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ALTON - The Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau of Southwest Illinois along with the cities of Grafton and Collinsville were awarded a total of $135,000 in Illinois Travel and Tourism grants from the Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity and the Illinois Office of Tourism. The grant funds will be used to market the region and the individual cities in tourism promotions spearheaded by the Tourism Bureau. “This is the first time we’ve applied for and received marketing grants for individual communities,” Cory Jobe, President of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau remarked. “The grants call for a 50 percent match, so effectively we will be spending $270,000 on paid targeted marketing efforts, in addition to our normal marketing budget. We’ve seen a surge in interest in our region in the last several years from key markets in St. Louis, Chicago, Indiana, and Central Illinois-and that can be directly attributed to our strong marketing efforts.”

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EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s nursing students participated in a mass casualty exercise in coordination with Air Evac Lifeteam 156, Edwardsville Fire and EMS. This exercise is another example of how the School of Nursing provides hands-on learning and practice in a variety of environments and scenarios. “Educating nurses in community health includes health promotion and disease prevention; however, it also includes ensuring preparedness for unexpected, devastating events such as mass casualties,” said Myjal Garner, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, instructor of family health and community health nursing. “A multidisciplinary approach promotes collaboration between emergency responders and future nurses, allowing for a more comprehensive learning experience to augment didactic learning.” The exercise simulated a scenario of multiple people injured from an explosion. In collaboration with the emergency response professionals, the

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding a ProPublica report that alleges that Justice Clarence Thomas accepted and failed to disclose private school tuition payments for his grandnephew made by prominent Republican donor Harlan Crow: “Today’s report continues a steady stream of revelations calling Justices’ ethics standards and practices into question. I hope that the Chief Justice understands that something must be done—the reputation and credibility of the Court is at stake. “At our Judiciary Committee hearing this week, I was disappointed that not a single Republican on the Committee even raised a question about what’s happening in regards to Justice Thomas’ actions. I think that all Justices should be held to the same ethical standards as every other federal judge—and I have been calling on the Supreme Court to

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GLEN CARBON - Sophomore Kannon Kamp has gone to Catholic schooling his entire life. In the last two years, he's gone to two different private schools. During his freshman year, he attended Marquette Catholic before his family moved to Maryville where he was then enrolled at Father McGivney. For his continued success, Kannon is a Byron, Carlson, Petri & Kalb LLC Athlete of the Month for Father McGivney. He burst onto the scene his freshman season with a .392 batting average and .505 on-base percentage. He finished the season with 29 hits and 19 RBI through 74 at-bats. He made the transition smoothly to Father McGivney, Marquette's main rival in the Gateway Metro Conference, and has only gotten better. So far, through McGivney's perfect 29-0 start, he is batting .438 with a .556 OBS. Through 64 at-bats he racked up 28 hits for 24 RBI. Yesterday, May 3, in a 12-1 win over Belleville West Kannon went 3-3 with an RBI. "I'm just seeing it well," he said when it comes to his offensive

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Roughly 20,000 Americans are diagnosed with esophageal cancer each year. It’s a form of cancer more commonly seen in men, with around 1 in every 100 men or 1 in every 400 women being diagnosed over their lifetime. While other forms of cancer have specific screenings to find the disease, esophageal cancer treatment relies greatly on the presence of symptoms. “The most common symptoms are patients who have trouble swallowing,” says Kyle Stang, MD, a radiation oncologist with OSF HealthCare. “We call it dysphagia. Whether it’s trouble getting food down when you’re swallowing or pain when you swallow, that’s the most concerning symptom. You can also have reflux or heartburn that don’t get better with medications. Other times, folks can present with weight loss, coughing, shortness of breath or even chest pain.” The esophagus is the tube that connects your mouth and stomach. It helps deliver food between the two. According to Dr. Stang,

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STAUNTON – With new telephone numbers in southern Illinois in high demand, the Illinois Commerce Commission approved the implementation of the new 730 area code to overlay the existing 618 area code region. The 618 area code serves all or part of 37 counties, and includes communities such as Alton, Belleville, Cairo, Carbondale, Centralia, Collinsville, East St. Louis, Edwardsville, Effingham, Granite City, Edwardsville, and Marion, as well as many other smaller communities. Starting on July 7, 2023 , customers in the 618 area code overlay region may be assigned a number in the new 730 area code when they request new service or an additional line. The 730 area code will co-exist everywhere in this region with the 618 area code. Customers receiving the 730 area code will be required to dial 10 digits (the area code and phone number) for all local calls, just as customers with telephone numbers from the 618 area code do today. Telephone customers should know the following

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ALTON - Alton Police reported Wednesday evening that today, the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the facts of these cases and charged the following in regard to a case on Maxey Street: Unnamed Juvenile Male - Count I: Involuntary Manslaughter, Count II: Reckless Discharge of a Firearm, and Count III: Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm. The juvenile is being held at the Madison County Juvenile Detention Center. MARQUAN A. KNIGHT – Count I: Unlawful Possession of a Stolen Firearm and Count II: Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapons. The Honorable Judge Jumper signed an arrest warrant and set the bond at $100,000. At 12:50 p.m. on 05/02/23, Alton Police Department Officers responded to a report of a juvenile victim with a gunshot wound to the chest in the 2600 block of Maxey Street, Alton, Illinois. The victim, a 15-year-old male, was transported to a local hospital by members of the Alton Fire Department. Despite lifesaving efforts, the victim ultimately

