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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today voiced support for the U.S. Department of Education’s proposed Gainful Employment Rule. The rule aims to protect students by, among other things, establishing expectations that graduates of for-profit colleges and of career-training programs at nonprofit colleges earn enough money to meaningfully pay back their federal student loans. Under the Higher Education Act, post-secondary institutions are required to “prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation.” If an institution does not, it risks losing access to federal financial aid. The rule was originally issued in 2012, but, in 2019, the prior administration repealed it. The Biden administration is now proposing a new Gainful Employment Rule that strengthens federal efforts to hold predatory colleges accountable. Raoul, as part of a coalition of 21 attorneys general, submitted a comment letter to the department applauding this strongest-ever propose

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CAHOKIA HEIGHTS – State Senator Christopher Belt joined Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity on Tuesday in announcing the expansion of Gulfstream’s operations St. Louis Downtown Airport, enabling the company to increase completions and outfitting operations while investing in modernization at its Cahokia Heights location. “This expansion of Gulfstream adds to the growth the Metro East area is continuing to see,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “We are staying on top of the game by meeting the demands of the growing region, while leaving a positive impact for the aviation and aerospace industry and workforce.” Through a $28.5 million investment, Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. – which designs, develops and services the world’s leading business aircraft – will be expanding its Cahokia Heights facility, which will enable the company to increase capacity for exterior aircraft

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ALTON - “It’s causing a bloodbath.” Those are the words of Susan Elmendorf, a woman who found herself on the side of the road Tuesday morning carrying turtles across Highway 367. She stopped because a large turtle had been hit earlier that morning, almost causing a car accident. For the next several minutes, she and another motorist shepherded more turtles from one side of highway to the other, dodging speeding cars and construction signs. “The turtles will keep going on that path because that’s their migratory path. They cross the road that they’ve taken for decades,” Elmendorf said. “And now all of a sudden, these turtles can’t get across, but they keep trying and they get halfway across the route and they’re just getting killed.” The highway cuts through the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers; it’s the road that many people take to cross the Illinois and Missouri border. Elmendorf said that most of the turtle

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JERSEYVILLE - Jerseyville Motor Co. officially marked 100 years in business on June 21, 2023 with a celebration at the dealership from 4 to 6 p.m. The Ford dealership and service center has been family owned and operated across three generations since it was founded a century ago. The company’s 100th birthday drew a large crowd of support from the local community during the celebration on Wednesday. The event featured an ice cream truck, live musical entertainment, food, drinks, and lots of memorabilia from the dealership’s 100-year history. John Dwyer with the dealership’s Sales Department said he’s been looking forward to this day for several years. “It’s hard for me to fathom,” Dwyer said of reaching the milestone. “I started here 18 years ago and this is a date that I’ve looked forward to since the day that I started, and I can’t believe it’s here. It’s been a lot of hard work from a lot of generations,

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ALTON - John “Jack” Quigley passed away recently at age 83 but he left a huge legacy as a 25-year Alton firefighter, his work with Madison County Emergency Management, but most importantly, his role as a father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend to many in this region. East Alton Fire Chief Tim Quigley, also a retired Alton firefighter, said his father was definitely a leader in emergency management throughout his career. “My dad did things that were not thought of at that time,” he said. “He was an innovator in the process of getting things before they were really used. My father and I had a firefighter relationship in addition to him being my dad. “We became really close the last years of his life. Dad loved the family aspect and lived close in his final time in the area to water so the grandkids could enjoy themselves. My dad helped me a lot in my firefighter and first responder career. I didn’t expect to go beyond captain but watchin

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(Note: This is the second in a three-part series about the upcoming Illinois State Police Team Illinois Youth Camp. Part three will publish on Thursday. Information is below on how to register for the camp with a deadline set for this weekend). COLLINSVILLE - Calvin Dye Jr. is a one-of-a-kind type of state trooper. He has handled many positions with the Illinois State Police over the years, but one of his favorite duties is to organize and lead the week-long Illinois State Police Team Illinois Youth Camp. He has worked for several years with Sandy Vohtas to make the camp successful and function each year. Calvin learned the art of public service from his legendary father, Calvin Dye Sr., now the St. Clair County Coroner, who also had a career in law enforcement. Calvin Jr. has always praised his father for his help in developing his character and career. The Illinois State Police Team Illinois Youth Camp begins on Sunday, July 16, check-in at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville

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SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that bids on 236 contracts for highway and bridge projects were accepted in its June letting, including a total of $15.2 million to resurface 10 miles of Illinois 255 from Illinois 143 and Seminary Road in the Metro East. This month’s bid letting is the largest in the department’s history, fueled by Gov. Pritzker’s historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois, which is putting people to work and enhancing the quality of life while improving safety and mobility in every part of the state. “This bid letting is a historic achievement for Illinois and further illustrates the kind of transformational investments being made in the state’s infrastructure due to Rebuild Illinois,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman . “Up and down Illinois, communities are experiencing the benefits of an improved, modernized transportation system that gets you and your family where

