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EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI) was awarded the Innovative Initiative Award by the Illinois Council for Continuing Higher Education (ICCHE). The Innovative Initiative Award recognizes and promotes best practices across Illinois while providing the opportunity for two-year and four-year institutions to showcase outstanding new programs and outline the path to that success. Though active in various forms since the 1980s, the LLI has evolved to offer educational programs for area retirees designed for a lifetime of learning and personal growth. The programming includes a weekly speaker series, trips, a Library Speaker Series and a Summer STEAM Tour. Nominated for its initiatives to increase community engagement and participation in educational outreach opportunities, the LLI implemented a hybrid delivery model for its signature Library Speaker Series. “This initiative promotes lifelong learning to community

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ALTON - Residents of Alton’s fourth ward have raised concerns about what Fourth Ward Alderwoman Rosie Brown described as “vicious” cats and dogs in the area. Possible solutions, including a change in the city’s no-kill policy, were discussed at the Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday. “My concern is that in my ward, these dogs and cats are vicious,” Brown said. “People are scared to walk the streets.” Alton Public Works Director Mike Parsons said he was concerned about unlicensed and unvaccinated animals. “So many people have dogs in our town that are not licensed, that don’t have rabies shots, and we really don’t have any way to follow up on that,” Parsons said. Parsons added that he’s against the city’s no-kill policy because a “runover of cats” is leading to “cat colonies.” “We literally, in our town - and I don’t know when this happened - but the

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - Anna Forbes, Granite City, has been chosen to represent Illinois at American Legion Auxiliary’s Girls Nation in Washington, D.C. July 22-29. Forbes is one of 94 high school seniors selected to attend American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) Girls Nation July 22-29 in Washington, D.C. The weeklong program, founded in 1947, has provided exceptional civic education to thousands of students, teaching them about how the federal government works. Forbes is one of two participants who will represent Illinois as a “senator” at ALA Girls Nation. Two delegates from each ALA Girls State program are chosen to represent their state after participating in an ALA state-level program held across the country. At ALA Girls Nation, senators will participate in mock Senate sessions complete with caucuses and debating bills that range from personal to political interests. Other activities on the agenda include a visit to Arlington National Cemetery where they will place a wreath

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ALTON - Senior Services Plus will be hosting its second annual Glow Bingo Fundraiser on Friday, August 11, 2023, at SSP Headquarters in Alton. Doors will open at 6 p.m. with bingo starting 7 p.m. and going until around 9 p.m. Bingo prizes are items and baskets donated by local businesses. A baked good silent auction will start at 6 p.m. along with a wheelbarrow of booze raffle. Tickets are $20 per person and are available in single tickets or by purchasing a table. Various table sizes are available. No refunds are permitted. You must be 18 years old to play. Please bring your own drinks and snacks. Alcohol is permitted. To purchase tickets please visit https://www.seniorservicesplus.org/glow-bingo . Last year’s event sold out prior to the event, so get your tickets soon! Funds raised will go to support the 14 programs and services that Senior Services Plus provides throughout 8 counties that benefit nearly 30,000 older adults annually. These programs include Meals on Wheels,

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SPRINGFIELD - Catholic Charities, Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, recently received 1,596 cases (38,565 pounds) of food from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in June. The food will be provided to clients through our six food pantries and seven mobile food pantries throughout the Diocese. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a mission of “Loving Our Neighbor” by striving to follow the example of Jesus Christ to feed the hungry, take in the stranger, and clothe the naked. Catholic Charities has a similar mission to “Extend to all the healing and empowering presence of Jesus”. It was a simple decision for the two organizations to partner in an effort to help with food insecurity by feeding those in need. Catholic Charities, Diocese of Springfield in Illinois has seven regional offices in our 28-county Diocese that offers 22 different programs. These programs have served thousands of hard-working families that struggle to afford

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GODFREY – Coming on the heels of a successful launch of Lewis and Clark Community College’s newly refreshed brand this past winter, the Monticello Sculpture Gardens’ 11 th annual curated summer garden show is dedicated to “discovering” all the gardens have to offer. Aptly named, Discover Monticello Sculpture Gardens presents the opportunity for the campus community and visitors alike to reintroduce themselves to the college and get to know the Godfrey Campus in its role as a destination botanical garden. This year’s show is taking the gardens to new heights, honoring the historic campus of Monticello College through the Victorian gardens in Fountain Court to highlighting Lewis and Clark’s rich color palette – comprising Trailblazer blue, white, grey and black, along with the addition of a yellow/orange called Sunglow – throughout the popular Rivers of Color garden. “Always a fan-favorite, the Living Wall garden is embracing

