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PONTOON BEACH - Just in time for an unseasonably warm last week of December, a segment of the Madison County Transit (MCT) Nickel Plate Trail from IL-143 to Blackburn Road which has been closed for reconstruction, is now re-open and the much-anticipated trail improvements are now complete. In November 2021, MCT began the $2.6 million project to reconstruct a 2.3-mile section of the MCT Nickel Plate Trail in unincorporated Madison County with a new asphalt surface, new box culverts, and a new 210-foot, pre-engineered bridge with a concrete deck—the first concrete deck bridge in the MCT Trails system. The new asphalt surface not only provides bicyclists with a smoother ride, it reduces ongoing maintenance expenses. In response to concerns from the area’s running community, who prefer a softer surface, MCT installed 2.5-foot-wide limestone shoulders on each side of the reconstructed trail. The project also improved drainage conditions and replaced century-old box culverts

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SPRINGFIELD - Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) shared accomplishments made in 2022 to support our state’s number one industry. From the opening of the state’s first craft grow facility, to increasing Future Farmers of America (FFA) funding to ensure the future of agriculture in our state, to the success of the state fairs, great strides were made to further the success of agriculture in Illinois. “Illinois has always been—and will always be—an agricultural state. And this year, we continued to lay the groundwork for a thriving, sustainable agricultural industry for generations into the future,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “From waiving all FFA dues for agricultural education students to issuing hundreds of cannabis licenses to social equity applicants, 2022 was full of firsts—and we’re only getting started. My administration remains laser-focused on growing and supporting our number one

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - The deceased in a homicide that occurred on December 29, 2022, in the 10600 block of Spring Garden Drive in St. Louis County has been identified as Jaylen Miles, 16, 10400 block of Spring Garden Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63137. St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating the homicide. On December 29, 2022, at 3:37 PM, St. Louis County police officers from the North County Precinct responded to a call for service for a male lying in the backyard of a vacant home. Responding officers located a juvenile male in a yard suffering from at least one apparent gunshot wound. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. St. Louis County Police Department’s Crimes Against Persons detectives are conducting the investigation. The investigation is active at this time. Additional information will be disseminated as it becomes available. Please contact the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210 to speak with investigators

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CHICAGO – If you’re dreaming of striking it rich - the Mega Millions jackpot for tonight’s drawing has swelled to a staggering $640 million. The Mega Millions jackpot has soared past $600 million just five other times in its 20-year history. If a player wins tonight’s massive grand prize, it would be the second-highest Mega Millions jackpot of 2022 and the sixth largest in the game’s history. Earlier this year, 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 the third largest lottery prize in U.S. history. You could be next! With over 7,000 Illinois Lottery retailers across the State, lottery players can conveniently pick up a ticket at their local store - or they can login to the Illinois Lottery website or app and purchase a ticket online. And If you have the good fortune to win a life-altering amount of money, the Lottery

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WOOD RIVER - Bowler L.J. Walker has discovered a new-found sport to love. He suffered a concussion and decided to make his transition into a new sport, where he has become a star. Walker is a Midwest Members Credit Union Male Athlete of the Month for the Oilers. "I would like to thank my family, friends, and coaches for standing by my side and helping me throughout my recovery process after I got my fourth concussion," he said. "They helped me get back to the position I am in today and that has allowed me to find a love of bowling. I would also like to thank my close friends for being understanding of my situation and still helping me maintain a good social life." Garry Herron is Walker's bowling coach for East Alton-Wood River. "Overcoming my significant brain injury and getting back into a sport has been a great accomplishment," Walker said. "I have been able to apply the strong character qualities I gained from my experience, into my sport such as hard work, determination, and

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GLEN CARBON - Father McGivney Catholic senior boys basketball player Jacob Huber has helped the Griffins get off to a good start this season. Huber is one of many seniors on a veteran team that has very good expectations, having played for the Griffins since his freshman year in 2019-20. He is one of his team's hardest workers and helps provide leadership to the younger players on the club. For all of his efforts both on and off the court, Huber has been named a Byron, Carlson, Petri, and Kalp Male Athlete Of the Month. Huber sees his role on the Griffins as a rebounder who looks for the open man first to start a fast break, shooting when he has the opportunity. "I see my role as try to get boards," Huber said, "hit the overlook and hit more shots." McGivney has a veteran team, with a total of five seniors on the roster this season, and Huber thinks that their leadership will play a vital role in the team's success this season. "It definitely helps," Huber said. "All five of us

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WOOD RIVER - East Alton-Wood River High School's Jada Dupy has had a strong bowling career for the Oilers. Jada was recognized today as a Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for East Alton-Wood River. She thanked her father for always encouraging her and helping her in times of need. Garry Herron is her high school bowling coach. She says she is most proud of her wins in multiple personal bowling matches and her contributions to her team. "I have been bowling since sophomore year and my favorite part is the bonds I have formed with my teammates and coaches," she said. "I find that the sports and school have helped me develop good stress management and have helped me become closer to my peers." Jada plans on attending Lewis and Clark Community College after her high school graduation. She is very proud of her participation in other activities at EAWR. "I am a part of the Renaissance Program, Gold Level," she said. "I am also a part of the Madison County Youth

