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ALTON - Alton Main Street and Jacoby Arts Center are partnering to present First Fridays, a late night art and shopping experience which spans 16 locations across the Downtown Alton district. The shopping experience begins this Friday, Dec. 1, 2023. This series is held on the First Friday of October, November and December, providing you with an opportunity to check out new shops and galleries and visit familiar favorites to experience art and great specials at each business. Participants are offering a variety of discounts, refreshments, and giveaways. Everyone who has their passport stamped at a minimum of 10 locations will receive a $10 gift certificate to any participating business. Find "Where’s Wadlow" hidden at one of the locations to win a $100 gift certificate! Free parking is available in the lot next to Jacoby Arts Center, located at 627 E. Broadway, and a free shuttle bus will be provided from 5:00-9:00 p.m., running a continuous loop between all participating locations.

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ALTON - IMPACT CIL said today its offices sustained water damage after a pipe connection broke in one of the restrooms at the 2735 E. Broadway, Alton location early Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023. IMPACT CIL Executive Director Cathy Contarino said IMPACT offices will be closed until further notice. "Our staff will be working remotely," she said. "If you are trying to reach us, please leave a voicemail message at 618-462-1411. We will get back to you as soon as possible." Contarino apologized for any inconvenience the water damage has caused. "Thank you for your patience," she added. Contarino said her goal was to reopen the building by Jan. 3, 2024, after the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, but right now they didn’t know if that would be possible. She stressed the staff is used to working remotely because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, which may have prepared them for this type of situation. “My staff also can go and see people at their homes or other locations,”

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ALTON - Alton Police encountered a situation Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023, where they arrived at a residence in the 500 block of Brookside in Alton and upon arrival, officers went to contact a subject and the subject began to flee the scene with a vehicle. Alton Deputy Chief John Franke said the person sought for questioning bumped an officer with his vehicle. "The vehicle was not moving fast and the officer was not injured," Franke said. "Officers were able to pursue the suspect vehicle with the pursuit going southbound on the Homer Adams Extension at a slow rate of speed. The suspect vehicle tried to pass a marked police car on the driver’s side, but the suspect vehicle struck the concrete median, causing his vehicle to sideswipe the officer’s vehicle before veering back and striking the median again, which ended the pursuit. "The suspect was uninjured and taken into custody pending charges. There was only minor damage to the police car and the officer driving was also uninjured."

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BETHALTO - Civic Memorial junior Reegan Twente has been with the girls basketball team since her freshman season, improving each year. She scored 11 points her freshman season, then 63 as a sophomore on varsity while mainly playing JV minutes. Now, she finds herself as a varsity starter and has already been showing her form this season. Through just six games, she's already eclipsed her scoring total from last year. She leads the team with 65 points, averaging 10.8 points per game. For her success so far this season, Reegan Twente is a Tom Lane State Farm Athlete of the Month. Reegan scored a career-high 16 points on Monday, Dec. 27 in a 62-30 win over Mississippi Valley Conference rivals Mascoutah. She's been a key three-point shooter having made 13 this season, the second most on the team. "She can shoot it," CM head coach Mike Arbuthnot said about Reegan. "She's just really developed. Last year she was really, really close, but just having another year, she's now more of

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ALTON/GODFREY - The Great Rivers Choral Society (GRCS) invites Riverbend residents to enjoy their upcoming concert “Hope is Born: A Celtic Christmas.” At 7 p.m. on Dec. 8 and 3 p.m. on Dec. 9, 2023, the choir will perform at the Bridge Church at 204 E. 12th Street in Alton. They will also perform at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023, at Godfrey First United Methodist Church at 1100 Airport Road in Godfrey. President Pat Stewart said that GRCS is excited to share their music with the community. “I think the way the world is going these days, everybody could use a little bit of hope,” Stewart said. “It’s just some beautiful Christmas music, some with a Celtic flair, others not. But we’re very excited. This will be our 23rd season. Having survived COVID as a community choir, we’re very blessed to have the singers that we have and anxious to give back to the community some joy this Christmas.” The concert is free to attendees, though

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) today led 10 of their colleagues in introducing bipartisan legislation to address the steep increase in armed robberies against postal workers, who are often targeted for their arrow keys. The Postal Police Reform Act would ensure that Postal Police Officers may be assigned to duty outside of Postal Service real property to offer protection to letter carriers on their routes. The Postal Inspection Service reports that armed robberies of letter carriers increased sharply between 2018 and 2021, rising from 36 incidents to 154 incidents. The arrow keys can command thousands of dollars on the clandestine market because they allow access to cluster mailboxes and their contents, which include Social Security checks, prescriptions, and other valuable items. In 2020, under the leadership of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) issued a directive that restricted

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today on the Senate floor to request unanimous consent (UC) to pass their bipartisan Drug-price Transparency for Consumers (DTC) Act , a bill that would require price disclosures on advertisements for prescription drugs, in order to empower patients and reduce excess spending on medications. U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) objected to the unanimous consent request. In 2018, Durbin and Grassley asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to look at the impact of these direct-to-consumer (DTC) ads on Medicare’s budget. In 2021, GAO released a report on the impact of DTC advertising, which found that prescription drugs advertised directly to consumers account for 58 percent of Medicare’s spending on drugs. The DTC Act would require DTC advertisements for prescription drugs and biological products to include a disclosure of the list price, so that patients ca