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CHICAGO – The Mega Millions Jackpot has climbed to $820 million for tonight’s drawing – giving Illinois Lottery players another chance at becoming an overnight multi-millionaire. If someone wins tonight’s massive jackpot - it would be the fifth-largest Mega Millions Jackpot and the eighth-largest lottery jackpot won in U.S. history. Last July, a staggering $1.34 billion Mega Millions Jackpot was won in Illinois. Two people with one winning ticket in Des Plaines claimed the largest lottery prize ever in Illinois, and at the time, the third-largest lottery prize in U.S. history. So far this year, four Illinois Lottery players have won $1 million or more with Mega Millions. Anyone could be next - all you need is a ticket to dream! There are over 7,000 Illinois Lottery retailers across the State and the Lottery also offers a convenient online channel at IllinoisLottery.com or via its app. And if you have the good fortune to win a life-altering amount of money,

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HAMEL – The Illinois Department of Transportation announces lane closures in both directions on I-55. The Northbound direction will have one lane closed between Illinois Route 143 and Illinois Route 140. The Southbound direction will have one lane closed between 143 and I-270. All lane closures will be beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, July 28, 2023, weather permitting. One lane, in each direction, will remain open at all times. In addition to this work, the ramp from IL 4 to I-55 Northbound will be fully closed during the same time frame. This work is needed for road repairs and all lanes will be open by 5:00 a.m. Monday. 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. The contractor on this project is Keeley & Sons, Inc of E. St. Louis. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area

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EDWARDSVILLE - Following a successful season, the Edwardsville High School baseball team was recognized by the Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7 Board during their meeting on Monday, July 24. The team won the Illinois state championship in June, finishing the season 33-9 with a 10-game-winning streak. This is the fifth time that the baseball program has been named state champions. “You go to the baseball field and that’s our little respite for our guys just to enjoy playing, learning about themselves as individuals,” Coach Tim Funkhouser said. “Athletic endeavors and competition brings out a lot of things that they can learn from. Sometimes they’re more challenging than others, and this team went through a lot of those this year. We play a very competitive schedule, and our guys continue to meet the challenge.” During the meeting, the board announced that the team has also been recognized by the 103rd Illinois General Assembly an

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WOOD RIVER - Wood River’s Central Park celebrated its new playground with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, July 25. The playground is more accessible and offers a challenge course, which is a unique addition to the Riverbend area. “We’ve been thinking about it, visualizing it, and to see it actually come to fruition is exciting for us,” Parks and Recreation Director Jason Woody said. “I think the kids are going to love it, and the community, and even some teenagers who get out there on the challenge course and try it out.” The Central Park playground was updated with a new swingset and play structure with many slides. New poured-in-place rubber surfacing makes it possible for wheelchairs to easily access the space. But the most popular attraction so far is the challenge course. This course includes climbing nets, monkey bars and jumping platforms. Kids can press a button to start and stop a timer, which allows them to time themselves as they

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EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7 athlete A.J. Brewster was noted by the district school board for his accomplishments last month at the Special Olympics of Illinois Summer Games. Brewster, a competitive swimmer, took first place in the 100-meter freestyle and third place in the 50-meter freestyle. He also broke his personal records in both events. During their meeting on Monday, July 24, the school board congratulated Brewster and recognized him as a state medalist. “He’s always at practice. He always has a smile. He works his hardest,” Leslie Roderick, who coaches swimming with the Edwardsville School District Special Olympics team, told the board. In addition to swimming, Brewster also runs track and plays soccer, basketball and hockey. You can learn more about Brewster and his accomplishments here . “It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to invite A.J. to the board meeting tonight,” Kayla Magruder, a teacher

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College will showcase the award-winning work of Photographer Robert J. Ellison – focusing on his coverage of the Civil Rights movement and Vietnam War – during a public photo exhibition and commemorative event in August. Both the exhibit and event, co-sponsored by The Hayner Public Library District, are free and open to the public. The photo exhibition, which will mimic a journey through time in 100 photographs captured by the young photographer, who was killed in action at age 23 when a plane he was on was hit by enemy gunfire in Vietnam in March 1968. It will run from Aug. 14-31 in L&C’s Hatheway Gallery. Gallery hours are from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. As the only surviving son of a soldier killed in World War II, Ellison, a graduate of Alton’s Western Military Academy and son of a Monticello College alumna, was exempt from military service in Vietnam. Nevertheless,

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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, alongside 15 attorneys general and New York City, today called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to expand language access for critical government alerts sent to cell phones, known as Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs). In a comment letter , Raoul and the coalition acknowledge the important steps the FCC has taken to expand access to WEAs, but notes its proposal would require wireless companies to use machine translation rather than human translation for WEAs and would include translations for only 13 languages. Following multiple severe weather emergencies throughout Illinois and across the country, Raoul and the coalition urge the FCC to adopt its alternative proposal to use reliable human translators instead of machine translation, and to increase the number of available languages from 13 to at least 25. “Earlier this month, severe storms caused significant damage when the swept across a number of Illinois communities.