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ST. LOUIS - As part of its effort to develop an initiative to strengthen the region’s key corridors of commerce, Greater St. Louis, Inc. will visit Alton, Illinois, Wednesday, May 10, to tour businesses downtown and hold a roundtable discussion with local leaders and business owners. Greater St. Louis, Inc. CEO Jason Hall will conduct a walking tour of downtown businesses and then join local leaders and business owners to discuss how the region can support the local business districts and commercial corridors across the metro that act as nodes of commerce and centers of civic life. “The STL 2030 Jobs Plan calls for the development of this initiative to strengthen and grow local centers of businesses across the metro,” said Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc. “Revitalizing and supporting these key business districts will help stabilize local communities, revive small businesses, and create new jobs. “As the voice of the region’s civic-minded

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) announced today it has located another fatality from the May 1, 2023, crash on I-55 near milepost 76. Initially, six individuals were found deceased at the crash scene. However, the severity of the crash masked the remains and what was previously believed to be the remains of one individual was two. ISP is working closely with the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office to confirm the identification of the seven deceased individuals and information will be released once identification is complete and proper notifications have been made. The coroner previously confirmed 88-year-old Shirley Harper of Franklin, WI. died in the crash. A total of 37 people were transported to area hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to critical and ages spanning 2 years old to 80 years old. Approximately 72 vehicles are known to be involved in the crashes that occurred in both northbound and southbound lanes of I-55 between milepost 72 and

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ALTON - Argosy Casino officially unveiled its new Music Hall gaming floor expansion last weekend. The new area features 85 new gaming machines, and General Manager Randall Peterson said its name pays homage to the casino’s history while more additions are planned for its future. “A little history on the Music Hall was that we had bands and big bands and all that stuff,” Peterson said. “We just opened it and really expanded our slot floor. We’re super excited about that, 85 new games in a really fun space.” Peterson added that it’s been great to see the room repurposed with a “refresh.” “It’s just been exciting to be a part of it and really see what we really can do with our existing property,” he said. “The property itself has been around a while, and so this is kind of a refresh for us and we’re really excited about it.” He also said there are plans to open a new restaurant in the casino

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EDWARDSVILLE – Metro East Humane Society is set to receive a $20,000 grant investment from national nonprofit Petco Love in support of their lifesaving work for animals in the Metro East region. Petco Love is a national nonprofit leading change for pets by harnessing the power of love to make communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since its founding in 1999, Petco Love has invested $350 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts. And Petco Love helps find loving homes for pets in partnership with Petco and more than 4,000 organizations — like ours — across North America, with 6.7 million pets adopted and counting. “Our investment in the Metro East Humane Society is part of more than $15M in investments recently announced by Petco Love to power local organizations across the country as part of our commitment to create a future in which no pet is unnecessarily euthanized,” said Susanne Kogut, president of Petco Love. “Our

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O'FALLON – HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital is hosting an E-Recycling event for electronics on Saturday, May 20, from 8 a.m. to noon. The collection vehicle will be located in the parking lot in front of the Health Center at 3 St. Elizabeth’s Blvd., O’Fallon. The hospital’s Reverence for the Earth Committee invites the public to do their part to support environmental recycling efforts. “As a Franciscan ministry, we strive to be good stewards of the Earth and proudly offer collection events such as this to the community,” states Chance Beeler, manager of mission integration and spiritual care. “It is an opportunity to reduce waste and treat the planet with respect.” J&C E-Recycling will be managing the electronics recycling collection such as computer towers, computer components, laptops, and wire. Other items accepted include: Printers Cell Phones Electric Motors Monitors Floppy Drives Keyboards, Mice Speakers Electronic

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ALTON - This weekend, two big events are coming to Mac’s Downtown in Alton; Friday, May 5th is the Cinco de Mayo Block Party starting at 6 p.m., and Saturday, May 6th is the Kentucky Derby Block Party starting with breakfast at 8 a.m., race around 5:30 p.m. Both events will feature live music and alcoholic beverages from a Michelob Ultra “Ultra Build-A-Bar,” a giant portable bar that will be in the street on both days. Mac’s Downtown Owner Rob Lenhardt said this is the first year Mac’s is hosting a Cinco de Mayo celebration, and the event will feature walking tacos. “It’s actually the first year we’ve done something like this, trying to expand on the Derby weekend,” Lenhardt said. “Cinco de Mayo always falls the day before, so we’re trying to utilize that and give people a little different way to go about it - live music and walking tacos instead of chips and salsa.” For Friday’s Cinco de Mayo party

