9 received a significant boost for the upcoming school year with a donation of 400 backpacks filled with supplies from Amazon.com STL6. The donation, which was split evenly between Prather Pre-K/Kindergarten Center and Wilson 1-2 Education Center, was made to support students as they prepare for the 2024-25 academic year. Melissa Wyrostek and members of the Amazon team visited both schools to personally deliver the backpacks and engage with students and staff. "This is a very generous donation and will have a big impact on our GCSD9 students," said a representative from the school district. The contribution from Amazon aims to alleviate some of the financial burdens on families and ensure that students have the necessary supplies to succeed in their education.

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GRANITE CITY - Granite City School District #9 received a significant boost for the upcoming school year with a donation of 400 backpacks filled with supplies from Amazon.com STL6. The donation, which was split evenly between Prather Pre-K/Kindergarten Center and Wilson 1-2 Education Center, was made to support students as they prepare for the 2024-25 academic year. Melissa Wyrostek and members of the Amazon team visited both schools to personally deliver the backpacks and engage with students and staff. "This is a very generous donation and will have a big impact on our GCSD9 students," said a representative from the school district. The contribution from Amazon aims to alleviate some of the financial burdens on families and ensure that students have the necessary supplies to succeed in their education.

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JERSEYVILLE - Brinley Kelly is having an outstanding year as a freshman runner for Jersey Community High School's girls cross country team. She has posted the best time this season of 21:00.3 for three miles in the Highland Cross Country Invite. Kelly is a Sparklight Female Athlete of the Month for the Panthers. Kelly also was 12th with a time of 22:50.9 in the CM Twilight Invite. She had a time of 21:29.0 for 14th on Sept. 7, 2024, in the prestigious Granite City Robinson/Lang Invite. Recently on Sept. 25, she was third in the Alton Cross Country Invite with a time of 21:14.6. “I love running,” Kelly said after the Granite City race earlier in September. “I have been running for a long time. My goal for the season get to 21-minute three miles and improve from there. There is always room to improve and I think everyone else on my team will as well.”

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JERSEYVILLE - Brinley Kelly is having an outstanding year as a freshman runner for Jersey Community High School's girls cross country team. She has posted the best time this season of 21:00.3 for three miles in the Highland Cross Country Invite. Kelly is a Sparklight Female Athlete of the Month for the Panthers. Kelly also was 12th with a time of 22:50.9 in the CM Twilight Invite. She had a time of 21:29.0 for 14th on Sept. 7, 2024, in the prestigious Granite City Robinson/Lang Invite. Recently on Sept. 25, she was third in the Alton Cross Country Invite with a time of 21:14.6. “I love running,” Kelly said after the Granite City race earlier in September. “I have been running for a long time. My goal for the season get to 21-minute three miles and improve from there. There is always room to improve and I think everyone else on my team will as well.”

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BETHALTO - Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ office is transforming its Bethalto DMV facility into a “One-Stop-Shop” design, offering reduced wait times and increased efficiencies. The renovation also includes updated signage to create a more logical flow and help customers know where to go, Giannoulias said. The Bethalto DMV is the first facility in Southwest Illinois to become a One-Stop-Shop facility, The DMV will temporarily close from Oct. 7-18, while renovations take place. During that time, a temporary “pop-up” location will service customers at the Village of Bethalto building located at 100 E. Central St. The pop-up facility will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. after the office recently shifted hours of operation to better align with customer availability. Customers can make an appointment online. As a part of the Secretary of State’s ongoing modernization efforts, the new DMV experience will save customers

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BETHALTO - Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ office is transforming its Bethalto DMV facility into a “One-Stop-Shop” design, offering reduced wait times and increased efficiencies. The renovation also includes updated signage to create a more logical flow and help customers know where to go, Giannoulias said. The Bethalto DMV is the first facility in Southwest Illinois to become a One-Stop-Shop facility, The DMV will temporarily close from Oct. 7-18, while renovations take place. During that time, a temporary “pop-up” location will service customers at the Village of Bethalto building located at 100 E. Central St. The pop-up facility will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. after the office recently shifted hours of operation to better align with customer availability. Customers can make an appointment online. As a part of the Secretary of State’s ongoing modernization efforts, the new DMV experience will save customers

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GRAFTON - During a ceremony held at City Hall on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, Officer Mike Angel was promoted to sergeant with the Grafton Police Department. Police Chief Eric M. Spanton and Mayor Mike Morrow officiated at the promotion ceremony. Chief Spanton recommended Officer Angel for promotion with an effective date of September 1, 2024. The chief said, “Officer Angel has proven his value and capabilities on a daily basis while on city patrol and by handling a multitude of ever-increasing daily responsibilities and duties within our department. We are pleased to see him promoted to sergeant today with his family in attendance.” After serving with other police departments, Sergeant Angel came to Grafton as a part-time patrolman in 2013 and became a full-time officer in 2019. “My career in law enforcement began in 2002 at the age of 22, but I really like serving the people of Grafton,” he said. Mayor Morrow noted how Sergeant Angel now officially fills the

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GRAFTON - During a ceremony held at City Hall on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, Officer Mike Angel was promoted to sergeant with the Grafton Police Department. Police Chief Eric M. Spanton and Mayor Mike Morrow officiated at the promotion ceremony. Chief Spanton recommended Officer Angel for promotion with an effective date of September 1, 2024. The chief said, “Officer Angel has proven his value and capabilities on a daily basis while on city patrol and by handling a multitude of ever-increasing daily responsibilities and duties within our department. We are pleased to see him promoted to sergeant today with his family in attendance.” After serving with other police departments, Sergeant Angel came to Grafton as a part-time patrolman in 2013 and became a full-time officer in 2019. “My career in law enforcement began in 2002 at the age of 22, but I really like serving the people of Grafton,” he said. Mayor Morrow noted how Sergeant Angel now officially fills the

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FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS — The St. Clair County Health Department reported on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, multiple cases of gastrointestinal illnesses linked to LongHorn Steakhouse located at 6115 North Illinois St. in Fairview Heights. The outbreak has raised concerns as health officials confirmed that 12 of 14 individuals who tested positive for gastrointestinal symptoms had dined at the restaurant between Sept. 21 and 22, 2024. In response to the reported illnesses, LongHorn Steakhouse voluntarily closed its location for two days to conduct a thorough sanitization of the premises using a hospital-grade disinfectant. The restaurant's management emphasized that the health and safety of both guests and team members remains their top priority. “Our Total Quality manager on site will also be reinforcing our food safety and sanitation practices with our team,” the restaurant stated. The health department indicated that six of the affected patients required hospitalization due

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FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS — The St. Clair County Health Department reported on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, multiple cases of gastrointestinal illnesses linked to LongHorn Steakhouse located at 6115 North Illinois St. in Fairview Heights. The outbreak has raised concerns as health officials confirmed that 12 of 14 individuals who tested positive for gastrointestinal symptoms had dined at the restaurant between Sept. 21 and 22, 2024. In response to the reported illnesses, LongHorn Steakhouse voluntarily closed its location for two days to conduct a thorough sanitization of the premises using a hospital-grade disinfectant. The restaurant's management emphasized that the health and safety of both guests and team members remains their top priority. “Our Total Quality manager on site will also be reinforcing our food safety and sanitation practices with our team,” the restaurant stated. The health department indicated that six of the affected patients required hospitalization due

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