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JERSEYVILLE - Two individuals broke into the new Jerseyville location of “The Cave” at approximately 2 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 27. Shattering the glass entrance door, they stole several pieces of merchandise and caused thousands of dollars in damages, according to store manager Nathan Badman. “Someone broke the door window, came in, broke a bunch of stuff, caused a bunch of damages, and got away with a few things that they thought were real weed, but were just CBD flower,” Badman said. The store is located at 610 S. State St. at the intersections of highways 67 and 109, and had only been open for two weeks before the break-in occurred. Nobody was in the store at the time of the incident, but Badman said the damages were extensive. “They took our register … the door cost about $400-500. I would say the damage done inside the store was close to $4,000-$5,000 worth of damage, probably just in repairs and stuff we’re going to have to go fin

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HIGHLAND - Korte Recreation Center/Highland Parks & Recreation staff are always innovative with their programs, but they have an extra-special day planned for children and families on New Year’s Eve. The festivities start at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022, in the Korte Recreation Center with balloon animals by Robin in the lobby. There will be food, opportunities with a Slash Bubble Blower, and a Countdown with a Slide Drop at 3 p.m. with beach balls and rubber ducks. The Korte Center indoor complex has both a swimming area and a small lazy river. “We have ordered beach balls and rubber ducks to send down the slide for the kids to catch,” Laura Wilken, the Highland Parks and Recreation aquatic director/facility manager, said. “There are a lot of things to do on New Year’s Eve, but we wanted to do something for the kids.” The New Year’s Eve countdown will last an hour and start at 2 p.m. Saturday, she said. Concession stands will be open

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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed two separate legal briefs this week rejecting an attack on federal LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination protections and opposing Florida’s controversial “Don’t Say Gay” law, which limits classroom discussions and has serious implications for LGBTQ+ students. “Across the country, we are witnessing increased attacks on the rights of the LGBTQ+ community,” Raoul said. “Discrimination has no place in our society, and I will continue to partner with fellow attorneys general from across the country to stand up against hate and discrimination in all its forms.” Raoul joined a coalition of 18 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in Tennessee v. Department of Education supporting the rights of the more than 20 million lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans to live, work and pursue education free from discrimination. Under U.S. Supreme Court precedent, federal protections against sex-based

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CHICAGO – The Illinois Lottery is pleased to announce that one of its players is once again in line to win $1 million with Powerball on New Year’s Eve. Dr. Cynthia Hines-Butler from Yorkville, IL is one of 29 finalists in the “Powerball First Millionaire of the Year” drawing. The finalists were randomly selected, in a preliminary drawing, from a national pool of lottery players who entered a sweepstakes promotion held by 29 U.S. lotteries. For the fourth consecutive year, Powerball will hold a special drawing of the $1 million prize live on air, just after midnight on New Years Eve, as part of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2023. “I got an email stating that I won a trip to New York to participate in the $1 million Powerball prize drawing but I thought it was a scam so I ignored it,” said Hines-Butler. “Once I received confirmation that this was for real – my scepticism turned

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JERSEY COUNTY - Jersey County State's Attorney Ben Goetten joined colleagues in the suit filed against the Pre-Trial Fairness Act and on Thursday he issued a statement about a judge's verdict. Circuit Judge Thomas Cunningham, chief judge of the 21st Judicial Circuit, issued a ruling in the case of Rowe, et al., v Pritzker, et al, on Wednesday in favor of the plaintiffs and held the Pre-Trial Fairness Act, specifically the bail reform and pretrial release provisions, "unconstitutional." "I think I can speak for all my colleagues who joined the suit in Kankakee in saying that we feel a level of vindication that a member of the judiciary sees this Act for what it was and did the right thing in ruling it unconstitutional," Goetten said. "While the trailer bill recently passed by the legislature was a shift in the right direction, it in no way cured the issues that will most impact public safety." Goetten said as prosecutors he and the others are sworn to uphold the Constitution,

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WOOD RIVER - Wood River Police Department said today a 13-year-old male has been reported missing. The police said at 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022, Hunter Rezabek was reported by a family member to have left his residence on South Central Avenue, Wood River, at approximately 3 p.m. earlier that day. Hunter is described as 5-foot-3 inches tall, and approximately 115 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black coat, a black hooded sweatshirt with "Champion" across the chest, blue jeans, and red/white tennis shoes. Wood River Police said Hunter is missing of his own volition and was not believed to be in danger when he left. Please contact Wood River Police at (618) 251-3114 if you assist police in locating him. Any comment not related to locating him will be removed. Wood River Police said thank you in advance.