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PONTOON BEACH - The month of May is National Bike Month, and with more than 138 miles of scenic, Class I bikeways, Madison County Transit (MCT) is celebrating all month long on the MCT Trails with a variety of activities. MCT recently released the latest MCT Trails scavenger hunt, launched a new MCT Trails survey, and will be participating in several community events this month. SCAVENGER HUNT The MCT Trails Bike Month 2023 Scavenger Hunt has returned with new and engaging activities. Popular in years past, the scavenger hunt is facilitated though the “GooseChase” app. Participants who download the free app and sign up to play receive weekly missions to complete along the MCT Trails. Participants will explore newly opened trails and areas they may have never ventured, while being reminded of trail safety and rules in creative ways. Trailgoers playing along will also receive a local history lesson about Madison County and the MCT Trails. The scavenger hunt is free and

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CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has opened an investigation into a nursing home in Lincolnshire after receiving reports yesterday that there were no medical staff on duty at Warren Barr Lincolnshire, a skilled nursing facility licensed to house 144 beds at 150 Jamestown Lane. IDPH nursing home surveyors responded immediately to the home Monday morning after being alerted to the lack of clinical care staff. The Lincolnshire Fire Department EMS units also responded to the home to assist in caring for residents. When IDPH staff arrived, they encountered the facility medical director who had arrived to check on patients and no nursing or other clinical staff on duty at the facility. The IDPH surveyors assisted in assessing the facility for safety and quickly worked to contact staff who had previously worked at the facility. IDPH worked with the staff to develop a plan for continuing care coverage for the residents for the next 24 hours and through the nex

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GRANITE CITY - The Warriors' girls soccer team has had one of the best seasons in recent memory, largely in part to a tremendous senior class. Granite City currently sits at 11-2-1 on the season following a 2-2 tie against Marquette Catholic Tuesday night (May 2). The Explorers knocked in two goals in quick succession to go ahead 2-0 at the half on the Warriors' Senior Night. Senior captain Ella Hickam and her team weren't going to give up though. "In the first half, we were just not all on the same page," Hickam said of her team's play early on. "Our communication just wasn't there, but then we went into the second half, we said let's play like we know we should, communicate, play simple passes, and keep them on their half." That's what they did as the Warriors rallied back to tie the game back up at 2-2. For her determination on Senior Night, Ella Hickam is a Stillwater Senior Living Athlete of the Month for the Warriors. Still, Hickam agreed that the tie was a little disappointing

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PIASA - Piasa Southwestern sophomore Ryan Lowis could play any sport he pleases, so he does. Like many other Piasa Birds, Ryan is a multi-sport athlete, and is a standout in each of them. For his dedication to three different sports, Ryan is an Altonized Federal Credit Union Athlete of the Month. In the Fall, he has been the football team's backup QB behind senior Quintin Strohbeck. While waiting for his time to shine in the QB position, he was a mainstay on defense with 36 total tackles, two sacks, two fumble recoveries, and an interception. He transitions almost immediately into basketball season where he was the team's second-leading scorer last season that saw a 16-16 campaign and a trip to the Regional Finals. He played in every single game and totaled up 260 points and 142 rebounds. He was the team's best three-point shooter with 46 made shots from deep. That brings us to the Spring. Yesterday, May 2, Ryan through a seven inning no-hitter against South Central Conference

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HARDIN - An Alton man has been charged after a traffic stop on Illinois River Road at Swan Lake. On April 29, 2023, a Deputy Sheriff with the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on Illinois River Road at Swan Lake on a white 1993 Chevy truck. Subsequent to an investigation, a passenger, Kenneth L Gray, aged 35, of Alton, was arrested for the following offenses: Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine Unlawful Possession of Hypodermic Syringes Gray was arrested without incident and transported to the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office. All suspect(s) are innocent until proven guilty.

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CHICAGO - Former ComEd lobbyist Michael McClain, former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore , retired ComEd vice president John Hooker, and former ComEd consultant Jay Doherty were found guilty on each and every count of a nine-count indictment accusing them of conspiracy, bribery, and falsifying documents. Federal prosecutors accused the defendants of using their influence to reward former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and his associates for about eight years beginning in 2011, in order to ensure Madigan would help them pass legislation beneficial to ComEd. These are reactions from area legislators on the verdicts: Rep. Elik Statement on Corruption Trial Verdict Tied to Former House Speaker Mike Madigan SPRINGFIELD - Illinois State Representative Amy Elik (R-Alton) issued a statement following the verdict in the corruption trial connected to former House Speaker Mike Madigan: “Today’s verdict reaffirms what has been wrong with our state government for decades an

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ALTON - Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said at 12:50 p.m. on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, the Alton Police Department Officers responded to a report of a juvenile victim with a gunshot wound to the chest in the 2600 block of Maxey Street, Alton. The victim was transported to a local hospital by members of the Alton Fire Department. Despite lifesaving efforts, the victim ultimately died of his injuries. "The Alton Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division immediately began investigating the case. Leads and information obtained led to the identification of a suspect who was eventually taken into custody," Chief Ford said. "The investigation is ongoing at this time. It is being conducted in conjunction with members of the Madison County Coroner’s Office and Illinois State Police. The investigation will be forwarded to the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office for review. "This was not a random act of violence. All involved parties are known to each other."

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