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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation is hosting the 31st “Today’s Challenge, Tomorrow’s Reward” conference on May 9 and 10 at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield. The longtime conference hosted by IDOT’s Office of Business and Workforce Diversity provides female- and minority-owned businesses with opportunities to make connections and develop skills to grow and succeed. “Today’s Challenge, Tomorrow’s Reward is one of the premier events in the state for our contracting community to build relationships and open the door to participate on projects,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman.“Thanks to the historic Rebuild Illinois capital program and unprecedented investments happening at the federal level, there has never been a better time to be involved in the transportation industry. Under Gov. Pritzker, IDOT is committed to making its projects more diverse and inclusive. The information at thi

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CHICAGO —During National Small Business Week, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced that the full $250 million in relief funds have been granted through the Back to Business (B2B) program. This concludes the program, providing nearly 6,500 grants to small businesses in over 475 cities and more than 90 counties across the state, with 96 percent of awards delivered to businesses in disproportionately impacted communities or in the hardest-hit industries. A list of Illinois B2B grantees can be found here . “Illinois responded to the pandemic by providing $1.5 billion in economic relief for childcare providers, local government services, and so many hard-hit small businesses that shape our communities,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “These are investments that preserve jobs and Main Streets and dreams. When we put our state’s fiscal house in order, we can invest taxpayer dollars in building a stronger

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JERSEYVILLE - The First Presbyterian Church of Jerseyville and the Jersey County Arts Council will host an open house and art exhibit Saturday, May 21, 2022, from 1 to 4 p.m. The church is located at the corner of State and Carpenter Streets (400 S. State St.) in Jerseyville. Parking is available both behind the church and across the street to the north. The First Presbyterian Church has served as a Jerseyville landmark since its completion in 1882 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in February of 2021. This will be the first time since that designation was awarded that the public can tour the historic building to learn its history. The church’s roots can be traced to 1834 when a group met in Newel Adam’s log cabin to officially organize a Presbyterian church. It was the first church organized in Jerseyville. All tours are self-guided, and members of the congregation will be available to answer questions. The church’s beauty is no less

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BELLEVILLE – In connection with a matching grant from The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Art on the Square has purchased an 8’ sculpture titled “Flame” from sculptor Ron Stinson. The sculpture will be installed at the St. Clair County Historical Society’s Daphne Sumner History Discovery Center, located at 705 East Washington St. Belleville. This abstract piece of art can be displayed both indoors and outdoors and is made of Marine Quality Stainless Steel. About the National Endowment for the Arts "The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is the only arts funder in the United States—public or private—that provides access to the arts in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. jurisdictions. Each year, we award thousands of grants to provide everyone in the United States with diverse opportunities for arts participation. We award cost/share matching grants to nonprofit organizations for a wide variety of arts projects, literature

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) announced today a $745,200 grant from Lumina Foundation to further the mission of Illinois Community Colleges to improve employment outcomes for African-American and other minority students throughout the state. The ICCB will use the grant and leverage existing agency resources to strengthen the connection of Workforce Equity Initiative (WEI) students to employment opportunities within their communities as part of Lumina’s Employment Connection Project (ECP). “I’m pleased to see the Lumina Foundation recognize the role of Illinois’ Workforce Equity Initiative in opening up new opportunities for Illinois residents to build great careers,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Since its founding, the WEI has enrolled over 5,000 students across 100 high-demand training programs, operating with a focus on historically underinvested Black and Brown communities. Lumina’s grant will enhance the

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EDWARDSVILLE - Joe’s Market Basket is preparing for one of its busiest weekends of the year; Mother’s Day. The store offers a unique selection of Mother’s Day gift ideas to help people celebrate and honor the women in their lives. Joe’s Market Basket General Manager Andy Klos said in preparation for the holiday, each of its five stores is fully stocked with hundreds of varieties of hanging baskets, flowers, planters, gardening supplies, shrubs and ornamental trees. “The beauty of buying your mom or wife a plant or perennial flower is that the gift can last all summer, and in some cases can come back every year,” said Klos. “We also can help people build their own planter so the gift is personalized for what the person likes. Sometimes people add unique plants like a herb or a pot that they know matches their house perfectly. It’s fun to see people get excited about what they’re creating.” Joe’s Market Basket staff

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EAST ALTON – Betsy Papin and Jacob Futrell are two local college students currently interning with the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC sm ). Betsy Papin is currently studying criminal justice at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. She previously attended Lewis and Clark Community College, where she studied criminal justice. Papin is working with Danelle Haake, NGRREC’s RiverWatch director and stream ecologist to test local water samples to monitor fecal bacteria found in the Prairie Du Pont watershed. Heartlands Conservancy is a partner organization on this project. “Living locally, I have seen work done by NGRREC and I’ve always had great respect for their work,” Papin said. “I felt this would be a great fit for me because not only do I learn about the local ecosystem and work on projects, I am able to apply those lessons into teaching the community the findings of the internship.” Jacob Futrell is attending

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MADISON – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that IL-203 between Ohio Street and I-55/70 in St Clair County will be intermittently restricted to one lane in each direction beginning Monday, May 9, 2022, weather permitting. These restrictions will be between 7 am and 6 pm and flaggers will be utilized to maintain traffic. This work is necessary to complete pavement repairs at the entrance of the World Wide Technology Raceway and is expected to be completed by May 13, 2022. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices and be alert for workers and equipment. The contractor on this project is Kinney Contractors, Inc. Raymond, Illinois. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.

