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The Center Square – Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he believes in paying off the state’s debt, but he didn't mention the state’s $4.5 billion unemployment trust fund debt that costs taxpayers tens of millions in interest during his State of the State and Budget address Wednesday. Proposing a spending plan for the coming fiscal year that's billions of dollars more expensive than what he proposed for the current year, Pritzker laid out his fiscal 2023 budget priorities on Groundhog Day at the Old State Capitol in Springfield. The governor offered up a spending plan of $45.5 billion in state funds, nearly $4 billion more than he proposed for the current fiscal year. Despite increased spending, the election-year plan includes a freeze in grocery taxes and property tax rebates of up to $300 per household. The governor is also proposing freezing the estimated 2.2 cent gas tax increase scheduled for July 1. Pritzker said the extra gas tax money wasn’t needed by the Illinois

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WOOD RIVER - Wood River Fire Department issued a Box Alarm on a fire call to Lewis and Clark Elementary at 501 East Lorena in Wood River on Friday. When firefighters arrived, they found smoke on the second floor. The fire appeared to originate in the mechanical area of the Lewis and Clark Elementary basement. With the assistance of the East Alton Fire Department and Roxana, Edwardsville, and Rosewood Heights Fire Departments, the firefighters were able to get the situation under control in a fast fashion. It was a snow day for Lewis and Clark Elementary, so there were no students in the buildings, Wood River Fire Chief Wade Stahlhut said, which was a huge blessing. Madison County Emergency Management was also called to the scene to assist. Stahlhut said he was also appreciative of the other departments for their assistance both at the fire and others with help at their fire station. The State Fire Marshal's Office was also requested to the scene to assist in the investigation o

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GODFREY - Godfrey resident Jean Connoyer had some fun on Friday with her beloved horse - Henry - as he was in a stable for a few days the first part of the week because of the inclement weather. Today, Henry was in a playful mood, she said, with the weather breaking and he enjoyed time with Connoyer grazing outside. Henry is a black-coated horse and is a half Morgan and Friesian breed. The Morgan bread is compact, refined, and generally gray, black, or chestnut in color. Henry is boarded at Hoagland Stables in Godfrey. The Morgan breed is considered the ultimate all-American horse and originated in Vermont, Connoyer said. The Friesian breed originates in Friesland in the Netherlands. Friesian horses were in great demand during war times because they are graceful and nimble for their size and are better designed for the cold, Connoyer said. "The Morgan breed is a do it all kind of breed, Connoyer said, who has had Henry for about nine years." The yellow-coated horse - Sonny - below

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Jenny & Amos from Godfrey Date Met/Started Dating: June 8, 2020 Briefly Describe First Date: We met up and went out to explore Cuivre River in Missouri, after not having seen each other for at least 20 years. Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: We love exploring, watching movies, pokemoning, traveling, and just talking and laughing together. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Communication is so very important.

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Carrie and David from Collinsville Date Met/Started Dating: July 10, 2021 Briefly Describe First Date: I met him on Facebook through a friend and asked him to go to my best friend's wedding with me…and he said yes! Date Married: June 25, 2022 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: We love going to the gun range and just being together. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Always be truthful and honest…laugh a lot and don’t take life too seriously…live in the now.

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GREENE COUNTY - A GoFundMe page has been set for Randa Davidson’s family after her death this past week. Randa, a Greene County woman, apparently died of hypothermia complications in Springfield after a massive search earlier this week. Randa’s body was found near a pond by a Sangamon County detective in the 3100 block of Robbins Road in Springfield’s extreme west end on Tuesday, January 25, 2022. Randa, a Hillview resident, was only 39 years old. The GoFundMe fundraiser was created by her aunt - Janet Surratt - to help support her two children. Surratt said the family thanks all those who reached out when Randa went missing. "We prayed for her safe return," she added. "Randa has been found and unfortunately is no longer with us. I am creating this account to help with burial expenses and for the benefit of Randa’s son and daughter. Any donation is appreciated. Please continue to pray for the family." Janet Surratt closed with some inspiring words to describ

