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SMITHTON, Ill. - COUNTRY Financial Representative Deric Blaha is pleased to support the Smithton Volunteer Fire Department with a donation of $1,500. The funds will be used to support the purchase of a new grain chute to be used during grain bin rescues. Today, grain bin structures serve as critically important facilities for farm operators to store and safeguard their harvests. But beneath this innocuous structure lies a hidden danger that, all too often, claims lives. Grain bin entrapments have been on the rise for years. Purdue University’s Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department has been documenting and investigating these incidents since the 1970s. In its most recent study, in 2022, the group tracked 83 cases including 24 fatalities. This represents a 41% increase over the 59 entrapment cases reported in just the year prior. “Grain bin incidents often lead to severe injuries and fatalities and take an immense emotional toll on farming communities,”

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 18 attorneys general, filed an amicus brief , defending Delaware’s commonsense laws that restrict access to assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition magazines. Raoul and the coalition filed their brief in Delaware State Sportsmen’s Association, Inc. v. Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. The attorneys general argue that the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution does not prevent states from enacting reasonable firearms regulations, including those that restrict the possession of unusually dangerous weapons and accessories to protect public safety, prevent crime and reduce the harms caused by gun violence. “I support Delaware and its commonsense laws to restrict access to assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition magazines. Like Illinois, Delaware is actively protecting its citizens and communities from deadly firearms,&rdquo

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EAST ALTON - NGRREC announced this week that it is the recipient of an American Water Charitable Foundation 2023 Water and Environment grant, focused on the expansion of the Water Festival experience to the Chicago and Bellville service areas. “The generous support provided by the American Water Keep Communities Flowing grant enables NGRREC to expand the Water Festival across Illinois,” said Jennifer Mandeville, interim director of education at NGRREC. “This expansion will provide free water and environmental education programs and educator professional development to communities in nine new counties. NGRREC will serve as a resource center to the new communities and provide training, manuals, and serve as consultants to support the establishment of Water Festival in other parts of the state.” The grant is part of the American Water Charitable Foundation’s Keep Communities Flowing Grant program. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization established b

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) released the following statement regarding the indictment of former President Donald J. Trump in Fulton County, Georgia. "Donald Trump, the leading challenger for the 2024 election, was marched by a Democrat District Attorney into Fulton County Jail, a facility that's under investigation for violence and poor sanitary conditions," said Bost . I stand with Donald Trump because we simply cannot accept the politically-motivated weaponization of our justice system. Democrats want to talk about election interference? Well, you're seeing it play out in real time in Fulton County tonight."

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ALTON - Are you a latte lover? How about a coffee connoisseur? Indulge in all things coffee related during the Great Rivers & Routes first-ever Javapalooza celebration which kicks off Sept. 1 and runs through Oct. 1. Fifteen locally owned and operated coffee shops throughout southwest Illinois are taking part in this debut event which focuses on the bean and the shops that create the local brews. Participating shops are showing off their coffee skills by creating a featured signature drink served up during the month-long event. And to sweeten the pot, visitors who stop by participating businesses have the opportunity to win $1,500 in coffee-themed prizes. “Southwest Illinois is brimming with great coffee shops that day in and day out serve up amazing coffee creations,” Cory Jobe, President/CEO of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau noted. “We wanted to find a way to highlight their work and bring new awareness to coffee shops in the region. Javapalooza is our

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ALTON - Alton Main Street’s quarterly information exchange, called “What’s Up Downtown”, will be held on Tuesday, August 29th at 5:30 p.m. at Jacoby Arts Center, located at 627 E. Broadway in Alton. The public is invited to learn the latest news regarding developments in Alton’s historic downtown district, including updates from new & existing businesses, news on real estate transactions and details of upcoming events and projects. The evening’s featured speakers will be: Robert Fishbone from On the Wall Productions, who has just been commissioned by Alton Main Street to create Downtown Alton’s next mural this fall. Robert will share a slideshow of his work over the years, including many large-scale projects in St. Louis. Our audience will get the first look at a rendering of this 3-story avian-themed work of public art. Vicki Hake, who along with her husband Kent has been working on a major renovation to transform the former pub at 230

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EAST ST. LOUIS – William Goldsmith, 48, a Glen Carbon man who operated an online business admitted guilt in federal court of misbranding the ingredient list on a male sexual enhancement supplement product, thus deceiving his customers. Goldsmith pleaded guilty to a felony information Thursday charging one count of introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce. “Protecting consumers is critical to a healthy business environment, and entrepreneurs who use deceitful tactics to sell misbranded products place profits above people,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Misbranded prescription drugs that are smuggled from overseas can present a serious health risk to those who buy and use them. The drugs can contain unknown ingredients and can be made under unknown conditions,” said Special Agent in Charge Ronne G. Malham, Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations Chicago Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and