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STAUNTON - The Macoupin Arts Collective (the MAC) hosted an international meeting between two art classes for senior citizens via Zoom on Nov. 9th at the studio in Staunton. Seniors from area towns including Carlinville, Staunton, Edwardsville, and New Douglas met with another art class of seniors in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia to create art together. All of the Croatian participants live and work in Zabreb but only two of them are originally from there, the Croatian instructor Vonja explained. One is from the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the town of Zenica, one is from Cakovec in northern Croatia and one is from the east in Osijek. Jan Gann, the American leader at the MAC spent three years in Croatia several years ago and became good friends with Vonja during that time. Both wanted to try to have the two classes meet via Zoom to meet and work together. The Expressive Arts Program was born with the idea that the pandemic was isolating our older population who would

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ALTON - The nonprofit Alton Main Street sponsored their quarterly “What’s Up Downtown” meeting, an information exchange about local businesses and developments in Alton, on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023. New business owners were encouraged to share information about their businesses and plans to revitalize downtown Alton. Featured speakers included Melissa Bland, who will be opening her boutique Honeybee Vintage later this year, and Caleb Lewis, who is renovating several buildings in Alton and will soon open Moon Drops + Wellness in a new downtown location. Lori Bregenzer shared information about Comfort Cuisine , and Dorothy Mosby spoke about her new storefront for Mo’z Sweet Treats . Kim Tanner gave an update on her shop Strangelovely . Markus Boyd shared his plans to renovate the Mitchell Mansion, and Cameron Ahlvers spoke about his production company SHFT Studios . Ashlen Hale, general manager of The Alton Dispensary , noted that the business is up and runnin

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GLEN CARBON - The Illinois State Scholar program is awarded to high school seniors based on ACT or SAT test scores and the sixth semester* class size and unweighted class rank and Grade Point Average (GPA). The Father McGivney Catholic High School recipients of the Illinois State Scholar designation this year are: Melanie Dempsey Katherine Greer Thomas Halbrook Kaitlyn Hatley Joseph Hyten Elaina Jansen Olivia Klusas Colin Moore Sophia Novosel Drew Villhard Luke Welser The Illinois State Scholar Program publicly and personally identifies graduating high school seniors who possess superior academic potential. Students from nearly every high school in Illinois compete in the program. State Scholars can be found on the campuses of nearly 200 public and private institutions of higher education in Illinois. The combination of students' exemplary college entrance examination scores and record high school achievement indicate an especially high potential for success in college.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent a letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure urging her to notify states of recent Medicare changes in coverage and billing practices for oral health care services that were outlined in the 2024 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System final rule. As states often model their Medicaid coverage and billing practices after Medicare’s, Durbin called on Administrator Brooks-LaSure to inform states of these changes, which could improve treatment and care for Medicaid enrollees as well. Each year, CMS publishes the OPPS and ASC Payment System rule to determine reimbursement rates for the 3,500 hospital-owned outpatient departments and 6,000 ASCs across the United States. As part of the its 2023 OPPS and ASC Payment System final rule, CMS included a new billing code for a dental surgical

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CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker joined the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), elected officials, and industry leaders at Koval Distillery to announce that 48 small businesses or ‘Makers’ have been inducted into the Illinois Made program – the largest class of businesses since the program’s inception in 2016. Each year, the Illinois Office of Tourism selects a group of local businesses that exemplify the authentic experiences and innovative products that make Illinois an incredible destination to explore for residents and visitors alike. “The Illinois Made program selects a group of our most exemplary hidden gems and one-of-a-kind small businesses and encourages Illinoisans and visitors alike to discover the experiences they offer,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This year’s class of Illinois Makers is one of our most diverse. In every corner of our state, people from all walks of life are creating delicious

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HARDIN - The Calhoun County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023, announced charges for two in regard to methamphetamine possession. This was the report issued from the Calhoun Sheriff's Office: At 4:05 p.m. on August 1, 2023, deputies from the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office conducted a citizen contact at a residence on Park Street, Hardin, in Calhoun County, Illinois, in reference to an ongoing drug investigation. Subsequent to the contact; methamphetamine, fentanyl and related drug paraphernalia were seized. On November 2, 2023, Christopher A. Cecil, age 36, of Hardin, was arrested on the following charges: Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Cecil was arrested without incident and was booked into the Greene County Jail and subsequently received a Notice to Appear at the Calhoun County Courthouse; As is now required under the provisions of the new House Bill 3653, known as the SAFE-T Act. On November 9, 2023, Jill