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SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois State Museum (ISM) will host community discussions about the 1908 exhibition proposed for the Springfield Sangamon County Transportation Hub. The first two meetings will occur Saturday, June 24 at 10:30 a.m. at the Illinois State Museum and at 3 p.m. at the Springfield and Central Illinois African American History Museum. To preserve the history and culture of the Springfield community, the ISM has partnered with Sangamon County to create a community-focused exhibit highlighting artifacts and materials discovered during the archeological excavations for the rail relocation project. The objects found were remnants of homes built in the 1840s that were burned to the ground by a White mob action in 1908, commonly referred to as the 1908 Race Riot. The ISM is currently in the second phase of planning the upcoming exhibition and actively seeking community input and ideas. To achieve this, the Museum has hired consultants Dina Bailey , Richard Josey

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HUNTSVILLE, Texas - Glen Carbon's Ryan Hicks is listed on the President's Honor Roll at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. Those on the 2023 Spring President's List are undergraduates who have achieved a perfect 4.0 grade point average in all work attempted while enrolled in not less than 12 semester hours.

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ALTON - The Alton Municipal Band continues its 133rd concert season this week with hometown jazz trumpeter Will Schmalbeck. Schmalbeck’s return to Alton will be the cornerstone of the concert. This concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 22, at Riverview Park. The concert will be repeated at 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 25, at Haskell Park in Alton. The Alton Municipal Band Conductor Dave Drillinger said Schmalbeck will feature songs from musical icons like Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, and Harry James. In addition, the band, conducted by Drillinger, will showcase its powerful brass section with a wide variety of “Brassy and Sassy” tunes. Alton Municipal Band concerts provide free, live music in a family-friendly atmosphere.

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(Photos by Chris Mills and All About Alton). ALTON - Alton Police and Fire responded to a single-vehicle crash where the driver struck and knocked down an Ameren Illinois pole and live power lines Wednesday afternoon close to the Best Western on College Avenue in Alton. "Ameren Illinois had to respond because the pole was knocked down and also due to the live power lines being down," Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said. "Traffic was backed up, but the scene has since been cleared with normal traffic resuming." Eastbound lanes in the area were closed for a time period while law enforcement and first responders worked the scene. Chief Ford also mentioned that the driver suffered "non-life threatening injuries." "The cause of the accident is still under investigation at this time," Chief Ford said.

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EDWARDSVILLE - Today is the summer solstice, but for people in the Alzheimer’s community, it’s known simply as the Longest Day. Every year on the summer solstice, the Alzheimer’s Association sponsors its Longest Day fundraiser to encourage donations toward fighting Alzheimer’s disease. People across the country organize their own Longest Day fundraisers and events. Home Instead Senior Care in Edwardsville invited healthcare agencies to join them in providing information on dementia care and caregiver support. “I think the one thing that we all are hoping for is a cure,” Nikki Bishop, the owner of Edwardsville’s Home Instead branch, said. “But in the meantime, it’s being able to support each other with patience and compassion.” This was Home Instead’s second year sponsoring the event, which has grown since last summer. The Main Street Community Center hosted Home Instead and other agencies from

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WOOD RIVER - It has been some time in the making, but Wood River Mayor Tom Stalcup announced today that the Sports Barn will open sometime in the fall right on Old St. Louis-Alton Road close to I-255 and Route 143. He said building materials are supposed to be delivered by the end of the month and it was his understanding it would take a month to month and a half to construct the new facility. Stalcup has talked before about the 37,500-square-foot structure. There will be batting cases, pitching development, a turf infield, and more inside the facility for training baseball and softball players. Stalcup also added that the Illinois Gators and Gators Baseball Academy - a baseball and softball club - for ages 6 to 18 will be the prime occupants of the new facility. “The Sports Barn has a present location in Wentzville, Missouri,” Stalcup said. “The Gators are trying to expand their market and feel they have a lot of kids already from this area and this will just expan

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GLEN CARON - The newest addition to Glen Carbon is taking shape, with plans for Olive Garden to open in early to mid-October later this year. Olive Garden will be located in the new Orchard Town Center development at the intersection of Governor’s Parkway and Troy Road, near the recently-opened Chick-Fil-A. Construction is by St. Louis-based J.E. Foster Building Company. Jobsite superintendent Dan Backer said the construction is “going good.” The Staenberg Group, a real estate firm in Overland, Missouri, is leasing spots in the Orchard Town Center. They say that the development will be a new shopping center. Anyone who is interested in leasing information can call 314-513-1500. As temperatures climbed Wednesday, construction workers could be found resting in the shade, enjoying meals from Chick-Fil-A during their lunch break. The Olive Garden started as a unit of General Mills . The Olive Garden's first restaurant was opened on December 13, 1982, in Orlando