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Letter to the Editor: As I have mentioned before, Alton is experiencing very little transparency regarding important city issues. This has been a frequent complaint from many people. Aldermen have been handed resolutions at the start of council meetings to introduce and to approve of which they have no prior knowledge. It is just “Here read this resolution.” When they ask questions, the mayor looks around for someone else to answer, and often the answer is a shoulder shrug, or the person who could answer, is not there. If the council members are caught off guard, imagine how little informed we the citizens are. I have told many other citizens about this, and when they question me, I tell them to attend a meeting to witness for themselves or if that is not possible, watch the meetings streamed on RiverBender. Well, good luck with that. The ability to watch the meeting being streamed with sound is a coin toss at best as it is quite often unavailable. Many other municipalities

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JERSEY - Some may not know this but Jersey had boys cross country and track coach Harold Landon was an exceptional sprinter while a high school athlete and he placed in state. Over the years, Landon has produced a lot of top-notch sprinters. The latest in the group is Casey Borkowski, who stood out in both the 100 meters (11.3) and 200 meters (22.66) as a junior and will be a key senior member of the team in 2024. He also had a team-best 400 meters (55.24) this past year. Borkowski served as a main anchor for the Jersey boys' sprint relays, Landon said. When Borkowski took the handoff on that last leg he was always like a bolt of lightning for the Panthers. Borkowski was competitive in every Panthers' meet in the sprints and drew attention throughout the season. Casey is a Sparklight Internet Male Athlete of the Month for the Panthers. “Casey is a very hard worker,” Coach Landon said. “He is a track guy. He was all-conference in the 100 meters, 200 and anchored th

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ALTON - State Representative Amy Elik (R-Alton) issued the following statement in Illinois’ most recent corruption trial verdict of Tim Mapes, former House Speaker Mike Madigan’s closest ally: “Federal prosecutors remain undefeated in their fight against corruption at 5-0 with today’s guilty verdict of former Democrat House Speaker Mike Madigan’s closest ally, Tim Mapes. With five Democrat political insiders tied to Madigan being found guilty of corruption so far this year, it’s another reminder of why lawmakers at the State House need to enact strong anti-corruption reforms. It’s unfortunate these reforms are not being considered in the Democrat-controlled legislature. I hope when we return to the fall veto session if not sooner, we have the opportunity to vote on meaningful reforms aimed at stopping corruption in Illinois government.”

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WOOD RIVER - Matt Herren, co-owner and co-founder of C&B Boiled Bagels and 1929 Pizza & Wine in Wood River, said the rumors circulating on Facebook that his businesses were behind the cancellation of the Wood River Food Truck Festival are not only false, but have resulted in death threats against him and his employees, bottles being thrown at their buildings, and much more. On Tuesday night, the Wood River Enrichment Network announced on Facebook that the Food Truck Festival they planned for Oct. 7 had been canceled. Several comments and other Facebook posts indicated Herren was behind the cancellation, but he said he had nothing to do with it. “I didn’t ask them to cancel anything,” Herren said. “I have no idea why they canceled their festival, all I know is that we have been turned into somebody’s scapegoat.” While Facebook comments about the situation have gotten heated, Herren said the real-life response has escalated to threats and

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CARROLLTON - St. John the Evangelist in Carrollton has announced a two-phase $4 million project to renovate the school. Carrollton Principal Julie Lake said the school is preparing for the next 150 years of education with the project. "For almost 150 years, St. John the Evangelist School has provided a school where education, service, and faith combine to provide each student with a foundation of high standards in knowledge and ethics," she said. "St. John’s was established as an elementary school in 1877 and was originally staffed by the Dominican Sisters. Today, as a Catholic elementary and middle school, the teaching philosophy at St. John’s is guided by the belief that each student is a unique gift of God, created with special gifts and talents. It is our goal to nurture and develop those gifts to the benefit of the Church and the community." The renderings are still preliminary designs but give a simulated image of what the finished St. John's project could be. As

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ST. LOUIS – The U.S. District Court in East St. Louis announced today that a man from Arkansas was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison Wednesday after he admitted to transporting 11 pounds of crystal methamphetamine to Fairview Heights. Leonardo A. Hernandez, 50, of Bentonville, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. In addition to the prison sentence, he will serve two years of supervised release. Co-defendant Luis A. Aguilar-Caldera, 31, of Chula Vista, California, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to 70 months imprisonment on April 12, 2023. After serving his sentence, he will be placed on supervised release for two years. “Out-of-state drug dealers frequent southern Illinois roadways to execute plans for distribution across the country,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “DEA plays a critical role to help disband