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ALTON – Americans love their national parks. According to the National Park Service, about 312 million people visited national parks in 2022, a 5% increase from 2021. National parks bring in billions of dollars of economic activity to regions across the country for small and large cities alike. Today, during the Alton Riverfront Commission Meeting, representatives from AltonWorks unveiled a long-term vision to create the Great Rivers National Park to help transform Alton and highlight the region’s crown jewel: The Mississippi River. This proposal is aligned with the founding principles of AltonWorks which include livability, environmental stewardship, social justice, and inclusivity in rebuilding communities for optimum social impact. “Alton has many incredible assets,” said John Simmons, CEO of AltonWorks. “The combination of the riverfront, the Clark Bridge, Marina, and the historic downtown area makes the perfect setting for a national park and could

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JERSEYVILLE - The Jerseyville City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve an ordinance exempting the city from the state’s Paid Leave For All Workers Act , which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2024. According to the Illinois Department of Labor , Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the Paid Leave For All Workers Act (SB208) into law in March of 2023. The law entitles all workers in Illinois a minimum of 40 hours of paid leave during a 12-month period. Leave accrues at a rate of one hour of paid leave per 40 hours worked and applies to all workers in Illinois, including municipal employees, with exceptions for certain industries and independent contractors. Under the new law, employees can take paid leave “ for any reason of the employee's choosing” and are not required to provide documentation or a reason for taking the leave. The law also forbids employers from requiring employees to find replacement workers to cover the hours they choose to take their

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PIASA - For any team, the libero is a pivotal person in the lineup. This past girl's volleyball season, libero Maddy Fenstermaker was a key player each match for the Piasa Birds. Fenstermaker was a master with her defensive positions for the Birds and also a spark plug to Southwestern’s front-line play and kills. The good thing for head girls' volleyball coach Derek Dempsey is the proven leader - Fenstermaker - returns next season because she was only a junior this season. Maddy is an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for Southwestern. “She is one of those who have a bigger heart than almost any other player on the court,” Dempsey said. “She is 5-foot-2, but covers the floor well and is very scrappy.” The coach said he expects Maddy to only build next year on what she learned this season and he expects the Piasa Birds to be much improved in 2024 because they had such a young team this year. Many of Southwestern’s

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JERSEYVILLE - When it comes to enthusiasm and leadership on the basketball court, Jersey Community High School senior Tessa Crawford stands above nearly all the rest. Crawford is the one that the Panthers’ basketball varsity girls look to for leadership on the court. Crawford is a Sparklight Internet Female Athlete of the Month for the Panthers. Jersey head girls' basketball coach Caleb Williams said she is the only senior on the team and looks to make everyone else around her better. “She can score and she can facilitate offense for other players,” he said. “Defensively, she will play hard all game long every night.” Coach Williams stressed that Crawford always hustles on the court and leads by example. “Tessa’s example is that she plays with passion, and toughness, and goes hard at everything she does,” he said. Area girls' basketball teams should be on the lookout for their games with the skilled Panthers’ squad with Tessa

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EDWARDSVILLE - Charlie Rae will welcome Santa, Mrs. Claus and community members for a free “Kick Start Christmas with Charlie Rae” event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. The children’s boutique, located at 100 N. Main Street in Edwardsville, is celebrating two months since its opening with this completely free event. Steele the Moments by Hannah will offer professional photos with Santa, and visitors can enjoy a hot chocolate bar and Christmas cookies. Donations will be accepted for the Metro East Humane Society . Charlie Rae owner Clarinda Martin opened the storefront in mid-October after two years of online-only sales. The boutique sells a variety of clothing for babies and kids. Martin, who has twins, realized there weren’t many “kid options” in the area, which inspired her to open Charlie Rae. “It’s been going really good. It’s a lot busier than I expected,” Martin said. “Edwardsville’s

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CARROLLTON - Crime rates in Greene County have gone down overall in 2023 compared to last year, but assaults have skyrocketed by 1,200%, according to updated statistics from the Illinois State Police. The overall Green County crime rate has gone down by 7.42%, according to the Illinois State Police Illinois Uniform Crime Reporting Program , which combines data submitted by law enforcement agencies across each county in the state. However, certain charges have seen alarming spikes over the past year. Assault offenses were 1,200% higher in 2023 than they were in 2022, totaling 13 in 2023 compared to just one in 2022. Sexual crimes also saw an uptick of 50%, totaling three for 2023 and two for 2022. “Destruction” crimes were also up for the year, with five in 2023 and four in 2022 for an increase of 25%. There was no change in the number of burglary or fraud cases, which totaled two and five respectively for both years. Despite the skyrocketing rate of assaults

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WOOD RIVER - Junior Tahj'Juan "Tookie" Smith takes his school work at East Alton-Wood River High seriously and puts equal effort into his role with the Oilers' boys' basketball team. He said he is most proud of his grades and being a leader on the boys' basketball team. "I have been playing basketball since I was 5 years old and I just like seeing the excitement all my teammates face when we are working as a team," he added. Tookie said being a basketball player has helped him to develop into a better person because of the discipline and teamwork involved. He said he wanted to attend Kansas University because that is where his dad always wanted to go to college. Tookie is also a member of the football and track teams. Tookie thanked his father for his inspiration in his life. "My dad believed in me and he knows the work I put in on my free time and he knows how good I can be," he said. Smith also thanked his present head boys coach Kevin Gockel for his mentorship.

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