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ALTON - Volunteers and members of the American Red Cross of Greater St. Louis, will join with the Alton Fire Department on May 10 and the Ferguson Fire Department on May 12 to install free smoke alarms for local families vulnerable to home fires during a Sound the Alarm event. This effort is part of a national Red Cross Sound the Alarm initiative to install 50,000 free smoke alarms in more than 50 at-risk communities across the country in May. Representatives from the Alton Fire Department will join Red Cross volunteers for the Alton event and will be joined by volunteers from Schnucks, which is sponsoring the event. Sound the Alarm event will kick off with remarks and volunteer training, followed by smoke alarm installations at area homes where volunteer teams will also discuss home fire safety with families. This will take place in area homes in Alton, IL (May 10) and Ferguson, MO (May 12) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. Teams will meet on May 10 at 10 a.m. at the

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EDWARDSVILLE – Students from the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering (SOE) Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) are celebrating standout showings at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Region 5 Student Conference in Houston in April. The IEEE is one of the world’s largest professional societies, with Region 5 of the IEEE encompassing most of the central part of the country. The SOE student branch is co-advised by Amardeep Kaur, PhD, and George Engel, PhD, who accompanied the group to Houston. A two-person team comprising SOE seniors Wyatt Marks, of Mount Vernon, and William Gallagher, of Bloomington, participated in the IEEE Region 5 Circuit Design Competition. The team earned first place and was awarded a cash prize of $500. The student team was challenged to solve a technical problem which was provided to the team on the day of the competition. Their design involved the use of an Arduino micro-controller

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Edwardsville Police Department on Wednesday announced it issued 23 hands-free law violations and five other citations to include a suspended license arrest, along with several registration and insurance violations during the April Distracted Driving Enforcement Period. “Distracted Driving Awareness Month allowed the Edwardsville Police Department to bring a heightened awareness to stop motorists from engaging in this deadly behavior,” said Lt. Barry Jones. The Edwardsville Police Department joined forces with state and local law enforcement and highway safety partners for this enforcement effort. Using your phone in anything other than the hands-free mode in Illinois is not only dangerous but also illegal. Break the cycle. Drop it and drive." The Illinois distracted driving campaign is funded with federal traffic safety funds administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

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BRUSSELS - She received a standing ovation. Her family, including her husband, siblings, and children made sure they were there to see it. Every student gave her a hug. That was the scene at St. Mary Catholic School in Brussels after Maureen Tepen, the third/fourth-grade teacher and fifth/sixth-grade language arts teacher in the small, rural school, was announced as the winner of the 2022 St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois during a surprise celebration and award presentation at the school May 4. Bishop Thomas John Paprocki presented Tepen with the award. “God is so good, God is so good,” Tepen said, as she fought back tears from the podium during the event. “I decided to be a teacher when I was in first grade, and I had this little seed in my heart that I wanted to teach kids, and to have a spot they knew they could come to be encouraged and grow.” Then, looking at all the students in the room, Tepen said, “I just

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GODFREY - The Village of Godfrey hosted their annual "Touch a Truck" Day on Wednesday which included plenty of smiles, pictures, and lots (and lots!) of "horn honking". Chris Logan, Director of Parks and Recreation for the Village of Godfrey, said "Lots of local businesses and organizations brought out their big vehicles to let the kids get up close to these big trucks (that they may have seen going down the road). The kids get to meet the drivers, touch the trucks, sit in the driver's seat, (and, of course, honk the horn)." Some of the organizations that brought out trucks included Ferrellgas, Illinois Department of Transportation, Ameren Illinois, Madison County Transit, Godfrey Fire Protection District, Bowers Towing, Bob Sanders Waste, several ambulances, and others. Logan went on to say, "This has become an annual event and is an opportunity for the kids to take a field trip from school or, if they're not in school yet, Mom and Dad can bring them out. We've got

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EDWARDSVILLE – Renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump of Ben Crump Law and Attorney Jennifer Hightower stood with the victims of the deadly Amazon warehouse collapse that occurred on Dec. 10, 2021, when tornadoes touched down in Edwardsville, during a Tuesday news conference at Mount Joy Baptist Church in Edwardsville. The mother of DeAndre Morrow, who lost his life that day, spoke about the loss of her son for the first time. On April 26, 2022, OSHA issued a hazard alert letter to Amazon, detailing critical and potentially life-saving improvements to be made at the Edwardsville warehouse, where six contractors were killed and many were traumatized when this tragedy occurred. Crump and Hightower also had PTSD victims Jamarco Hickman, Evan Jensen, Jada Williams, and Deontae Yancey present at the press event. Deandre Morrow’s mother, Deon January, said Amazon told her son to remain in the warehouse even with knowledge of a potential devastating