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SPRINGFIELD – Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today highlighted recently-released data from the Business Formation Statistics Report that shows Illinois is leading the Midwest, and is among the top ten states nationally, in business startups - in addition to reaching the highest recorded number of business startups. Highlights include: Illinois Highlights : - In 2021, 198,827 business startups were created in Illinois, which is an increase from 170,400 in 2020 - In 2021, Illinois recorded its highest-ever number of business startups since the data was first reported in 2004. - Illinois has 69 percent more business startups in 2021 compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019 (198,827 compared to 117,392). From 2019 to 2020 there was also a 45 percent increase in business startups 117,392 to 170,400). Regional Highlights: - In 2021, Illinois had the highest number of business startups in the Midwest (as defined

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EDWARDSVILLE – Charges have been filed in association with reported racial incidents at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. According to the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office, the complainant, Kaliyeha A. Clark-Mabins, has been charged with Filing a False Police Report resulting in the following: Count 1: Disorderly Conduct (Class 4 Felony); Count 2: Disorderly Conduct (Class 4 Felony); Count 3: Disorderly Conduct (Class 4 Felony). On Sunday, Jan. 23, SIUE Police received a report of a hate crime involving the posting of hand-written notes on the door of a room in Woodland Residence Hall, along with an alleged anonymous text message thread from fall 2021 containing threatening and racially hostile content. Following a thorough investigation completed by the SIUE Police Department, with assistance from the Madison County State’s Attorney's Office and the U.S. Secret Service, the two suspects originally named in this investigation, Amanda Jerome an

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ALTON/EDWARDSVILLE - The highways and roads are opening up on Friday after heavy sleet and snow combinations on Wednesday and Thursday. The photos show a drive through Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, then Wood River, and Alton Friday morning to demonstrate the work highway and street crews have done. The highway and street crews did a remarkable job from Thursday night to Friday morning clearing the highways for motorists, some of whom returned to work on Friday. Schools remain closed on Friday. There is no snow in the forecast for Saturday through next Thursday. Temps for Sunday are expected to rise to 32 degrees, with a low of 15. Monday a high of 31 is forecast with a low of 15, 35 degrees is the projected high on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Thursday highs now are predicted at 37 and 38 degrees.

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ALTON - The streets in Alton were quiet on Day 2 of the intense winter storm on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022. Convenience stores were open on Thursday but many businesses were closed. “I wouldn’t be out here if I didn’t have to be," said one man pumping gas into his car. “But I've been driving very carefully, and I have been fine so far." Most vehicles on the streets on the second day of the winter storm were either trucks, Jeeps, or snowplows with only a few brave souls trying to move through the streets with passenger cars. Friday will remain cold with a high of 25 degrees and low of 4 degrees. Saturday it will be mostly sunny with a high of 26 and a low of 15 degrees.

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Gabriel & Shannon from Alton Date Met/Started Dating: June 8, 2012 Briefly Describe First Date: Dinner & sightseeing Date Married: October 19, 2014 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Vacationing, going to the theatre, cooking together. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Don’t forget to date your spouse.

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Jaime & Werner from Collinsville Date Met/Started Dating: February 3, 2003 Briefly Describe First Date: Went to Shenanigans in Edwardsville. Went to see American Wedding. Date Married: April 17, 2005 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Going to Cardinals games. Watching tv and movies. Going to the Art Museum. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Listen to each other. Don’t lose your temper. Forgive easily.

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ALTON - Nate Keener, Ward 7 Alderman announces a Town Hall event for February 16th from 6:00 – 7:00 pm at The Old Bakery Beer Company at 400 Landmarks Boulevard in Alton. “This will be our first town hall of 2022, and as we dig out from snow and the most recent COVID surge, we see a number of exciting opportunities on the horizon for Alton. Transformative programs like the American Rescue Plan, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the Climate Equity and Jobs Act provide great potential for the future development of Alton. I look forward to hearing from the residents of Ward 7 about ways we can make Alton a better place to live for everybody,” said Keener. The event is free and open to all. There will be no formal presentation, and residents are encouraged to come and go as they please. Alderman Keener can be reached at 618-208-7261.

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ALTON — The next American Red Cross blood drive at Alton Memorial Hospital will be from 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, in the AMH café meeting rooms. An extra hour has been added at the start to accommodate more donors. To register, go to www.redcrossblood.org and then type AltonMemorial at the top right under “Find a Blood Drive,” or contact Dave Whaley in AMH Public Relations at 618-433-7947 or david.whaley@ bjc.org. Donors who come to give blood at a Red Cross blood drive during the month of February will receive a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card via email, so please include your email address when you register. The Red Cross is going through a blood shortage not seen in at least 10 years, so please consider giving.