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WOOD RIVER - A developer has canceled their plans to build a wedding venue in Wood River’s Belk Part after a lengthy public hearing last week where 17 residents spoke against the project. Knotting Hills Wedding & Event Venue , with one location in Pevely, Mo., will likely relocate the project elsewhere. “We are disappointed that the acts of some residents have resulted in the developer of the possible wedding venue pulling their interest in Wood River,” Mayor Tom Stalcup wrote in a statement on Facebook . “We were looking forward to growing that relationship.” “Many other municipalities have reached out to this developer and we wish them nothing but success wherever they choose to locate. We hope that actions of some do not tarnish the reputation our community has built to being a business and development friendly municipality.” Mayor Stalcup further clarified those “actions of some” as “threats and personal attacks”

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GREENE COUNTY - A 2003 Cadillac Escalade was pulling a boat while traveling westbound on Illinois Route 108 on the Kampsville Ferry when the brakes of the vehicle failed. The vehicle struck the gate stopping westbound traffic, passed the gate, and plummeted into the Illinois River. The Illinois State Police Troop 8 handled the situation. The state police said there were no injuries in the incident. "Traffic was rerouted to the Hardin Bridge until approximately 5:30 p.m. Saturday when the ferry was re-opened. No further information was available."

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7 Board recognized the high school’s drama club during their board meeting on Monday, July 24. The Edwardsville High School (EHS) drama club was recognized for its successful production of “SpongeBob the Musical” last spring. The club won six awards and performed at The Fabulous Fox Theater through the St. Louis High School Musical Theatre Awards. “I think Emily and I both knew that this show was special, and it just became something more special when others recognized how special we believed it was,” Ashley Melton, EHS drama teacher and director, told the school board. The drama club received nine nominations and took home six awards, including recognitions for the ensemble, costume design and musical direction. They also won “The Outstanding Musical Production (Level 1) Award.” As part of the St. Louis High School Musical Theatre Awards, the cast of “SpongeBob th

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ALTON - Alton Mayor David Goins announced at the Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday, July 24 that he will be holding future meetings to discuss the best ways to use remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to address homelessness in the city. Mayor Goins said he’s “in the process of reaching out to various organizations and entities” that fall under the categories of affordable housing/homelessness, economic development/small business support, and youth development/learning/recovery programs. “In all of these I’m reaching out to various entities,” Mayor Goins said. “In regards to affordable housing and homelessness, reaching out to many entities because the best way we’ve figured out how to do this is just to bring the various stakeholders … and to sit down and come up with a plan on how best to utilize this ARPA funding, basically get the most bang for our buck.” Mayor Goins added that the overall goal

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EDWARDSVILLE — Treasurer Chris Slusser reported to Madison County officials Wednesday on the explosive growth of its investments. “We are on pace for record returns on county investments,” Slusser said. “We are projecting $9.7 million in investment income this year, up from a previous record of $5.1mil last year.” Slusser presented an investment report at the Madison County Board Meeting last week, showing the increase in investment income. From 2011 to 2016 the county earned an average of $747,000 annually, Slusser said. “We took over in 2017, and since that time, we’ve averaged $4.41 million per year,” he said. “That’s a $31 million increase in the past 6+ years.” Slusser said he used his 15 years of investment experience to overhaul the county’s portfolio since taking office in late December 2016. “We focused on increasing income by diversifying the portfolio and actively managing the funds,”

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GLEN CARBON - Jacob Huber finished his illustrious track/field career at the IHSA Boys State Track and Field Championships at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, racing to an All-State fifth-place finish in the 400-meter run in 50.26 in Class 1A. Jacob is a Byron, Carlson, Petri and Kalb male athlete of the month for the Griffins. He was an exceptional athlete and also starred in basketball. He is a three-time IHSA State Track/Field State qualifier. Jacob now holds Father McGivney Catholic High School records in the 100 meters (11.43), 200 meters (22.90), 400 meters (50.26), long jump (20' 9.25"), and was a member of the 4 x 400-meter relay team with Brandon Ahring , Andrew Dupy, and Tyler Guthrie (3:44.83). Jacob's state final time of 50.26 would also have placed him seventh in 2A, and eighth in 3A; one quarter mile at an astounding 18 mph. He is the second All-State track/field boy athlete after Tyler Guthrie's 3,200-meter race in 2021. Jacob was an excellent student an

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EAST ST. LOUIS – The U.S. District Court in East St. Louis announced on Monday a U.S. District judge sentenced a California man to spend 100 months in federal prison after he admitted to distributing methamphetamine to southern Illinois. Jewelion Yarbrough, 34, of, Long Beach, California, pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of methamphetamine. In addition to the prison sentence, Yarbrough will serve three years of supervised release. “The defendant tried to elude detection by mailing methamphetamine inside of children’s toys and a small appliance box, which could have easily landed in the wrong hands if mistakenly delivered to an incorrect address,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “I’m grateful to the agents who worked this case and apprehended this criminal.” “Drug trafficking continues to fuel much of the violent crime that ATF investigates. There is no question that the cooperative efforts of the DEA, Postal Inspection

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