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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today joined a multistate coalition of eight attorneys general urging President Biden to fully cancel federal student loan debt owed by every federal student loan borrower in the country. The coalition urges the president to immediately exercise his authority under the Higher Education Act to cancel the more than $1.7 trillion owed to the federal government by student borrowers. “Without action, the student loan crisis will continue to get worse, stifling economic activity and weighing down families with mountains of debt that they cannot afford to repay,” Raoul said. “While long-term reforms to the student loan system are desperately needed, I urge the Biden administration to take action that will provide immediate relief to student loan borrowers.” In their letter , Raoul and the coalition argue that a full cancelation of student debt is necessary to address the sheer enormity of debts owed, systemically

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ALTON - It won’t be long before the new McDonald’s opens its doors at 717 East Broadway in Alton. Construction started in mid-March and has progressed in a quick fashion, Alton Mayor David Goins said. The Bold family owns this McDonald’s and others around the region. Much of the structure is in place with the foundation, plumbing, and more for the new restaurant. The McDonald’s in Alton was destroyed in a terrible fire on June 18, 2021. The next step is simply to finish the inside and install the new equipment. Mayor Goins said he has heard sometime in early summer the restaurant will open to customers. “The construction appears to be going well,” Mayor Goins said. “I am encouraged by all the work being done to bring it back to functionality. “We are encouraged that all the workers will be able to come back to their jobs. It will definitely be a boom in that area once it is up and running again. Many people stop by McDonald’s

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GLEN CARBON - Elena Rybak shows great potential for the spring for the Father McGivney Catholic girls' track and field team. Only a freshman, Elena blazed to a first place in the Indoor State Championships with a time of 5:08. The Griffins’ 4 x 800 relay team placed fourth in the state indoors with a time of 10:15. Elena is a Byron, Carlson Petri & Kalb Female Athlete of the Month. Elena is the ultimate competitor, she drives at a remarkable pace from start to finish. When she starts a race, an onlooker can see her concentration in her eyes. She is on the track to excel and win whenever possible. Her distance coach Jim Helton says Eleana’s potential for the future is simply unlimited. Russ Hart is Elena’s head coach for McGivney track and field and he agreed with Helton's assessment of Elena. Elena started her track and field and running career in fifth grade. “I enjoy running because I love to compete, and the feeling of crossing the line at the end of

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MADISON COUNTY - Madison County Housing Authority (MCHA) will be accepting applications for Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8 rental assistance), and other programs, on the dates listed below. Applications for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and other programs, will be accepted at: Bernard Long Elementary School, gymnasium, located at 1003 Farrish St., Madison, IL 62060, on Saturday, May 14, 2022, from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm, and Alton Middle School, Annex gymnasium, located at 2200 College Ave., Alton, IL 62002, on Saturday, May 21, 2022, from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. Applications for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and other programs, can be accepted at the MCHA Central Office, located at 2 Eastport Plaza Drive, Collinsville, IL 62234 on Monday, May 23, 2022, through Thursday, June 30 , 2022, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday. There are after-hours application boxes located at the MCHA Central Office. Applications may also be accepted at any MCHA developments locat

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JERSEYVILLE - Jersey West Elementary and others in Jersey Community Unit School District No. 100 have a focus this week on Teacher Appreciation Week. The Jersey administration had this to say about the school district's teachers: "Jersey 100 teachers dedicate their time and energy every day to helping our students learn and grow. They are dedicated educators, who lead by example, inspire, love, build confidence and shape our students into the best they can be for a bright future! Teachers, we appreciate you for all you are and for all you do for the students of Jersey 100! You are all amazing!" Today, the district recognized Jersey West Elementary faculty and staff, shown in the above photo. Those pictured are: Rose LaTempt, Barb Smith, Adriane Williams, Jamie Jones, Lindsey Becker, Brittany Darr, Mindy Schulte, Sherri Lichtenberger, Mindy Ayres, Joanna Scott, Torrie Gilmore, Monica Eschbach, Ashley Hermens, Lynn Goetten, Melissa Durie, Samantha Hausman, Julie Duggan, Judy Nurnberger,

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College photography and graphic design student Jeannette Angeline Carrington never expected to see her artwork hanging in a gallery, let alone receiving accolades for her craft. At 46 years old, she started attending L&C part-time at the encouragement of her family, and quickly found success. Six of her works were chosen for this year’s 17 th annual Student Art Exhibition, and her photo design piece, “Composite 1,” was awarded first place. “I have always enjoyed creating, whether it be painting, ceramics, graphic design or photography,” Carrington said. “I found myself gravitating toward these things in my personal life. Having complete strangers judge my art and choose mine as the winner is inspiring and confirmation that my decision to pursue graphic design and photography was an excellent choice. I was shocked that I won first place.” Not only did she perform well in the show, but

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