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State Rep. Adam Niemerg: Court Ruling on SAFE-T Act Confirms Critics Constitutional Concerns The ruling of 21 st Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Thomas Cunnington on the SAFE-T Act confirms what State Representative Adam Niemerg (R-Dietrich) has been warning about since the legislation was first introduced. “One of the reasons I voted against this bill was because I believed it was an overreach from the legislative and executive branches of government,” Niemerg said. “We should not paint our judicial process with a broad brush because every case is different. The SAFE-T Act handcuffs the ability of judges to keep our communities safe and there is no question it is a major overreach.” Judge Cunningham’s ruling strikes down the cash bail and pre-trial release provisions of the SAFE-T Act for the 65 counties that challenged the law’s constitutionality. In his ruling, Cunningham stated that the law violates the Separation of Powers clause of the

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Every year Merriam-Webster adds new words to the dictionary, often those that have made their way into everyday language and pop culture. While it’s not officially on the list, the term “tripledemic” is certainly a strong contender. The word was coined to describe the near-simultaneous increase in COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, cases. Millions across the country have been getting sick at an alarming rate earlier than normal, particularly for flu, putting increased pressure on healthcare systems across the country. Young children, those under two years old, are particularly susceptible to RSV, as well as those with other chronic health conditions. Children typically develop anything from cold-like symptoms to a more severe cough or even trouble breathing. Dr. Keith Hanson, a pediatrician with Peoria, Illinois-based OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois, says RSV is doing what RSV has done for decades, but we have become

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced that yesterday Circuit Judge Thomas Cunnington, Chief Judge of the 21st Judicial Circuit, issued his ruling in the case of Rowe, et al., v. Pritzker, et al. Judge Cunnington ruled in favor of the Plaintiffs and held the Pre-Trial Fairness Act, specifically the bail reform and pretrial release provisions, unconstitutional. The immediate net effect of this ruling is that the pre-trial release provisions and bail reform will not go into effect in the 65 counties that were party to the lawsuit, which includes Madison County. The other provisions of the Safe-T Act, such as body cameras, training, etc., were upheld. The Plaintiffs in this lawsuit consisted of 65 counties throughout Illinois who filed suit against Governor JB Pritzker, Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Senate President Donald Harmon, and Speaker of the House Christopher Welch. Kankakee County and Will County were the first counties to file suit; thereafter,

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JERSEYVILLE - “The Cave,” a CBD, Delta 8, and vape store with locations in Alton, Fairview Heights, and Wood River, has officially opened for business in Jerseyville. The new store is located at 610 S. State St., near the intersection of highways 67 and 109. Manager Nathan Badman said the new location officially opened Wednesday, Dec. 14, and has been praised by Jerseyville residents who no longer have to drive out of town for their favorite Cave products. “The reason we wanted to put it up in Jerseyville is that nobody else was up there,” Badman said. “We figured that the people in Jerseyvile have to drive 30-35 minutes to the closest smoke shop, and so why not put one there right in the middle of Jerseyville, right? “We’ve been getting good reviews since we’ve been open - a lot of people saying that exact thing, ‘We’re so glad that you’re open up here, we don’t have to drive all the way to Alton now.’”

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Madison County Sheriff's Office and the Madison County Coroner's Office are conducting a death investigation of an adult male, that was found deceased Wednesday morning. Earlier Wednesday morning, an adult male was reported missing by a family member to the Troy Police Department. At about 10:57 a.m., on Wednesday, during the missing person investigation, additional information led area first responders, including the Madison County Sheriff's Office, to the area of the 4300 block of Schipkowski Road, unincorporated Edwardsville. The missing person was found alone and deceased near his vehicle. Although this death investigation continues, preliminary information revealed that there does not appear to be a threat to the community. The Madison County Sheriff's Office and the Madison County Coroner's Office are in contact with the family. The Madison County Sheriff's Office said nothing else will be released for now.

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine has filed charges of reckless homicide and aggravated DUI against a Grafton man in connection with a crash that claimed the life of a motorcyclist from Wood River. Charges were filed Tuesday against Steven T. Dublo, 44, alleging that he had cocaine and methamphetamine in his system at the time of the crash, which resulted in the death of motorcyclist Nicholas O. West, 32. The charge of aggravated DUI resulting in death, which is the more serious of the two, carries a possible sentence of three to 14 years in prison. The charges allege that Dublo had the drugs in his system when he drove a flatbed truck through a red light in Alton, resulting in a collision with West’s motorcycle. The date of offense is April 2, 2022. “We continue to pray for healing for the family and loved ones of Mr. West,” Haine said. “I want to remind drivers that they need to be aware of motorcyclists. And I want to war

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Ghostx and Ellle Mercurio Cherrier are doing their part to urge people to remain drug-free. Ghostx is a rapper from Ferguson, Mo., who fell into the streets and committed a violent crime. During the next decade, he says he searched for God, lost his father, and partnered with highly regarded filmmaker Mercurio-Cherrier in doing the short movie Horror Over Heroin. Mercurior-Cherier said Ghostx has countless other ways he gives back to his community. Ghostx's music recently was crowned king of hip hop here but the pride of his life lay in helping others. The rapper allows his past to be the catalyst he needed to acquire the faith to move the mountains in his life, Mercurio-Cherrier said. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan 28, 2022, the two will speak after the premiere of a heroin short film documentary regarding the impact that drugs and violence paths led them. It will be free for all the Florissant Valley Library Branch in St. Louis County. "Ghostx makes a difference in the music industr

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