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EDWARDSVILLE – First-year Taylor Sparks, of Belleville, is the recipient of the spring 2023 University Staff Senate scholarship from the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Staff Senate. “I would like to thank the sponsors of the Staff Senate for making this scholarship possible,” said Sparks, a business major with specializations in marketing and entrepreneurship and a minor in graphic design from the School of Business. “I would also like to thank mother for being my support system through my years of undergrad.” Sparks is the daughter of Dawn Sparks, Accountant III in the Office of the Bursar. “As for my education, these funds will help me to pay for my upcoming courses needed to obtain my intended degree, to continue to work towards my career goals,” ‘Sparks continued. Scholarship awards are given to qualifying SIUE students who meet such criteria as: be a son, daughter, grandchild, spouse or civil union partner of a presentl

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GRAFTON - Police officer Mike Angel was in the spotlight at Tuesday night's Grafton City Council meeting where he was presented a Life Saving Certificate on behalf of the Council and the citizens of Grafton by Mayor Morrow and Police Chief Eric Spanton. Grafton Police Officer Mike Angel responded to a call of a bicyclist down and needing help on the bike trail at Graham Hollow outside of Grafton on Sunday afternoon. The cyclist had struck a 2” by 6” wooden guard rail and was severely cut. Grafton Mayor Morrow said the cyclist was bleeding from a gash to the neck, with gashes in his leg and ankle. The wounds exposed the bone and nicked the arteries in two places. The mayor said Officer Angel immediately removed the cyclist’s shirt and made a tourniquet around his upper leg then he quickly removed his own shirt and made a tourniquet on his lower leg. "Officer Angel applied pressure and calmed the victim until the ground ambulance arrived," the mayor said.

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JERSEYVILLE - A Godfrey man has been charged with driving an ATV under the influence of alcohol without a valid license or registration, while a Dow man has been charged with unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, according to recent court filings out of Jersey County. John E. Cloninger, 41, of Godfrey, was charged on June 13 for an incident on May 8 when he “drove a green All Terrain Vehicle with no registration” on US Highway 67 near Stagecoach Road “when his blood alcohol content was in excess of .16,” according to court filings. Cloninger was additionally charged with driving on a revoked license. He was issued a Class 2 felony for the aggravated DUI charge and a Class A misdemeanor for driving on a revoked license. Bail was not noted, but more information and updates on this case can be found here . Christopher A. Norris, 47, of Dow, was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon on June 16. Court documents state Norris “knowingly

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled, “Protecting Pride: Defending the Civil Rights of LGBTQ+ Americans.” The hearing will celebrate historic progress made in protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans. It will also serve as a call to remain steadfast in defending these rights against a tidal wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation being introduced across the country, particularly targeting transgender youth. Key Durbin quotes: “In just a relatively short time, a few decades, our nation has made remarkable progress in protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans. Eight years ago this month, for instance, Obergefell v. Hodges , which made marriage equality the law of the land. And last year, on a bipartisan basis, Congress codified those protections into law with the Respect for Marriage Act .” “While

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EDWARDSVILLE – With the official arrival of summer on Wednesday, June 21, the City of Edwardsville wants everyone to be aware of cooling center options available during periods of extreme heat. The City is working in cooperation with the following local facilities to provide relief when the heat index rises above 100° Fahrenheit. Additional sites and hours may be added as needed. Please note that holiday schedules could affect operating hours. Edwardsville Public Library: 112 S. Kansas St. – 618-692-7556 Availability: Mondays-Thursdays: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sundays: 1-5 p.m. Edwardsville Main Street Community Center: 1003 N. Main St. – 618-656-0300 Availability: Mondays-Fridays: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. YMCA Meyer Center: 7348 Goshen Road – 618-655-1460 Mondays-Fridays: 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sundays: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. YMCA Niebur Center: 1200 Esic Drive – 618-656-0436 Mondays-Fridays:

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CARLINVILLE - Blackburn College has received a financial gift to bolster a wide range of arts education programs, celebrate creative expression and establish a lasting legacy within the institution. The gift, made by the family of Blackburn Trustee James D. (J. D.) Sandfort honors his mother and lifelong Carlinville resident Sharon K. Sandfort. During a special ribbon-cutting ceremony this month, Blackburn unveiled the new name for the campus' visual art gallery, The Sharon K. Sandfort Gallery of Art. The private ceremony was attended by Sharon Sandfort, unaware that she was being honored during the evening. She was surprised to see her name prominently displayed on the gallery entrance as she entered the venue. The celebration included a dinner with family, friends, and Blackburn leaders and featured a birthday cake to celebrate her upcoming 80th birthday. President Greg Meyer welcomed guests and expressed Blackburn's appreciation for Sandfort's generosity. "It gives Blackburn the

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