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ST. LOUIS – World Wide Technology Raceway will host two job fairs -- on Thursday, February 24, from 4-6:30 p.m., and Saturday, February 26 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. -- in preparation for the 2022 event season. Many positions, in all departments, are available. Positions also are available at the Gateway Kartplex. WWTR is the home of NASCAR, INDYCAR and NHRA racing in the St. Louis-Metro East region and will present its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, June 5. First job fair: Thursday, February 24, from 4-6:30 p.m. Second job fair: Saturday, February 26, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. The job fairs will be held in the infield media center, inside the oval track. Full-time and part-time positions in many departments are available. The WWTR event operations and ticket sales departments also need college students for summer internships. Prospective candidates should bring a resume and identification and must be able to pass a background check. WWTR is located just five minutes

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ST. LOUIS - Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE) is proud to announce that it has once again received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index, the nation's foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. "At Ameren, we're fostering a culture of diverse co-workers who bring a variety of perspectives that help us serve our customers better – and we work hard to provide the support that employees need to be successful in their careers," said Sharon Harvey Davis, vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer for Ameren. "That's why we've been intentional about providing meaningful benefits and services that give all our employees, including those who identify as LGBTQ+, the opportunity to grow at Ameren and provide for their families." Ameren's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Employees & Allies Network (GLEAN) employee resource group has

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ALTON, IL – A new, free winter festival will be coming to Alton later this month. Ice Jam at the Dam , held at the National Great Rivers Museum on February 19 th , will highlight winter experiences that can be had along the river, along with winter-themed movies, live music, animal shows, and more. From 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, the public is invited to visit the National Great Rivers Museum for a wide array of wintery activities. Behind the museum at the foot of the Melvin Price Locks and Dam, local organizations will have educational booths where visitors can learn about winter wildlife, view bald eagles, and hear about the Lewis and Clark over-wintering at Camp Dubois alongside a replica of the White Pirogue boat used on their expedition. Expert Rangers will offer campfire programs while families roast s’mores at fire pits and enjoy hot chocolate and live music. Melvin Price Locks and Dam will also be open for guests to tour as they please, with tour guides and eagle-viewing

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BELLEVILLE - The Belleville Area Humane Society is hosting their 2022 Slumber PAWty and anyone in the community is invited in participate. Hosted by Purina and 15 additional shelters, Slumber PAWty is one of the biggest slumber party events ever held in honor of animal welfare. Due to the ongoing challenge of the pandemic COVID-19, this event will be virtual. Fundraising starts February 14th; the live event is March 5-6, 2022. RSVP here. Just as soon as the fundraising portion of the event goes live, you will be assigned an individual fundraising link to share with friends and family to get the festivities underway. BAHS's goal is to raise $30,000 for the animals in their care. This event is a peer-to-peer focused fundraising event that is best promoted via social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc). Also, you can email or text your page link to friends and family to encourage donations. All participants who raise $5 or more will be entered to win a prize package that includes:

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CHICAGO – With Governor Pritzker more than doubling funding aimed at reducing gun violence since he took office, the Governor and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) are announcing the first of three Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) for eligible organizations to apply for over $150 million in state funding to further violence prevention efforts. The first round of funding includes more than $5o million for violence prevention services in Chicago including street-based violence interruption work and victim services. Subsequent rounds of funding for statewide youth development and high-risk youth intervention programs will open later this month. The grants are made possible through the Reimagine Public Safety Act (RPSA) , which aims to address the root causes of firearm violence in Illinois through targeted, integrated behavioral health services, access to economic opportunities, and violence interruption and prevention programs. Since his first year in office,

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Gori Law Firm, based in Edwardsville, Ill., recently announced it has earned the 2022 Top Workplaces USA award. The winners were announced on February 1 at the 2022 Top Workplaces National Celebration virtual event. More than 1,100 companies, including the firm, were recognized. Winners of the Top Workplaces USA list are based solely on feedback gathered by employees through surveys issued by Energage, a Philadelphia-based workplace survey and performance Certified B Corporation. The surveys measure aspects of the workplace environment such as performance, engagement, leadership and connection, among others. Energage also issues regional surveys, including one for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Top Workplaces, who announced its list of winners featuring The Gori Law Firm in June of 2021. “We are incredibly honored to be both regionally and nationally recognized as a top workplace,” said Sara Salger, managing partner of the firm. “This is an

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