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Gas prices for the region are dropping but remain high as the Labor Day weekend holiday nears. The statewide gas price for regular unleaded average in Illinois is $4.11 a gallon, while Missouri is $3.53 for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel, according to the AAA Missouri Weekend Gas Watch. The nationwide average is $3.84. Of the major metropolitan areas surveyed in Missouri, drivers in Jefferson City are paying the most on average at $3.66 while drivers in Joplin are paying the least at $3.37 per gallon. The national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is $3.84, which is three cents less compared to this day last week and five cents less than the price per gallon at this same time last year, according to AAA Gas Prices . On Gas Buddy, the lowest gas prices around Madison County are as follows: Walmart - Godfrey Road, Godfrey, $3.59 per gallon for regular unleaded. QuikTrip - Godfrey, $3.62 per gallon for regular unleaded. Casey's - Godfrey, $3.64 per gallon for regular

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ALTON - Families can mark the end of summer with free snacks and a movie this Saturday, Aug. 26 at James Killion Park. The James Killion Beautification and Enhancement Committee (JK-BEC) hosts movie nights throughout August. They will be showing “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” as their final film this Saturday. “We look forward to the month of August every year to give back, to give the children and parents something to do together, and they have definitely come out and are truly enjoying it,” said Rosetta Brown, Alton Alderwoman of the 4th Ward and member of the JK-BEC. Brown explained that the JK-BEC has seven members who organize the movie nights, in addition to their other work in James Killion Park. With the help of their sponsors and volunteers, the JK-BEC is able to provide free hotdogs, popcorn and other snacks to moviegoers. Brown said they wanted to “go out with a blast and a bang,” which is why they chose to screen “Black

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JERSEYVILLE - Seventeen students at Jersey Community High School have received honors through the College Board National Recognition Programs . These programs recognize students for their academic excellence and connect them to scholarship programs, colleges and universities, which often send recruitment letters to awardees. As an academic honor, students’ applications are also boosted by the recognition. “We’re thrilled to celebrate our students and recognize them for the great work they’ve been doing,” JCHS Principal Dr. Jason Brunaugh said. “This one award opens up full-ride scholarship opportunities for our students to a variety of universities, and we are excited for their future endeavors.” To be eligible for the College Board National Recognition Programs, students must attend school in a rural area or identify as Latino, Hispanic, Black, African American, Native or Indigenous. They also need a GPA of 3.5 or higher and high

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EDWARDSVILLE – The bond that exists between a dog and its owner is unparallel. For Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s electronic detection K9 Marshall and his handler Detective Sergeant Dave Baybordi, the bond is no different. Marshall, a 4.5-year-old black English Labrador Retriever, joined SIUE in 2020 and has become a big hit, capturing the hearts of the campus community. He has not only had a great impact bringing joy to those that he interacts with, but he works to keep our community safe as an essential asset in assisting with the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force in Southwest Illinois. “Marshall detects the presence of the chemical triphenylphosphineoxide (TPPO),” explained Baybordi. “When he comes into that odor, he alerts me that he has found it. He generally will sit and paw at the item or in the item's direction if it is within something else. He will also lay down to alert, depending on the circumstance.” TPP

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CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), U.S. Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA), and 17 other senators and 151 Members of Congress in filing an amicus brief in opposition to the constitutional challenge to the federal law prohibiting individuals under domestic violence restraining orders from possessing firearms. In a bicameral brief to the Supreme Court in United States v. Rahimi , the members call on the Supreme Court to set a clear standard allowing Congress to pass laws that keep the American people safe. The brief follows a full committee hearing in March, which examined how the new standard set by the Bruen decision is endangering public safety as the country faces a gun violence epidemic. “The Supreme Court’s decision in Bruen has caused chaos in lower courts. The new radical framework established in Bruen has enabled judges to cherry-pick from

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SPRINGFIELD - Beginning Tuesday, August 29 the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) will host 31 international buyers from seven different Latin American countries to enhance existing relationships and increase export sales for the Illinois grain industry. “The Illinois Grain Tour gives Illinois farmers, producers, and retailers the opportunity to showcase their world-class commodities and facilities to foreign investors,” said IDOA Director Jerry Costello. “We lead the nation in soybean production and nearly half of the soybeans and corn produced in Illinois are exported, resulting in billions of dollars in direct sales annually.” In 2022, the Grain Tour returned to in-person for the first time since the pandemic and brought in $65 million in projected sales. Participants begin the tour by meeting with representatives from the Illinois Department of Agriculture. The tour will also make stops at: RTS Farm, Aubur GSI, Assumption Farm Progress Show

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CHICAGO — Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie Su, representatives from the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL), and Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT) to announce a $1.35 million federal grant to the Illinois Department of Labor. This funding will go towards supporting tradeswomen-led efforts to train and support the entry of more women into infrastructure and construction careers. “Today’s announcement of another grant from the U.S. Department of Labor recognizes what we know to be true: Illinois is a national leader in building pathways for women into infrastructure and construction careers,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “By cementing this priority in the implementation of the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, the Biden-Harris administration has established a new era in our efforts to diversify an industry that has historically lacked job opportunities for women, and particularly for women of color. We may

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